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12 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022
:Vanguard
News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
AWARDS—From left: Head, Brand and Communication, Parallex Bank, Ademola Adeshola;
MD, Olufemi Bakre; DG, Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association, Adewale Oyerinde,
and Head, Agency Banking, Parallex Bank, Abdulwasiu Popoola, during the award of Challenger
Bank of the Year, to Parallex Bank, at the BAFI Awards, in Lagos.
A-Ibom 2023: Court nullifies APC
guber primary, orders fresh exercise
By Harris Emanuel
UYO—A Federal High
Court, sitting in Uyo,
Akwa Ibom State, has
cancelled the governoship
primary election of the All
Progressive Congress, APC,
party, held on May 26, 2022,
and ordered a new exercise.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of
the APC in the state, Eseme
Eyiboh, has expressed
dissatisfaction with the order
that disqualified Udofia.
Eyiboh, who is APC
candidate for Eket Federal
Constituency, assured their
teeming supporters and wellwishers
to stay strong and
together, as the judgment
would be upturned at the
Delta 2023: I have nothing against you,
Uduaghan tells Oborevwori
By Emma Amaize,
Festus Ahon
A SABA—FORMER
governor of Delta
State, Emmanuel Uduaghan,
has said that he has nothing
against the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP,
governorship candidate in the
state, Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori.
Uduaghan, at a meeting of
Federal Government College,
Warri Old Students'
Alleged oil theft: 16 foreigners charged
to court in Port Harcourt
By Egufe Yafugborhi
PORT HARCOURT—
SIXTEEN foreign
nationals were, yesterday,
arraigned before a Federal
High Court in Port Harcourt,
Rivers Sate, on a three-count
charge of conspiracy,
stealing, attempt to deal in
crude oil and false pretence,
after being caught on board
a vessel, MT Heroic Idun.
In the charges read in the
case between Federal
Government vs MT Heroic
Idun and 16 others, the
foreigners were alleged to
have, sometimes in August
2022, at Akpo Oilfield, in
Rivers State, within Nigeria
Exclusive Economic Zone,
•Udofia not to participate •APC chieftain
expresses dissatisfaction with order
Court of Appeal.
Former aide to President
Mohammedu Buhari,
Senator Ita Enang had in the
suit told the court that the
party primary election won by
Obong Akan Udofia, was
characterized by several
illegalities as the winner was
not a member of the party.
In his argument, Udofia
said that the APC had given
him a waiver that qualified
him to contest the party
primary election held on May
26, 2022.
Delivering
judgment,
A s s o c i a t i o n ,
FEGOCOWOSA, held
weekend, in Effurun, Uvwie
LGA of the state, said he
decided to support
Oborevwori as the
governorship candidate of the
PDP out of his personal
convictions.
Noting that God has
decided to hand over the
power of the State PDP to
Oborevwori, he said: "We are
behind you. I am sincerely
conspired amongst
themselves and committed
maritime offence.
The accused pleaded not
guilty to the charges which
are said to contravene
Section 10 of the Suppression
of Piracy and Other
Maritime Offences Act 2019.
Trial judge, Justice Turaki
Muhammed, after listening
to the application of the
prosecutors on amended
charges, ordered that the
accused be remanded in a
Nigerian Navy vessel to
enable 10 remaining suspects
to be brought to court to take
their plea.
Justice Muhammed before
adjourning the matter to
November 15, 2022, advised
yesterday, the trial judge,
Justice Agatha Okeke
nullified the APC primary poll
and ordered the party in the
state to conduct another
credible primary election
within two weeks.
Justice Okeke also
dismissed the purported
waiver granted Udofia and
ordered the party to conduct
another primary election in a
fortnight where authentic
governoship flag bearer of
APC in the state will emerge.
The court also ordered that
Udofia, who claimed to have
excited that you are here
today. Something happened
on Saturday. I said something
somewhere at a meeting and
it has been trending in the
social media.
"Many people were
surprised that I spoke like
that, that I have identified with
you properly. Iit was assumed
that I was critically against
you. Like I told them at the
meeting on Saturday, there is
no transition from a sitting
that the accused be allowed
to see their lawyers and be
given medical attention if
need arises.
No fewer than 26 persons
were said to be onboard the
MT HEROIC IDUN crude
oil vessel at the Akpo Oilfield
within Rivers State waters
when it was arrested on August
7 by the Nigerian Navy.
A Navy surveillance facility
was said to have tracked and
constantly updated the
Equatorial Guinea Navy on
the location of the vessel
currently being held at the
Luba Anchorage in Bioko
Island, Equatorial Guinea,
while the country was
conducting her investigations
into the matter.
won the aborted primary
election of APC in the state
should not participate in the
fresh party’s primary election.
It will be recalled that the
purported governoship
primary election of APC in the
state won by Udofia was
hijacked by party bigwigs such
as Senator Godswill Akpabio on
one hand and camp of Senator
John Akpanudoedehe, who later
dumped the party for New
Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP,
leaving the likes of Ita Enang,
Atuekong Don Etiebet, Capt.
Sam Ewang, among others.
governor to a non sitting
governor that it is easy.
"You are going through your
heat now and by God's grace,
you will come out well in Jesus
name, Amen. I have openly
identified with you to kill a lot
of rumours. Since Saturday, I
have not slept, I have been
receiving messages, some
asking why did you do that?
Why did you do that?
"I did it out of my personal
conviction. We are human and
we have our divisions. We have
issues everywhere. There are
always issues even till the
swearing-in, when you sit on
that seat. Until then, problem
will continue every minute,
everyday, but by God's grace,
you have a lot of pushings in
absorbing every multiple
problem and we are part of
the push. We are behind you.
Delta State will benefit a lot
from your administration if
elected governor next year.”
In his remarks, Oborevwori
said: "My boss, it is a privilege
and honour to be here today. I
got the information that the
old students of the Federal
Government College, Warri
are having a meeting and I
decided to come over to greet
you people, but I didn't know
my boss and immediate past
governor of Delta State, Dr
Emmanuel Uduaghan will be
here.
"When I got here and saw
his car, I was shocked. I am
happy meeting him here."
2023: NUJ tasks governors,
FG on opposition parties’
campaigns, roads
By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY—THE
Nigeria Union of
Journalists, NUJ, has called
on state governors to stop the
practice of denying opposition
political parties in their states
of campaigns and access to
desired venues, just as it called
on the Federal Government to
declare a state of emergency
on Federal roads across the
country.
Edo State is home to several
Federal highways and most of
them are in deplorable
conditions.
In a communiqué at the end
of the National Executive
Council, NEC, meeting of the
union in Benin City, Edo State,
National President of the
union, Chris Isiguzor, said the
NEC also supports traditional
institution in the country and
urged the National Assembly
to consider creating
constitutional roles for
traditional rulers, especially
in the fight against insecurity.
Extending gratitude to
Governor Godwin Obaseki
of Edo State for the successful
hosting of the NEC, he said:
“NEC frowns at a situation
where state governments make
it very difficult or almost
impossible for opposition political
parties to have seamless
campaigns in their states. NEC
wants all political parties to be
given equal opportunities and
the need for security agents to
put more efforts towards
checking incessant attacks
during political rallies.
Naira notes redesign: Group
backs CBN gov
AN
International
Transparency group,
Council of Economic Experts
and Transparency Initiatives,
CEETI, has thrown its weight
behind the Federal
Government's decision,
through the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, to redesign the
N1,000, N500 and N200
notes, describing calls by
sponsored groups for the sack
of the CBN Governor, Godwin
Emefiele, as ridiculous and
shameful.
According to CEETI:
“Alliance Network Against
Corruption, ANAC, and other
protesting groups against the
naira notes redesign policy,
have the right to express
doubts over the new CBN
policy, however, they should
be ashamed that in the last
few weeks since the policy
unveiled, trillions of naira
have been exposed to have
been unearthed where they
were stored by wicked
politicians, who pay these
protesters to protest and are
calling for the sack of the
CBN governor.”
Coordinator of CEETI, Dr.
Joseph Akponede, said: “We
are working to see a Nigeria
where citizens will be
informed and empowered,
governments are open,
responsive, and collective
actions will advance the
public good.
Wike invites Buhari, Oshiomhole,
Obi to inaugurate projects
GOVERNOR Nyesom
Wike of Rivers State has
invited members of
opposition political parties to
inaugurate projects in his state.
Members of the All
Progressives Congress, APC,
and Labour Party (LP) were
invited to the Fourth Quarter
2022 Project commissioning
in Rivers.
The week-long activities
commenced yesterday, and
would end on Friday.
Wike, a chieftain of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
invited President
Muhammadu Buhari and
former Edo State governor,
Adams Oshiomhole, both of
the APC.
Also, LP’s presidential
candidate, Peter Obi, and
Emir of Kano, HRH Aminu
Bayero made the list.
The monarch is scheduled
to inaugurate the Dr. Peter
Odili Cancer and
Cardiovascular Disease
Diagnostic and Treatment
Centre in Obio/Akpor LGA of
Rivers on Monday.
Oshiomhole is scheduled to
commission the
Rumuepirikom Flyover in
Obio/Akpor on Wednesday
while Obi will inaugurate
the Nkpolu-Oroworokwo
Flyover on Thursday in
Port Harcourt, the state
capital.
Also, President Buhari
will commission the Nabo
Graham Douglas Campus,
Nigerian Law School, in
Obio/Akpor on Friday.
PAP: Ndiomu has done
nothing wrong —APC chieftain
WARRI—A chieftain of
All Progressives
Congress, APC, in Delta State,
Michael Johnny, said the
Interim Administrator of
Presidential Amnesty
Programme, PAP, Maj.-Gen.
Barry Ndiomu (retd), has not
done anything wrong to be
criticised unjustly.
Johnny, who spoke to
newsmen, yesterday, in Warri,
Delta State, pointed out that
it was too early to
unnecessarily distract
Ndiomu from discharging his
duties for which he was
appointed.
He said: "I don't have any
contract in the Presidential
Amnesty Office, and I am not
seeking any. However, let me
caution our people to stop the
act and habit of criticising any
Ijaw man in office. The
Interim Administrator has
been going round consulting
relevant stakeholders and
seeking for possible collaboration
that will redefine and transform
the amnesty programme."
Johnny, former chairman of
Egbema Gbaramatu
Communuties Development
Foundation, EGCDF, urged
President Muhammadu Buhari
and National Security Adviser,
NSA, to ignore any allegation
against Ndiomu, adding that the
Interim Administrator should be
supported and allowed to do his
work.
"Let me also caution the
Federal Government to jettison
any plan to terminate or scrap
PAP."