Nedu Echianu's Blog

Presented with an opportunity to undertake an honest review of his regime’s economic performance, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), relapsed into his default mode of living in denial, and eerie self-congratulation. In an interview with Bloomberg, he made unfounded claims and amid the rubble of a collapsing polity, insisted that he would “leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it.” The verdict of the populace, the domestic and international community is however unsparing: Buhari’s management of Nigeria’s economy, like virtually other areas of national life, has been disastrous. Most Nigerians can hardly wait for his term to end. But as usual, Buhari was in a world of his own, claiming successes despite the overwhelming evidence of failure. He stated that the economy was on course “for sustainable and equitable growth,” and that Boko Haram no longer occupied large territories. For good measure, he added that Nigerians were now freely “empowere

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Friday convicted and sentenced the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi, to seven years imprisonment. The court also ordered that the senator’s two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, be wound up in line with the provisions of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said the the court’s ruling was delivered in an appeal challenging the judgment of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court which on June 18, 2021, discharged and acquitted the defendants on two counts of fraud and money laundering. EFCC had arraigned the three defendants over the acquisition of a property named Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million. Part of the money paid to the vendor – N322 million transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has issued a disclaimer against campaign posters of himself on Muslim prayer mats. The said prayer mats were made by support groups to be shared as campaign souvenirs to potential Muslim voters. Pictures of the mats went viral on social media, drawing the condemnation of many, especially Muslims whose religion frowns at the use of images on items of worship. Declaring his “deep respect” for the Muslim faith, the former Governor of Anambra State wrote on his Twitter handled that the mats were not from his campaign team. “The inclusion of my picture on the praying mat by a support group was misguided, even with the best of intentions,” he tweeted on Friday. “It didn’t emanate from my campaign team. I have deep respect for the Muslim faith and indeed, for every other religion. We will never mock any faith, ethnicity or gender. We are one Nigeria.” Punch

Following the growing popularity of former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, a mu lti-pronged sustained media propaganda to portray him as an ethno-religious bigot, link him with IPOB, cast him as a voodoo economic analyst, rubbish his achievements as governor among others, has been hatched. An online news medium, The Source Magazine reports that anti- Obi forces, including the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC have devised new methods to harm his rising popularity and support base with the view to preventing him from a possible presidential victory. Peter Gregory Obi was Anambra state Governor between 2006 and 2014 during which he performed creditably well and has since become a reference point in good governance. Since declaring his presidential ambition on the platform of the Labour party, his candidacy has gained huge traction across Nigeria with millions of young Nigerians across regional and religious divides fanatically rooting for him. However, Obi’s soarin

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, says at no time did he attack the former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, asking the public to discountenance such reports as the work of mischief-makers, who deliberately twisted his innocuous statement out of context. In a statement signed by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu,  Ekweremadu said he had no reason whatsoever to attack Obi’s ambition, noting that they enjoyed good relationship as brothers and friends, who were both entitled to the political opinions and pursuits.   He was reacting to a news story, which he said that Ndigbo “would never vote for Peter Obi”, describing it as political mischief. The statement read: “My attention has been drawn to the work of mischief makers, who claimed that I attacked my friend and brother, Mr. Peter Obi, over his presidential ambition. This is far from the truth, as there was no reason to do so in the first place.

The Delta APC Gubernatorial Campaign Organization has warned the Delta State Governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa not to use state funds to finance Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s campaign and other political activities. The campaign organisation said the call became necessary in the light of credible intelligence at its disposal that the 2023 General Election is a PDP conduit pipe to loot the state. A statement signed by  Ima Niboro,  Director, Communications and Media Strategy of the  Delta APC Gubernatorial Campaign Organization, no ted that the use of taxpayers’ funds and collective resources of Deltans to fund personal political ambitions was unacceptable, callous and inhuman. "It is sad that on a day the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike approved immediate payment of outstanding gratuities, pension arrears and death benefits for retirees of Rivers State Public Service, the Delta State House of Assembly appro

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on his nomination as the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 presidential election. Ekweremadu, in a post vide his verified social media handles on Thursday, described Okowa as highly resourceful and prepared for the office of the Vice President. He commended the party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for the decision and called on all party leaders and faithful to go to work to ensure the success of the ticket at the presidential polls. “I join our party leaders, party faithful, and supporters in congratulating my brother and friend, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on his emergence as the Vice Presidential candidate of our great party, the PDP.   “This is a sound choice by our presidential flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and our party.  “No doubt, Okowa brings immense electoral value to the PDP tick

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senate Chief Whip says there is nothing wrong if the All Progressives Congress (APC) decides to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket at the 2023 presidential election. He told newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday that the paramount issue was for the APC to win the presidential election. He argued that it was not possible for a southern minority Muslim and a northern minority Christian to win a presidential election in Nigeria. “Do you want me to speak the truth? If I am Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose wife is a senior pastor at a Pentecostal Church, I will go for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. “The most important thing is for the party to win. We should stop the issue of whether you put a Christian there or not. “After all if we win, the wife is already a pastor. This is my own opinion, and you cannot deny me my opinion. Kalu also told newsmen that the party could also play Christian-Christian ticket, depending on the scenario. He added that it would be almost difficult for the A

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has hailed the actions of Ejiro Otarigho, a tanker driver, who drove a burning tanker from a residential area to avert what could have been a tragic fire incident in Agbarho, Delta State.  In a telephone conversation with the driver late Sunday, Omo-Agege who doubles as the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year's gubernatorial election in Delta State, described Otarigho as a hero.  He stressed that but for Otarigho’s courage, a major fire disaster which would have claimed several lives and property could have happened in his senatorial district.   Agbarho, a community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, is in Delta Central Senatorial District, where the lawmaker represents at the National Assembly.  The incident which took place at the weekend, happened when the tanker driver drove the burning truck for 25 minutes from a densely populated area to Agbarho River where the t

Former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on Nigerians across the nation to get their PVCs ahead of the 2023 General Election. In a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja in commemoration of Democracy Day, Saraki, acknowledged the sacrifice of Nigeria’s past heroes, who have contributed to the development of the nation’s democracy, and called on all Nigerians of voting age to ensure that they exercise their civic duty by voting next year. The statement read: “As families across Nigeria settle in to commemorate the significance of #DemocracyDay, we all must remember the immeasurable sacrifice of our heroes -- as well as celebrate the courage, and persistence of all Nigerians. “This is because, throughout this oft-imperfect journey to institutionalize stronger democratic values in all aspects of our lives, there have been hiccups, yet, Nigerians have always demonstrated an unwavering commitment to forge a better, stronger, safer, and more p

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has felicitated fellow Nigerians on the occasion of this year's Democracy Day. In a statement which he personally signed, Lawan said this is the fourth time that Nigerians are celebrating the Day on June 12 since President Muhammadu Buhari made the change from May 29. According to him; "For the Nigerian people, June 12 is more than just a date.  "It represents a milestone in our journey to entrench a democratic polity, as on that day 29 years ago, Nigerians rose above primordial sentiments and proclaimed the oneness of their nation and the unity of its peoole. "That day too, they proclaimed their preference for a democratic system that offers them good governance, freedom and life more abundant. "The statement of that day propelled us into the longest period of democracy in our nation's history. "However, as we all know, democracy is a process that requires popular participation, tolerance of the views an

The University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, has appointed former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a Visiting Professor of Corporate Governance and International Linkages. Ekweremadu's spokesman, Uche Anichukwu said the appointment was conveyed in a letter dated May 26, 2022 and signed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Andrew Hunter. The appointment letter was presented to Ekweremadu in Abuja on Sunday by the Head of International, Lincoln Business School, Professor David Rugara, on behalf of the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the School, Dr. Craig Marsh. The letter by Prof. Hunter read in part: “I am delighted to inform you, on the recommendation of the Lincoln International Business School, that the Professorial Committee has agreed to confer on you the title of Visiting Professor of Corporate Governance and International Linkages from May 2022 to May 2025. “A Visiting Professorship is one which is awarded to distinguished individ

The Nigeria labour Congress (NLC) has denied reports of the existence of a faction of the Labour Party, insisting that there is only one Labour Party. A statement signed by the President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba said it has been brought to the attention of NLC that a so-called faction of the Labour Party recently conducted what can be described as a beer parlour presidential primary and supposedly elected a presidential candidate, adding that n othing can be more spurious, hilarious and ridiculous. The statement read; " There is only one Labour Party in Nigeria. For the purpose of public education and clarity, we will take a recourse to history. The Labour Party is the creation and offspring of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).  "The decision to give birth to the Labour Party was taken by the statutory organs of the NLC and affirmed by the decision of the National Executive Council of Congress at its meeting in Bauchi in 2003 when it approved the formation of the Party for Social

President Muhammadu Buhari has presented the  All Progressives Congress (APC) Victory Flag  to  Asiwaju  Bola Tinubu, winner of the just concluded party’s presidential primary election. The ruling APC at the convention elected the former Lagos State governor as APC  presidential flagbearer for the 2023 presidential election. Tinubu polled 1,271 votes to defeat his closest rivals, former Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi who scored 316 votes and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who garnered 235 votes. In his acceptance speech, Tinubu thanked President Buhari, APC leadership, governors elected on the platform of the APC, party delegates, aspirants and all those who contributed to the successful conduct of the convention. He stressed the need for unity, cohesion and understanding among all party members to ensure electoral victory for the party in the forthcoming general elections in 2023. According to him, he holds no grudges against those who contested against

The National Consultative Front (NCFRONT) has raised the alarm over what it described as plans by anti democratic forces to destabilize the third force movement which was created to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election. A statement signed by the spokesman of NCFRONT, Yunusa Tanko urged Nigerians  to  stand together to condemn any move to scuttle the collective aspiration to make Nigeria a great Nation. The statement further said;  " The attention of the 3rd force movement is drawn to attempt of anti democratic forces targeted towards causing disharmony  in our chosen political party, the labour party, selected  to lead our collective struggle. "One Mr Calistus Okafor has laid claim to the leadership of the labour party. In other to set  the records straight and  after careful investigation, the said Mr Calistus Okafor is no longer a member of the labou

There was pandemonium at Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo,  the headquarters of the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State as gunmen attacked the church on Sunday. The attack on the church in Owo,  the hometown of the state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, came barely a week after the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Bishop Samuel Kanu-Uche, was kidnapped in Abia State by gunmen the priest later identified as Fulani youths. It was learnt the gunmen, who attacked the Catholic church, arrived at the premises, which is less than 200 metres from the palace of the Olowo of Owo, at 12pm when the Sunday mass was being rounded off. Reports say worshippers, mostly children and women, were killed in the attack, by gunmen, who were said to have thrown an improvised explosive device before they started shooting sporadically. A 37-second video posted online showed some of the slain worshippers in a pool of blood. Workers of the Federal Medical Centre and S

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has condemned the heinous killings of worshippers by terrorists on Sunday at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, South West Nigeria. A statement signed by the S pecial Adviser (Media) to  President of the Senate, Ola Awoniyi quoted Lawan as describing the  callous attack on innocent worshippers as shocking and reprehensible. "My heart goes out to the families of the victims, the Government and entire people of Ondo State. "This incident should be painstakingly investigated to unravel the criminals behind it with a view to quickly bringing them to justice. "It is another wake up call on all security agencies to up their game with a view to averting the occurrence of such incidents in future," Lawan said. The Senate President prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed and wished the injured speedy recovery.

Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has commiserated with the people of Owo Kingdom, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the government, and people of Ondo State on the sad incident of the terrorist attack which happened earlier today during a service at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo. He also urged the security agents to get to work quickly to arrest the terrorists behind the incident. In a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, head of his Media Office, Saraki, whose mother, Chief (Mrs) Florence Saraki, is from Owo town noted that the incident was a sad indication that the terrorists who have unleashed violence on the northern parts of the country in the past few years are spreading their evil tentacles to the western part and should be decisively contained before they further entrench themselves. While condemning the attack on a place of worship where members of the congregation usually submit themselves totally to

Any able bodied person without sports in his or her life is not complete, says the minister of Sports and Youth development, Mr. Sunday Akin Dare. The Minister stated this in Abuja Saturday while declaring open Table Tennis and Badminton competitions organised by journalists covering the Senate under the aegis of the Senate Press Corps (SPC).  Dare who was represented by former Olympic medalist, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, said sports in whatever form is required exercise for physical fitness of any body and by extension, healthiness at all times. "A wholesome person is not complete without the physical fitness sports or regular exercise injected into it", he said. The Minister commended the Senate Press Corps for adding Sports into its annual Press Week Events this year and urged it to sustain it. "It is heartwarming that you have added the Sports dimension to your yearly Press Week. "This will no doubt, help in keeping your members physically fit, healthy an

The All Progressives Congress Screening Committee has disqualified 10 presidential aspirants of the party. It would be recalled that twenty three aspirants were screened in two days by the committee. The Chairman of the APC presidential screening committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, made this known on Friday. Odigie-Oyegun spoke while submitting his committee’s report to the APC National Chairman, Abduallahi Adamu, in Abuja. Apart from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, other APC presidential aspirants screened by the panel are Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba. Serving governors who were also screened are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa). Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators

A presidential aspirant and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, said without him, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), would not have become the president in 2015. Tinubu spoke at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, the state capital, while addressing the APC delegates ahead of the party’s primary. The national leader was accompanied to Ogun by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Kano State counterpart, Umar Ganduje, and former Borno State governor, Kasim Shettima. “You have not heard this from me before. This is the first place I am saying this,” Tinubu who addressed the delegates in Yoruba said. Speaking on Buhari’s emergence, he said “If not for me that led the war front, Buhari won’t have emerged. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again. “But I went to his home in Katsina, I told him you would contest and win, but you won’t jo

Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has distanced himself from a recent list which circulated on social media and which announced him as the Chairman of the Ahmad Lawan Campaign Organisation. President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Ahmad Lawan is one of the Presidential aspirants on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement which he personally signed, the lawmaker who represents Abia North in the Senate said; "My attention has been drawn to a list of committee Chairmen of Ahmad Lawan Campaign Organization in which I was also mentioned as the Director General.  "The list should be disregarded as no authorization was given to the effect of its publication.  "As the Chairman of the meeting held at my instance, it is important to notify the general public that we are not yet in the Campaign proper . A committee will be inaugurated to that effect should our most preferred candidate, Senat

Former Deputy President of the Senate and one of the aspirant to the Enugu State governorship seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has withdrawn from the race. Ekweremadu has also congratulated the winner of the PDP primary election, Barr. Peter Mba. He made this known in a statement he personally issued after meeting with his supporters and political associates in Enugu on Thursday. The lawmaker, who regretted that his lofty plans for the transformation of Enugu, “A Pathway to a New Enugu”, was sabotaged by betrayals, high level of ingratitude, fraudulent political practices, and persecution of his supporters, however, noted that the light of political emancipation he lit together with his supporters, though dimmed temporarily, would never be extinguished. He said: “In the last two years, we set out to run for the governorship of Enugu State. Our mission was to change the narrative in the governance of our state and possibly i

Nollywood actor Jim Iyke has debunked rumours making the rounds that he converted to Islam. The actor debunked the rumours on his verified Instagram page on Thursday, saying the blogger who peddled the rumours took out his photos from a movie he recently made in Ghana. “Hello everyone I felt it is just necessary to address a certain rumour that has been making the rounds lately. Usually, I don’t pay attention to these rumours because it’s not my cup of tea. But certain lines must not be crossed,” he said. “I made a movie a month ago in Ghana about a religious fanatic. Someone took the pictures from that movie and it ended up in the hands of a rather unscrupulous blogger. While I have no issues with any religion, I have no intention, not now or ever to convert my faith.” “I don’t understand why anyone would want to peddle these rumours but there are certain lines you should not cross. So whoever is peddling these rumours should get it together. We are too busy for this B

The International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria has expressed concern over the renewed wave of attacks on journalists including those covering the primaries by political parties. IPC said its Safety of Journalists Alert Desk has documented the following recent attacks, among others: The shooting by the Police of Toba Adedeji, the Osun State Correspondent of The Nation newspaper while covering a protest over alleged police brutality in Osogbo, the state capital on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. He was injured on the thigh and had to be treated in hospital; The attack, harassment and beating by Policemen of Yinka Adeniran, the Oyo State Correspondent of The Nation newspaper while covering the Peoples Democratic Party’s gubernatorial primary at Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan on the May 25, 2022; The attack by suspected political thugs on the vehicle conveying members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Osun State Council of NUJ on May 24 th , 2022 while covering

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) must come to terms with the fact that it is bound by obligation as the party in power to present a presidential candidate with acceptance ratings that cuts across the six geo-political zones of the country to ensure unity and stability in all facets of our national existence.  The party must go the extra mile to re-assure Nigerians by demonstrating that it places premium on performance and the delivery of good governance by rallying support for its best aspirant with the requisite competence, intellectual depth and mental alertness to confront the complex challenges faced by the nation.  At a time when the Northern and Southern parts of the country are recording an all-time high in loss of lives due to the spate of insecurity and criminal activities, it would appear insensitive and disingenuous for the APC to bend the rules for whatever reason to accommodate regional or any other consideration t