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How Akande, Tinubu lost APC hold in South East

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South East protagonists are blaming both the All Progressives Congress (APC) interim National Chairman, Bisi Akande, and one of its national leaders, Bola Tinubu, for the defection of prominent politicians from the party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State in particular, and the region in general.

Akande-and-TinubuThe snub by the APC national leadership was the catalyst for the massive defections in February, they allege.

The APC had been bolstered by the defection of five PDP governors into its fold in November last year, but was hit by a chain of defections to other parties, particularly the PDP in the first two months of 2014.

In Imo State, the party allegedly witnessed an exodus of 5,000 members, including former Governor Achike Udenwa; former Secretary to the Imo State Government, Cosmas Iwu; Senator Ifeanyi Ararume; Mike Ahamba; and Mayor Eze, former member of the House of Representatives.

It was a big blow to the quest by APC for a strong foothold in the South East, an enclave historically carved up between the PDP and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The defectors were protesting against the flouting of internal democracy when founding members were sidelined for defecting governors to hold the reigns of the party in their states.

But the problem in Imo is slightly different.

A source told us that the defections in February arose from two planks: (a) the struggle between the aggrieved members and Governor Rochas Okorocha for the control of APC machinery and (b) the failure of Akande and Tinubu to nip the crisis in the bud.

He alleged that Okorocha, who left APGA for APC, planted his loyalists in strategic positions in APC formations in the South East.

“What it means is that other members of the party are forced to defer to him on party issues in the state and the region at large,” the source claimed.

The grudge led to a frosty relationship between Okorocha and Udenwa on the one hand, and between Okorocha and other big wigs who came from the PDP, APGA and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) on the other hand.

A decisive response by the APC national leadership could have saved the situation. “The defectors were disappointed by Akande and Tinubu’s refusal to acknowledge the entreaties brought before them by prominent members of the party in Imo,” claimed the source, one of the defectors to the PDP.

“We tried to reach them, especially Tinubu. On two occasions, we were invited to meet them at events, but they failed to turn up.”

Frustrated by the apparent hide-and-seek tactics of the national leadership, the agitators decided to quit the party.

“If Tinubu or Akande had granted us an audience, Imo would have remained an undivided APC state,” he rued.

The allegations were, however, denied by Imo State interim APC Chairman, Marshal Okafor-Anyanwu.

“If the leadership of APC refused to attend to their (defectors’) complaints,” he said, “it was probably because they knew they had been bought over.”

Okafor-Anyanwu also laughed off claims that they defected because of Okorocha’s domination of the party.

“It is not true that Okorocha was instrumental to the emergence of all the South East APC officials because all the merged parties brought in their candidates to fill their own slots.”

The PDP has exploited the friction.

During the rally on February 22 in Owerri to welcome the defectors, President Goodluck Jonathan said the ultimate objective is to reclaim Imo for the PDP.

To achieve the goal, the PDP may settle for a consensus governorship candidate in the state.

But Okafor-Anyanwu rubbished the idea that the gang-up against Okorocha and the defections to the PDP may harm APC in the 2015 ballot.

“Udenwa and others are featherweight politically now in Imo State and the South East,” he said.

“Their exit from APC is a blessing as they were not card-carrying members.”

APC National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, declined comment when Society Reporters contacted him.

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IBEDC records 1,459 energy theft cases in January, February

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The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company said it has recorded 1,459 cases of energy theft by its subscribers between January and February 2024.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the firm’s Chief Key Accounts Officer, Mr. Johnson Tinuoye, on Tuesday.

IBEDC added that it is actively pursuing investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in the theft in collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences.

Identifying the cases, IBEDC said they included various offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, which resulted in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for the company.

The statement read, “We want to send a clear message to our customers that energy theft will not be tolerated. Our collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences underscores our commitment to ensuring a fair and just electricity distribution system.

“Energy theft not only undermines the integrity of our operations but also deprives IBEDC of the revenue necessary to provide quality services to our customers.”

Tinuoye emphasised that under the Electricity Act, energy theft is now recognised as a criminal offense, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment stressing, “In the Osun region, two individuals were apprehended for stealing energy through meter bypass and illegal connections. Their cases have been formally charged in court for prosecution.”

IBEDC further urged customers to refrain from engaging in any form of energy theft, emphasising that the consequences can be severe, as there is no room for negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force team, which is actively patrolling and investigating instances of energy theft for prosecution.

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Copyright Breach: NCC Drags MTN, Others To Court Over Musician’s Works

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The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has filed criminal charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four others over alleged copyright infringement.

The charge with number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 filed in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court was obtained by journalists on Monday.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the four other defendants in the case include the chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola; Nkeakam Abhulimen, Fun Mobile Ltd.; and Yahaya Maibe.

In the three-count charge, NCC alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business’’, infringed the musical works of an artiste, Maleke Idowu Moye, without his consent and authorisation.

The commission alleged that the defendants used musical works and sound recordings of Mr Maleke with subsisting copyright as caller ringback tunes without the authorisation of the artiste.

The musician’s musical works and sound recordings allegedly infringed upon included 911, Minimini-wanawana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.

The defendants were also alleged to have distributed the musical works to their subscribers without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.

In the third count, the defendants were alleged to have in their possession, other than for their private or domestic use, the artiste’s musical works and sound recordings.

According to NCC, the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The case has yet to be assigned to any judge, and no date has been fixed for the mention.

Meanwhile, no official statement has been released by any of the defendants as at the time of filing this report, while all efforts to get reactions from MTN by New Telegraph proved abortive.

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LASG, LCC ANNOUNCE REOPENING OF LEKKI CONSERVATION CENTRE AFTER REPAIRS

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Following the completion of extensive routine maintenance works on the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), the Lagos State Government and the Management of the Centre have announced that the Walkway will be reopened for public use with effect from Friday, 29th March 2024.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe confirmed this on Friday during a visit to the Centre in Lekki alongside some officials of the Ministry.

Aregbe said that he was happy to see that all repairs and renovations on the facility, including the Walkway, have been completed and would be accessible for tourism during the Easter celebration.

The Special Adviser appreciated Lagosians and tourists across the world for their patience during the thorough maintenance works carried out at the Centre in Lekki.

The Director-General of the Centre, Prof Mathew Onoja also appreciated the State Government for its intervention following the viral video, which first circulated in December as well as the swift response and efforts towards making the repairs and renovations seamless.

He noted that the Centre being a major tourism asset in Lagos State has played host to tourists from all over the world as it offers a serene environment for nature tourism and also boasts of the longest canopy walkway in Africa.

Recall that the facility has been undergoing routine maintenance since January following apprehensions arising from the damaged section of the Canopy Walkway, which had been repaired before the viral video was posted on social media platforms.

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