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APC’s Restructuring Report, Ungodly Deception – ECA …Ruling Party, Pathological Liar – ADP

Published

8 years ago

January 29, 2018

The Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA has picked holes in the report of the All Progressives Congress, (APC)backing restructuring of the country, resource control and state police, among others.
Dissecting the report of the committee led by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai at a meeting in Enugu, the ECA in a communique by its Deputy Leader, Mrs. Maria Okwor and Secretary, Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko said the APC report on restructuring is a red herring, a smoke screen and an ungodly deception designed solely to buy time, to deceive and to mislead the masses of the country into voting in, this tasteless, ruthless and unworthy cabal into office for a second term.
“The deliberate effort to pretend that they are willing to restructure, designed only for the elections a year away is from the pit of hell.
The designers of this evil strategy know that they have no intention to yield to the sensible clamour to restructure Nigeria.
They know, they made four attempts to grab power for only one purpose: to impose their agenda on 180 million Nigerians.
That agenda is dutiful being driven by their militia wing: the Fulani herdsmen.
That agenda is also glaring enough for the blind to see the nauseating nepotism in the lopsided appointments that has divided the country.
“Turning around to attempt to appeal to the sensibilities of Nigerians who yearn for a genuine restructuring of the polity by pretending they now believe in the same restructuring they claim not to understand what it means, is a clear sign that this ruthless cabal that has destroyed Nigeria in three years, has probably become jittery, after realizing that Nigerians have rejected them.
They, therefore, foolishly hope to deceive Nigerians, by pretending they have become born again apostles of restructuring. A ploy they used successfully just before the last elections.
’ “Whereas, returning Nigeria to true fiscal federalism, regional autonomy and resource control, consensually affirmed through a referendum and a new constitution, remains the only way to salvage Nigeria, infantile ploys by vicious elements to continue to hold us all hostage through guile, albeit, making public a deceptive report on restructuring, which they have no intention whatsoever to implement, just so they could fool the people yet again shows how desperate the oppressive cabal destroying Nigeria today, has suddenly become.”
Meanwhile, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has taken a swipe at the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the restructuring position recently made public by the El-Rufai Committee, describing it as a political gimmick designed to deceive Nigerians and to shift public attention from condemnations trailing the Buhari administration.
In a statement released by the Director Media, Kayode Jacob, yesterday, in Abuja, ADP’s
National Chairman, Engr. Yabagi Sani said that APC might be taking Nigerians for granted in much the same way PDP did before it was swept from power in ‘Change’ election of 2015.
According to him, the restructuring proposal by the APC is deceptive, going by the track record of the party.
“They rode on the back of great promises in 2015 without clearly fulfilling any till date,” he said.
“Now, again, as we enter election year, they are coming up with what many of them strongly condemn and oppose”
Sani argued that the restructuring report was cooked up by hired persons to portray APC on the side of the people and shift focus away from the content of Obasanjo’s letter.
“APC itself lacks structure and is not functioning; the government is confused and clueless and their majority at the National Assembly is uncoordinated and without respect,” he said.
“Instead of trying to deceive and hoodwink Nigerians again, the APC should rather apologise to ex-President Jonathan for getting him changed on a phantom promise of ‘change’”, Yabagi Sani insisted.
“Nigerians should not believe them. APC does not believe in state merger, resource control or state police. They are pathological liars.”
He, however, wants Nigerians to stop lamenting, urging them to team up with Action Democratic Party as the credible alternative to sweep APC and all its unfulfilled promises into history and pilot a greater tomorrow.
Similarly, the three main socio-cultural groups in Benue State – Mdzough-u-Tiv, Idoma National Forum and Omi Ny’Igede – have called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mansur Dan-Ali, whom they accused of compromising his office by failing to send the military to Benue State since the latest crisis started, while he was quick to advice the deployment of troops to other parts of the country.
Alternatively, the groups would want President Muhammadu Buhari to sack and prosecute Dan-Ali for alleged complicity in the murder of innocent Benue State citizens.
In a press statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the Benue State groups further demanded that should Buhari fail to sack the Defence Minister, the National Assembly should immediately investigate the President’s role in the Benue State killings with a view to possibly impeaching him if found wanting in the performance of his duties by failing to avert the killings of the Benue State people after several complaints and official report by the State Governor, Samuel Ortom and the three socio-cultural organisations.
The statement, jointly signed by Chief Edward Ujege, the President-General, Mdzough-u-Tiv; Amale Adoya Amale, the President-General, Idoma Nation Forum; and Chief Ode Enyi, the President-General, Omi Ny’Igede, was in response to what the groups described as the reckless, highly provocative, unstatesmanly and divisive comments by Dan-Ali on the “sustained senseless and organised killings of Benue people by the Fulani herdsmen”.
They were miffed that the Defence Minister “in his comments attributed the unprovoked barbaric murder of innocent and defencelss children, pregnant women and the aged in Benue State to the enactment of the Anti-Open Grazing Law by the Government of Benue State.
“We are extremely saddened by the public show of partiality, partisanship by the Minister of Defence whose oath of office requires of him to defend the territorial integrity and all peoples of Nigeria including the good people of Benue state from both internal and external aggression.
“We hasten to ask this critical question: If the killings in Benue were as a result of the anti-Open Grazing law, to what will the Minister attribute the killings of farmers by Fulani Herdsmen and wanton destruction of farms and property in Adamawa, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Nasarawa and other states of the Federation in recent weeks where such a law is not in place?.
“The Minister has by his statements on a national Television network clearly demonstrated that he has grossly compromised the oath of his office by openly endorsing the blood-letting in Benue.
“We hasten to declare that there can be no justification to take human life under any circumstance in the manner the Minister shamelessly justified in the Television programme.”
They contended that the Defence Minister’s provocative statement, which came shortly after an equally condemnable remark by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, that the January 1, 2018 cold blooded killings of over 70 people in Guma and Logo LGAs of Benue State were results of communal clash, “has reinforced our earlier held suspicion that the Fulani Herdsmen have been acting with the full backing of top government officials in the Buhari-led administration”.
They called on the international community to wade into the gross violation of the right to life of hapless Benue State people and the unwholesome destruction of their farms and other means of livelihood.
The statement said: “We are grateful to the various socio-cultural groups across the country notably the Afenifere, Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, the South-South People, human rights and pro-democracy activists and organisations, religious groups, Elder statesmen, opposition political parties, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Traditional Rulers, the Media and other well-meaning Nigerians, who have resolutely stood by us by opening condemning the genocide against Benue people.”

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Nigerians Hit As Iran Rains Missiles On UAE

Published

2 days ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.

This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.

The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.

In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.

It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.

“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.

“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.

According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.

Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.

The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.

Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.

Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.

In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.

“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.

In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.

“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.

Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.

According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.

The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.

Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.

The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.

Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.

Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.

The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.

It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.

Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

News

Fubara Swears in Five New Commissioners …Says Their Best Is Needed for Rivers Dev

Published

2 days ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.

Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.

This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.

The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.

The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.

Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.

The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.

He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.

“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.

“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.

“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.

News

Navy Destroys Illegal Refinery In Rivers, Intercepts Stolen Fuel In C’ River

Published

2 days ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.

The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.

Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.

He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.

According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.

“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.

Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.

He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.

He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.

The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.

“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.

Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.

He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.