IMO Senator, Benjamin Uwajumogu, is dead

The Senator representing Imo North Senatorial District, Benjamin Uwajumogu, is dead.

His death was confirmed to journalists outside the Senate chamber on Wednesday by the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, Rochas Okorocha.

He was said to have slumped in the toilet while taking his bath and rushed to a private hospital in Apo, Abuja where he died.

Until his death, Uwajumogu was the Senate Committee Chairman on Employment, Labour and Productivity.

Kalu prayed court to free him to enable him attend to his health.

A former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, who is serving 12-year imprisonment for N7.65billion fraud and money laundering, on Tuesday prayed the Federal High Court in Lagos to grant him bail, pending the hearing of his appeal against his conviction.

Kalu told Justice Mohammad Liman that he is battling serious health challenges and he needs to seek the medical services of his herbalist.

The Senate’s Chief Whip and senator representing Abia North Senatorial District claimed that the medical facilities in the correctional centre cannot handle his ailment.

Kalu, who was convicted of the offences by Justice Mohammad Idris on December 5, is serving his term at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, Lagos

The judge convicted Kalu, a Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during Kalu’s tenure, Udeh Udeogu, and Kalu’s firm, Slok Nigeria Ltd on each of the 39 counts.

Justice Mohammed Idris sentenced Kalu to 133 years imprisonment, Udeogu to 56 years imprisonment and ordered that Slok be wound up and its assets forfeited to the Federal Government.

The sentences will run concurrently, the judge said, meaning Kalu will only spend a maximum of 12 years in jail.

Tuesday, Kalu’s counsel, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) informed the court of a bail application he filed on behalf of the former governor, seeking to be released on bail pending the outcome of his appeal against the judgment.

He told the court that the application was premised on 23 grounds and supported by a 38-paragraph affidavit.

Fagbemi said after receiving the counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution, he filed a 34-paragraph further affidavit with one exhibit attached.

The SAN also drew the court’s attention to a notice of appeal against Kalu’s conviction, and relied on the provisions of Sections 241 of the Constitution in urging the court to grant the bail.

“If there is a right of appeal, then there is a corresponding right of bail pending appeal,” he said.

Citing Sections 6 of the Constitution, Fagbemi argued that the court had the powers to entertain such an application since post-judgement jurisdiction were anchored on the section.

He said the bail would enable Kalu to attend to his health as well return to the National Assembly to serve the nation.

But EFCC counsel, Mr RotimI Jacobs (SAN), opposed the bail application.

“Although bail is generally a right of an accused as guaranteed by the Constitution, it is not a right available to a convict because the presumption of innocence had crystallised into guilt and conviction,” he said.

EFCC kicks as convicted Orji Kalu begs court for bail
According to Jacobs, an application for bail pending appeal is sparingly granted.

He said that such a bail could be granted in a situation where the term of imprisonment would have elapsed before determination of the appeal.

He argued that that was not the situation with Kalu’s case.

On Kalu’s health condition, Jacobs said that there was no recent medical report to show his state of health, arguing that the medical report tendered in his case was done more than a year ago.

Jacobs added that the request by Kalu to be released on bail so as to seek traditional medicine was not a tenable, as visitors were allowed into the custodial centre.

“He says he needs his herbalist to treat him but he has not said that his herbalist came to the prison and was not allowed to see him.

“In one breath, the applicant is saying that he wants to be released on health grounds while in another breath, he is saying that as a senator, he needs to be released on bail so as to carry out his official functions,” the SAN said.

Citing the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria vs Joshua Dariye, he argued that the Nigerian criminal jurisprudence was robust enough to handle appeal and dispense with same within a reasonable time.

Buhari signs 2020 appropriation bill into law.

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the 2020 Appropriation Act of N10.594 trillion.

The signing ceremony held on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, a day after Channels Television reported that the President would assent to the Act.

It is the first time since 1999 that the appropriation bill is signed in December, paving the way for the return of Nigeria to a January – December budget cycle.

In his remarks, the President commended the patriotic zeal of the National Assembly for the quick passage of the budget.

He, however, informed the lawmakers that he looks forward to receiving the Finance Bill for assent in the shortest time.

President Buhari, therefore, called on the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure the effective implementation of the 2020 budget.

He expressed confidence in his administration’s ability to finance the 2020 budget.

In view of this, the President directed that the 2021 budget estimates be submitted to the National Assembly by September next year.

The signing of the 2020 budget was witnessed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; and the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

Also present were the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, among other National Assembly leaders.

Why APC can't win presidency again_ Doyin Okupe

------ Doyin Okupe, former Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs.

He also speaks on his corruption trial, Sowore’s trial, the Buhari administration, and why his party, the PDP, cannot provide effective opposition to the ruling party.

Excepts:
Q) It is about five years since your party, the PDP, was voted out. What is your impression of the current state of the nation?

Okupe: There seems to be tension everywhere and virtually in every area of our daily existence.

Q) Can you expatiate? Why is there tension?

Okupe: Reasons for tension are obvious. The recent Sowore court drama has created a lot of fear and bad blood among citizens in the country. The assault on the rule of law and the fear of the emergence of totalitarianism are issues heating the polity.

Q) Sowore has accused the government of ineptitude and poor governance. He wants a revolution. How should the government have responded to his call for protest?

Okupe: His call for a revolution should simply have been ignored. At the time he made the call he was merely filibustering. His call was a mere attention-seeking and rabble-rousing escapade.

Q) The government says it was treason, an attempt to unsettle or dethrone the Buhari regime.

Okupe: The courts are competent enough and the institution empowered by the Nigerian constitution to make a decision on that.

Q) You are a PDP chieftain. How do you rate the APC/Buhari administration so far?

Okupe: I am no longer interested in rating or criticising Buhari or APC government. One is that the government has no tolerance for criticism and has not shown any evidence of taking advantage of copious beneficial resource materials, criticisms and advice thrown at it from various segments of the society.
I am more interested and wish to devote my time and energy towards educating the upcoming political class and the general public on non -partisan issues that have bedevilled our polity for years and have resisted solutions. I am also interested in helping to rebuild PDP so that it can be remodelled, rebranded and better suited to take over governance from the present incumbent APC.

Q) It is almost five years since the APC dethroned your party. The APC has repeatedly claimed that it has rescued Nigeria from the path of destruction on which your party placed it for 16 years.

Okupe: The APC can claim what they like. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. Nigerians now know better, even non-Nigerians too. All indices and parameters for assessing government functionality and effectiveness are there for everybody to see. The only misfortune here is that approval or disapproval by the electorate based on their rating of government performance cannot be reflected electorally largely because of an absence of free and fair elections and judicial interference by the government.

Q) Are you saying the last generation elections were not free and fair?

Okupe: No argument. Most of the recently held elections in Nigeria have not been free or fair. In this saga, the electoral umpire is also culpable notwithstanding the outward facade of purity or innocence the leadership of that organisation puts on. It’s not me just saying this. Local and international observers have repeatedly and resoundingly echoed this position.

Q)  But there are many people who believe that the PDP was too weak and disorganised to have won the last presidential election.

Okupe: Absolute fallacy. After the Port Harcourt Convention, the PDP became a highly mobile, resilient and unconquerable fighting machine. Only the massive rigging machinery of government with the connivance of INEC and security forces could have subdued and defeated the pdp.

President Uhuru Kenyatta inaugurates 50MW Garissa solar power plant in Mbalambala.

The plant, which is the largest solar energy installation in East and Central Africa, adds to Kenya's rich profile as the epicenter of green energy generation in Africa. 

Gunmen kidnapp popular Nigeria singer -Duncan mighty.

The "Port Harcourt 1st son" crooner was abducted in Owerri, Imo State capital where he performed last night.

No group has claimed responsibility so far for his abduction .

Some angry Governors plotting to replace Oshiomhole with Yari_ Kabiru Mafara Alleged.

Kabir Marafa, a former senator, has alleged that some governors are plotting to replace Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with AbdulAziz Yari, former governor of Zamfara state.

Speaking with journalists in Zamfara, Marafa alleged that the governors nursing this idea are out to take control of the structures of the ruling party.

However, the former lawmaker refused to disclose the identities of the governors but said those opposed to the leadership of the national chairman are indirectly targetting President Muhammadu Buhari with the aim to make the president and his supporters politically irrelevant before the 2023 general election.

“The fight is not against Oshiomole, it is actually against the president himself. It is only that they don’t have the guts to say it now, but they will when the time is ripe,” Marafa said.

“It is evident that the plot to unseat Comrade Adams Oshiomole by a gang of President Buhari’s adversaries has thickened. This plot is merely aimed at hijacking the party structures and handing it over to Yari – who till now is the arrowhead of all the people that harbour a lot of bitterness against the president.

“The Governors in concert with their cronies, within and outside the party, are doing everything possible to hijack the party structures to ensure that the president and his sympathisers are edged out of power equation in 2023.”

Marafa asked the president to be wary of Yari, citing instances in the past where he (Yari) “acted against Buhari”.

“Yari and his co-travellers’ stock in trade is treachery and backstabbing. The earlier the president and his men realizes it and act accordingly, the better for them and the party itself,” he said.

“Remember 2003 when the president and his party the ANPP lost the general election? While the president and his men where nursing the wound of loosing the election, one of the ANPP Governors now a major pillar of Yaris support and collaborator, was sighted on national television cutting PDP Victory cake in the Villa! That is how all of them are.

“All these machinations are geared toward hijacking the party or bouncing back to relevance and once that is done, the party’s future is doomed. President Buhari should buckle up to save the party from falling into the hands of his adversaries in his own best interest, interest of the party, and that of the nation in general.

“The party is built on justice, equity and fairness and that will surely be eluded if the likes of Yari are allowed to succeed. Make no mistake sir, those asking for Oshiomhole’s head today, are actually looking for your jugular.”

The clash between Marafa and Yari made the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take control of Zamfara, which was a stronghold of the APC.