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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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Lagos  State govt to concession Red and Blue Line rails for sustainability, loan repayment…. 

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The Lagos State Government has revealed plans to concession the operations of the Red and Blue Line rail systems to the private sector to ensure their sustainability and repay loans taken for the rail projects.

 

The disclosure came from the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during a recent TVC News interview, where he discussed measures being put in place to sustain the rail systems in the state.

 

Osiyemi explained that concessioning would involve transferring the operations of the rail systems to private sector players for a specified period, a strategy designed to guarantee continuity and effective management of the rail projects.

 

 

The ultimate game is for all our rail systems we’ve done—that is, the Red Line and Blue Line—there is going to be some concessionairing with the private sector for a period of time to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he stated.

 

He added, “The concessioning would help pay back the loans taken for the rail projects.”

 

 

The commissioner highlighted that the concessioning strategy aims to ensure efficient operations and financial sustainability, aligning with the state’s vision for a world-class transportation network.

 

More insight

 

Osiyemi further emphasized the significant financial and technical demands involved in operating rail systems, describing them as capital-intensive projects that require substantial resources and specialized expertise.

 

 

To address these challenges and build local capacity, he explained that the Lagos State Government has engaged foreign partners to temporarily manage the operations of the trains.

 

These partners are expected to not only ensure efficient operations during their tenure but also transfer essential skills to Nigerian personnel. The plan includes a structured training program lasting one to two years, after which management of the rail systems will be fully handed over to local operators.

 

“What we have done is we have consulted foreign partners who, of course, would run these trains for a particular period of time and train our people—that is, transfer of skills.

 

They will train our people for one to two years, then hand over for our own management,” Osiyemi stated.

 

 

What you should know

 

The Lagos State Government, under its Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, has outlined an ambitious vision to develop multiple rail systems across the state.

 

Currently, only the first phases of the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems have been completed, with passenger operations already commenced.

 

The Blue Line is a 27km electric rail line designed for sustainable operations. Its first phase, covering 13km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2, was completed in 2023 and commenced commercial operations in September, transporting over 2 million passengers to date.

 

 

The Red Line, spanning 37km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, operates on diesel. Its first phase, a 27km stretch, includes eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

 

 

The construction of the second phases of both the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems is being handled by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which also oversees the operation of the trains.

 

 

Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state has plans for additional rail systems, including the 68km Green Line (Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina), the 85.7km Purple Line (Redemption Camp to Ojo), the 48km Orange Line (Ikeja CBD to Agbowa), and the Yellow Line, to further enhance the state’s transportation network.

 

 

 

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Finance Ministry Allegedly Spent N55million On Sendforth  Of Perm Sec, Udo Okonkwo Ekanem, Pays Money Into Personal Account…

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A  review of public payments portal, Govspend, has shown that a sum of over N55 million, was paid into the account of one Unoh Omolara, for the sendforth party of Udo Okonkwo Ekanem.

 

The payment was made by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

 

Okonkwo served as the permanent secretary, special duties of the ministry.

 

The payment for the party was made on September 13th, 2024.

According to the payment description, the event was scheduled to hold at Transcorp Hilton hotels on September 6th, 2024.

 

 

Further checks revealed that the event was confirmed by the ministry of finance on its website.

 

The ministry had noted that it celebrated the Ekanem in appreciation of his oustanding commitment.

 

 

This is despite the provision of Chapter Seven, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations 2009 states that “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private account.”

 

The money spent on the sendforth was twice the amount spent to set up 28 boreholes in Jigawa State.

 

According to details on the Govspend website, N28.3 million was spent on drilling twenty-three solar powered borehole and five numbers hand pump boreholes in Jigawa State.

 

 

This would mean that this money spent on sendforth, half of it would have provided same number of solar powered boreholes and hand pumps in other locations of the country.

 

There have been concerns over prudence in management of government resources by different ministries’ department and agencies.

 

Although, the government has expressed its commitment to accountability, experts say there are loopholes exploited by different government parastatals.

 

 

 

Source: Sahara Reporters.

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ICPC Arraigns House Of Reps Ex-Member John Dyegh For Money Laundering

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The lawmaker was arraigned on Monday on a five-count charge before Hon. Justice M. Shitu Abubakar at the Federal High Court 1 sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, under case number FHC/MKD/CR/184/2024.

 

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former House of Representatives, John Dyegh, for abuse of office and money laundering.

 

 

 

 

 

John Dyegh, who served as a member of the 9th National Assembly, representing Gboko/Tarka Federal constituency at the House of Representatives of Nigeria, was arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, for allegedly violating the provisions of the ICPC Acts 2000.

 

 

 

 

 

The lawmaker was arraigned on Monday on a five-count charge before Hon. Justice M. Shitu Abubakar at the Federal High Court 1 sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, under case number FHC/MKD/CR/184/2024.

 

 

 

 

 

The charges detail alleged corrupt practices, including Dyegh’s receipt of N18,970,000 (Eighteen Million Nine Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira) on May 19, 2014, intended for the construction of school facilities in Guma, Benue State.

 

 

 

 

 

John Dyegh was accused of allegedly channeling the funds through the First Bank account of Midag Limited, a company in which Dyegh has a substantial interest. This alleged action violates Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, of 2000.

 

 

 

 

 

He was further alleged to have received and transferred these funds through Midag Limited and Kangnaan Global Resources Limited, companies associated with him, contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act.

 

 

 

 

 

Dyegh allegedly abused his office by privately benefitting from contracts awarded to the companies while overseeing the related funds as a signatory on their accounts, according to the charge sheet.

 

 

 

The Presiding Judge, Justice Abubakar, at the commencement of the trial last Friday ordered Dyegh’s to be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Center, Makurdi, pending the determination of his bail application and adjourned the matter till Monday 11, November, 2024.

 

 

 

However, at the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, November 11, 2024, Defense Counsel S.E. Irabo moved a bail application of his client Dyegh.

 

 

 

He prayed the court to grant his client the bail citing health concerns.

 

 

 

Justice Abubakar, after listening to the argument of the counsels, subsequently granted Dyegh bail in the amount of N20 million, requiring two sureties with international passports to be surrendered to the court and verifiable addresses.

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Justice Abubakar later adjourned the case until January 16, 2025, for a definite hearing of the corrupt case preferred against the former Federal Lawmaker.

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