The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Ebonyi State chapter, has said it was not part of the purported claim of backing the 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Ifeanyi Odii.

The party stated that the purported endorsement was allegedly being master-minded by sacked officials of the NDC in the state.

Speaking to newsmen on Friday, in Abakaliki, the chairman of NDC in Ebonyi State, Hon. Enyinnaya Udensi Alum, said the party had no intention to endorse any politician other than its gubernatorial candidate.

He called on all NDC faithful in the state and supporters to steer clear from the purported endorsement, adding that the move was antithetical to the tenets and principles of the party.

He said, “Information reaching me, Hon. Prince Alum Enyinnaya Udensi, the Ebonyi State Chairman of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is that a few former members of the party, who were sacked over financial impropriety and anti-party activities are purportedly going to endorse one of the factional governorship candidates of the PDP on behalf of the NDC tomorrow or soon after.

“Ebonyians, NDC members and other teaming supporters of the NDC in the state should note that the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Ebonyi State has its governorship candidate, and that the party has not and will at no time endorse any other candidate of any party other than the NDC governorship candidate.

“NDC members are hereby requested not to attend any such gathering as it amounts to anti-party activities, while the general public is asked to desist from dealing with the above named individuals as they are no longer NDC members and do not represent the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”

‎Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State Council, has called on politicians and political actors to embrace issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning against the use of inflammatory rhetoric, character assassination, and divisive politics.

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‎The call was contained in a communiqué issued on Friday at the end of the union’s congress held at Dr. Sam Egwu Press Centre, Abakaliki, and presided over by the State Council Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor.

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‎The congress urged political actors to comply with electoral guidelines and focus on policies, programmes, and ideas that would promote peace and democratic development in the state.

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‎On agriculture, the union expressed concern over delays in the distribution of government farm inputs and appealed to the state government to ensure timely delivery to genuine farmers to boost food production and food security.

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‎The congress also advised residents of flood-prone communities to adhere strictly to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities and avoid blocking drainage channels to reduce the risk of flooding during the peak rainy season.

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‎The NUJ appealed to Goverror Francis Nwifuru to allocate an alternative parcel of land to enable it realize its proposed journalists’ housing estate project following the revocation of its earlier allocation at the EBSU Pocket Layout.

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‎The journalists reaffirmed their commitment to promoting peace, responsible journalism, and sustainable development in Ebonyi State.

The management of Osun State University, UNIOSUN, has rejected aspects of the statement issued by the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, concerning allegations of sexual assault reportedly involving some military personnel and members of the university community.

In a statement issued on Friday by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, the institution acknowledged the Army’s decision to establish a Board of Inquiry but expressed reservations over the expectation that alleged victims should report directly to the same institution whose personnel are the subject of the allegations.

The University said such an approach failed to recognise the trauma, fear, intimidation and psychological barriers that often discourage survivors of sexual violence from reporting directly to institutions they may associate with the alleged perpetrators.

It also rejected any suggestion that it should disclose the identities of affected students or compel them to appear before military authorities.

“Osun State University owes every student a duty of care, confidentiality and protection. The University will not compromise the privacy, dignity or safety of any student by disclosing identities without their informed consent or in contravention of applicable laws,” the statement said.

The University reaffirmed that the welfare and safety of its students remain its highest priority, adding that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, would continue to support students who report harassment, assault or abuse.

According to the statement, “the Vice-Chancellor’s earlier comments were not intended to prejudge the outcome of any investigation or sensationalise the matter but were made in fulfilment of the University’s responsibility to address concerns affecting the safety and well-being of its students.

UNIOSUN maintained that investigations into allegations of sexual assault should be victim-centred, independent, transparent and capable of inspiring public confidence.

“The University believes that survivors of sexual violence should never be placed in circumstances where they may reasonably fear intimidation or victimisation by being required to report directly to those connected with the subject of an investigation,” the statement added.

The institution also disagreed with the Depot Nigerian Army’s description of the Vice-Chancellor’s comments as unconfirmed or potentially misleading, insisting that the remarks were made responsibly, in good faith and in fulfilment of the University’s statutory and moral obligation to safeguard its students.

It stated that universities do not make careless statements and announced that it had instructed its legal advisers to commence appropriate legal proceedings to protect the integrity of the institution, the reputation of the Vice-Chancellor and the interests of its students.

“The appropriate judicial process provides the proper forum for resolving the issues arising from this unfortunate development,” the statement said.

the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, had appealed to victims and witnesses of the soldier’s assault on the UNIOSUN hostels to provide evidence to assist the ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct involving some recently passed-out military personnel.

Bauchi State House of Assembly has commenced moves to amend the 2024 law that renamed the state-owned university from Bauchi State University, Gadau, BASUG, to Sa’adu Zungur University, SAZU.

The move followed a motion presented during Friday’s plenary by the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and member representing Madara/Chinade Constituency, Hon. Dr. Nasiru Ahmed Ala.

Ala argued that the current law identifies the institution simply as “Sa’adu Zungur University” without indicating its location, a development he said differs from the naming convention adopted by many universities in Nigeria and across the world.

According to him, several universities, including those in the North-East and North-West regions, retain references to their host communities or locations in their official names.

He cited institutions such as Taraba State University, Jalingo; Adamawa State University, Mubi; and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, among others.

The lawmaker also referenced internationally recognised institutions such as Oxford University, Cambridge University, the University of Melbourne and the University of California, noting that their names reflect their geographical locations.

Ala expressed concern that the removal of “Gadau” from the university’s name had generated controversy among residents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the education sector.

Members of the Assembly unanimously supported the proposed amendment.

Speaking during the debate, the Majority Leader, Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir, said restoring Gadau to the university’s name would recognise the community’s contribution to the institution’s development.

Another lawmaker, Hon. Habibu Umar, described the proposal as timely, arguing that a university’s identity is strengthened when its location is reflected in its name.

Hon. Auwal Hassan also backed the amendment and urged the Assembly to expedite action on the matter.

Following deliberations presided over by Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jamilu Umar Dahiru, the House referred the proposal to the Committee on Education and directed it to submit its report within one week.

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has released the names of its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The list contains the party’s governorship candidate, senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates and candidates for the State House of Assembly.

The list obtained by DAILY POST on Thursday shows Barrister Sharafadeen Alli as the governorship candidate, while the trio of Senator Yunus Akintunde, Hon. Aderemi Oseni and Mrs Hannah Ogunesan were named as the candidates for Oyo Central, Oyo South and Oyo North Senatorial Districts, respectively.

The list also contains the names of the 14 candidates for the 14 federal constituencies in the state.

It also contains the names of the 32 candidates for the 32 House of Assembly seats in the state.

Here is the list…

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia State chapter has dismissed every suggestion linking it with alliance with other political parties in the State.

The Chairman of the PDP in Abia State, Abraham Amah stated this on Thursday at the PDP State Secretariat, Umuahia, while reacting to questions about a possible alliance involving the party.

Amah, who described the PDP as strong, united and formidable for the 2027 battle in Abia, said anybody issuing statement in proposal or support of an alliance is not speaking for the party.

He maintained that having successfully uploaded the names of its candidates for various elective posts, his party is prepared to go into the 2027 election battle without seeking the support of any other party or donating its platform to any other political party to use.

“As far as we are concerned, as at today, we do not have any agreement with any other political party.

“Am privileged to know what is happening at the party, not only in the State but at the national level. So we do not have any such agreement with anybody,” Amah said.

The Abia PDP Chairman also declared that there is no faction in the State as according the him, all the names of the candidates of the PDP he leads, had already been successfully uploaded on the INEC official portal.

He further said that Abia PDP has taken up the task of reconciling aggrieved primary election aspirants.

Earlier in his speech during a press conference, the PDP governorship candidate in Abia State, Kelechi Anosike said he would pay N90,000 minimum wage to Abia civil servants if elected the governor.

Anosike, who faulted the Abia State government for its system of salary payment, alleged that the State government is not paying N70,000 salary across board.

The Kano State Police Command has detained a suspect following the death of an unidentified man whose body was discovered inside an unoccupied house in the Badawa area of Kano State.

The deceased, believed to be about 28 years old, was found with a deep injury to his neck, which residents suspect led to his death before help could reach him.

A resident of the area, Yusuf Da’u Ibrahim, said the incident came to light after a neighbour alerted the ward head that a badly injured man was inside a vacant house and needed urgent help.

“Before emergency responders arrived, the police had already been informed. They quickly came to the scene, arrested a suspect and evacuated the body to the hospital,” Ibrahim said.

He added that residents did not recognise the victim and said it was the first time such an incident had occurred in the neighbourhood.

“We don’t know who the deceased is. This is the first time we have witnessed such a tragic incident in our community,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Kano State Police Command, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said he had not yet received a detailed report on the incident.

“I have not received the full report yet, but the command will investigate the matter to establish exactly what happened,” Kiyawa said.

Director of News and Political Editor of Arise News, Sumner Sambo, says the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, cannot dictate to political parties who their candidates should be.

Sambo made this statement on Thursday when he appeared as a guest in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He was speaking on the list of candidates each political party submitted to the electoral body ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“INEC cannot tell a political party who is or ought to be its candidate

“What INEC can do is be a witness to how a candidate emerges, take down notes, and preserve them, and if the process goes to court, they can present that in court.

“If the process does not go to court, INEC must accept the candidate presented by the party.

“All it has to do is to await for the candidate that has been deprived as the person who claimed he won to approach the court,” he said.

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Okpoziakpo Eloho, on Thursday told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, did not benefit from the $6,230,000, reportedly stolen from the apex bank.

The witness, a Commissioner of Police at the Fraud Unit of the Force Headquarters, Abuja, admitted that there was no evidence that Emefiele benefitted from the loot either in cash or in transfer into his account by those who admitted stealing the money.

Eloho made the clarification during cross examination by Mathew Burka, SAN, lead counsel to the defendant.

Emefiele is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency on alleged procurement fraud and abuse of office before Justice Hamza Muazu.

At Thursday’s proceedings Eloho, who led the police investigation of the former CBN boss, stated that Emefiele in the statement he made to the team of investigators denied ever giving approval and authorization for the release of the money to anybody.

The witness also said that the defendant also denied ever receiving any letter from the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, or acted on any such letter in relation to the alleged stealing.

Answering a question, CP Eloho admitted that one Jibril Abubakar appeared before his probe panel during investigation and admitted collecting the $6. 2 million from the Abuja branch of the CBN.

He also said that none of those interviewed or investigated in respect of the money told the investigators that the defendant benefitted in one way or the other.

The police commissioner said that although Jibril Abubakar claimed to be a staff in the Office of the SGF, investigation later showed that he was never an employee of the office.

The witness further stated that despite the confession of Abubakar that he collected the money from the apex bank, he (witness) was not aware of the trial of Abubakar in any law court.

Also answering a question, the EFCC witness claimed that one Bashirudeen Maishanu, a staff of the CBN, was also interrogated and he confessed to be one of those who stole the money.

The witness further stated that he was not aware of the trial of the said Maishanu and that he would be shocked if the man was promoted by CBN in spite of his confession to the stealing of the money.

When confronted with series of exhibits especially correspondences exchanged during the processing, approval and release of the looted fund, the witness admitted that protocol was breached going by the hierarchy of the management of the apex bank, adding that under normal circumstances correspondence from CBN governor ought to go to the deputy governor and from there downwards.

“I recall that on December 13, 2023, we were at Kuje correctional center where the defendant made his statement in relation to his office on the $6.2 million.

“He was confronted with the issue of the money, his approval and authorization for the release of the money.

“In the process the defendant denied he did not sign for the approval or release of the money.

“The defendant also denied receiving any letter from SGF, he also stated that the signature on the documents that related to the approval and release of the money was not his,” he said.

Answering another question on the statement made by former SGF, Boss Mustapha to the investigators, the witness told the court that it was the special investigator, Jim Obaze, that was present when Boss Mustapha claimed his signature was forged.

On the forensic examination carried out by EFCC on the signature of Boss Mustapha to verify the alleged forgery, the witness told the court that it would have been desirable to carry out similar forensic examination on Emefiele’s signature the way it was done to Boss Mustapha.

The trial continues July 3.