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  • Justice: Late SP Amawu’s family writes IGP, demands for thorough investigation

    Justice: Late SP Amawu’s family writes IGP, demands for thorough investigation

    culled from forefront news

    The family of late Police officer, Superintendent Amawu Gabriel Anang, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, demanding justice in the alleged murder of their son and bread winner in highly controversial circumstances in Obudu, Cross River State

    In a 48-paragraph petition cited by Theluminenews with copies sent to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as well as Executive Secretary, Human Rights Commission, Abuja, among others, the family claimed that Anang was shot and gruesomely murdered on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 inside the Obudu Police Station in Cross River State.

    Accordingly, the petition, written on behalf of deceased family by Benedict Obuo Amawu, Esq of Lawstars Advisors & Solicitors, said; “we are desperately in need of justice. Justice is all that we demand at this point.”

    The petitioners, who are also suspecting official complicity and mishandling of the case by Cross River State Police Command so far, have therefore pleaded with the Police high command to order a thorough and full scale investigations into circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.

    Listing the names of some police officers and persons allegedly involved and responsible for the gruesome murder and untimely death of their son, the family said; “We seek that the real truth be unravelled with the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the laws.”

    Prior to his death, the deceased was a Superintendent of Police and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Nigerian Police Force, Obudu Police Division, Cross River State.

    Below is the petition addressed to the IGP, and dated Friday, March 20, 2020:

    The Inspector-General of Police, 20th March, 2020.
    The Nigeria Police Force,
    Force Headquarters,
    Louis Edet House,
    Garki, Abuja.

    Atten: The Officer in-Charge, IGP Intelligence Response Team (IGP- IRT)

    Dear Sir,

    PETITION:

    MURDER: EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLING AND UNLAWFUL SHOOTING OF SP AMAWU GABRIEL ANANG (DIVISIONAL POLICE OFFICE, OBUDU), BY SUSPECTED POLICE OFFICERS ATTACHED TO THE OBUDU POLICE DIVISION, CROSS RIVER STATE.
    THE SUSPECTED POLICE OFFICERS INCLUDE:

    1. INSP. OMINI IBIANG (Station guard)
    2. PC. EDET ANSA (Orderly to the deceased officer)
    3. ASP. EGBELA SUNDAY (Station DCO)
    4. INSP. Angelina Baggie (The officer who was co-opted to falsely represent that she was the person who took the deceased officer to the Hospital)
    5. Tony Odu (Station Chief Clerk)
    6. INSP. ARAH SUNDAY (SO)

    INTRODUCTION:

    This petition is undertaken on behalf of the entire Family of Ukani Felix Amawu; the family of the slain Police Officer, SP. Amawu Gabriel Anang shot and gruesomely murdered on the 10th March, 2020 inside the Obudu Police Station in Cross River State.

    Prior to his death, the deceased was a Superintendent of Police and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Nigerian Police Force, Obudu Police Division, Cross River State.

    For the records, we shall humbly and unequivocally state that the speculated Report with Ref: “DTO: 110700/03/2020, POLZIB CALABAR and AIGPOL FIB/COMPOL FIB ABUJA” circulated by the Cross River State Police Command is amply false. Thus, the report is a hasty conclusion aimed at hiding the killers of the late Officer as well as concealing the truth behind the unlawful shooting and extra-judicial killing of an innocent Officer, who had during his life time dedicated his ALL to the advancement of the good image of the Nigeria Police Force.

    We wish to further state that any information paraded in the media which found reliance on such reports is in itself untrue, unverifiable and baseless. Hence, the report was released and circulated without any form of investigation whatsoever. For the avoidance of doubt, the Report is herein attached as Annexure 1.

    FACTS OF THE CASE:

    The fact surrounding the death of SP Amawu Gabriel Anang is as follows:

    1. The late Officer was shot at the Obudu Police Station, specifically inside the Station counter on 10th March, 2020.

    2. The shooting is reported to have taken place at about 21:00hrs (9pm).

    3. To clearly establish the fact that the Police officer was shot, we have attached herein Annexure 2 Series, evidently showing an entry point of a straight bullet directly on the right hand chest, beside the breast of the deceased officer.

    4. The bullet from the gun shot went straight into the deceased officer’s chest and exited at his right arm/region; it would not have been possible for the officer to shot himself from that point and speculated in some quarters.

    5. The damage occasioned by the bullet at the exit point is so grave and grievous to the extent that the deceased armpit is badly damaged, thus showing the force and effect of the straight bullet.

    6. Independent findings have revealed that upon being shot, the deceased was left in the pool of his blood.

    7. Findings also show that all the men and officers on duty had abandoned the officer to die in the pool of his blood.

    8. The above is a clear indication that the act of annihilation, murder and ungodly killing orchestrated by the act of shooting was premeditated and neatly carried out with the intention to ensure that the life of the Officer was completely terminated.

    9. In support of the above fact that the deceased officer was abandoned to die, it is on record that it was an innocent civilian who later rushed the deceased Officer to the Hospital, by this time he had passed on.

    10. To put records straight, while driving along the street of the Police Station in Obudu, the innocent civilian had noticed the commotion at the Police Station.

    11. Thus, he rushed inside the Station and noticed the deceased DPO was in the pool of blood, without being attended to.

    12. It was this innocent civilian who had packed his vehicle at the road side, that later rush the deceased Officer to the Hospital with the lone support from a female Police Officer identified as PC Monica.

    13. Further findings reveal very that the good Samaritan female police PC Monica who aided the innocent civilian to rush the deceased officer to the Hospital was not even on duty on the date/time of the incidence.

    14. The aforementioned Officer merely rushed to the scene of the incidence upon hearing the sudden and unfortunate sound of the gun that was released on the late officer.

    15. She (Monica) was able to hear the gunshot sound since her apartment (Police Barracks) is directly behind the Police Station, where the Officer was brutally shot and allowed to die like a common criminal by men who should ordinarily protect the lives of Nigerians including that of their superior (deceased DPO).

    16. To show how the Police in Obudu are complicit and desperately seeking to hide the truth, they have suddenly gone ahead to instruct one Inspector Angelina to pretend and act that she was the one that rushed the deceased Officer to the Hospital contrary to the facts as stated above. We request that this fact be thoroughly investigated for the avoidance of doubt.

    17. Assuming without conceding that Angelina was the person that rushed the deceased to the Hospital, the question that is begging for answer is why could it have been a woman’s responsibility to rush a dying Officer to the Hospital? Amidst the presence of able Police men on duty.

    18. It is on record that several men were available the night the act was perpetrated, some of these men include the deceased orderly (Edet Ansa), a Police constable who has overtly stated that when the incidence happened, he took the gun away to his house.

    19. Why was Edet too in a hurry to take the gun away, even when a man’s life was at stake? Besides, from the information that was hurriedly circulated after the death of SP Amawu, the deceased allegedly took the gun from the Station guard, who should have hurriedly taken possession of same from the deceased after the incident, what was Edet’s business with the said rifle at that material time?

    20. The above are some of the questions; we feel are necessary for investigation. We would later make reference to other men who were at the station.

    21. Interestingly, when some of the family members were contacted on the night of the event, they rushed to the Police Station that night at about 23:00hrs (11pm), only to discover that the Police had hurriedly washed and were cleaning the blood stains at the counter where the Officer had been shot.

    22. Again, why were the Police officers who are presumed to know the nitty-gritty of investigation in a hurry to wash and clean the blood area which ordinarily should form the first point of investigation?

    23. Despite the glaring facts revealing that the deceased DPO, SP Amawu Gabriel Anang was deliberately shot, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police in the person of CP Uwem Akpang is completely adamant on the matter and has refused to sniff facts outside his preconceived notion of the facts surrounding the deceased’s murder and has flagrantly refused to direct swift, prompt and proactive investigation into the matter.

    24. The Commissioner of Police has overtly resorted to upholding mere speculations. Thus, relying only on hearsay testimonies disclosed by the very same Police Officers in Obudu who are prime suspects in the unlawful shooting and extra-judicial killing of an innocent Police officer who has meritoriously served with clean records which now speaks for him.

    25. To lend credence to the fact that the CP is merely acting on hearsay, on 16th of March, 2020 in a meeting session with the Commissioner of Police, other Senior Police Officers alongside immediate family members and community representatives of the deceased Officer, the CP raised unprofessional and rather baseless issues that have no nexus whatsoever with the death SP Amawu Gabriel Anang.

    26. Interestingly, the CP admitted that prior to his death, SP Amawu Gabriel Anang had informed him one-on-one that in one of their operations in Obudu, his men had withdrawn and left the deceased officer alone in the middle of an operation.

    27. It is clear that when this matter was reported, the CP had treated same with kid gloves and till date, no reasonable findings/discipline has been meted on the officers directly affected. The CP has refused to summon and sanction the officers who had withdrawn and left the DPO to his fate in the course of that operation.

    28. It is important to mention very pointedly that at the said meeting; the CP had admitted and informed all who were present that the deceased SP Amawu Gabriel Anang had on several occasions, requested and pleaded that he be transferred from Obudu. Hence, he was sensing danger to his life.

    29. The CP merely said he was reluctant about the requested pleas for transfer, since according to the CP, he wanted to first seek and obtain the consent of the Executive Governor of Cross River State before the transfer.

    30. One thing that is unclear is as to whether the transfer of a DPO and/or a Police Officer ought to have been subjected to an Executive consent as in this case especially when the deceased had communicated the danger of his life.

    31. The life of the deceased Officer may have been used to trade personal and pecuniary gains/benefits. We humble request that this too be thoroughly investigated.

    32. For the deceased Divisional Police Officer’s men to withdraw in an operation leaving their superior to his fate, it is a clear indication that plans were already on-going to ensure that his life was completely terminated. He saw it, he suspected it, as a fine officer, the poor man alerted his superior and requested for immediate deployment, but he was left to die as a common criminal without any justification whatsoever.

    33. Notwithstanding the seriousness associated with this matter, the corpse of the deceased officer is still lying in Obudu despite the family request that an independent Autopsy vis-à-vis a Ballistic analysis be carried out to ascertain the reason behind the unlawful shooting and extra-judicial killing of the deceased Officer.

    Despite the clarity of facts, the Police Officers in Obudu are determined to conceal the truth with a view to hiding the killers of the deceased DPO, SP Amawu Gabriel Anang. In an attempt to deceive the general public as well as the deceased family, the Police in Obudu through their DCO (ASP. EGBALA SUNDAY) have comically alleged as follows:

    i. That the deceased shot himself, in another twist, they have also alleged that the deceased died as a result of accidental discharge. Thus, hiding the picture which clearly reveal that death was occasioned by a straight bullet which was directly shot at the deceased’s chest.

    ii. Further, they have concoctedly alleged that there was a protest in Obudu Police Station on the night of the incidence, without arresting the protesters till date.

    iii. That the said protest was led/masterminded by the Student Union Government (SUG) President of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Obudu.

    iv. That the student came in that night and demanding for the release of their students who were detained at the Police Station.

    v. They have deceitfully alleged that in order to disperse the crowd of the protesting students, the late deceased DPO hurriedly came out that night, collected a rifle from the station guard and shot into the air.

    vi. In their hilarious narrative, they have also said that upon shooting into the air, the deceased DPO went inside the counter and after proving the rifle, the (deceased) removed the magazine (firearms) into his pocket.

    vii. According to their contradictory testimonies, they have also said that the deceased DPO dropped the gun after he had removed the magazine, but that the gun subsequently exploded with a bullet coming out of same.

    viii. Further to the paragraph above, they have also alleged that the exploded bullet went and hit a wall first and thereafter erupted into the deceased body. To every reasonable person, this line of testimony is amply deceitful and ornamentally untrue; the narrative is far from reality when considered in practical terms.

    ix. For the records, the Police in Obudu have shown a cracked wall on the picture attached as Annexure 3, wherein, it is alleged that the bullet first hit and cracked the wall before exploding and thus, harming the deceased body.

    x. It is important to state emphatically and contrary to their analysis that the height of this wall is less than 2.9ft tall. How a bullet would have hit such wall and proceeded upward to pierce the upper region of a man who is over 5.9ft tall is completely a mystery. Unfortunately, that wall is not a stone wall which one may have assumed that the bullet could not have penetrated same.

    xi. The damage and injuries on the body of the deceased are so severe, the effect could not have been that heavy assuming without conceding that the exploded bullet actually hit the purported cracked wall before touching the deceased body.

    xii. The testimony of the various Police Officers is a bundle of lies in every respect, unfortunately, this is what the Cross River State Police Command had hurriedly published vide Annexure 1 above, expecting the whole world to believe that a seasoned/competently trained Police Officer with a United Nations emblem had unprofessionally killed himself. This is totally fictional. As a family we contend and contest this false representation in its entirety.

    CONCLUSION

    We are desperately in need of justice and demand that the truth be unravelled with the perpetrator arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    It is rather worrisome that despite that allegation of protest, no student and/or student leader(s) have been arrested in connection with the death of SP Amawu Gabriel Anang. At least one would have expected that the alleged protesting students/their leaders be arrested and thoroughly investigated with a view to uncovering the whole truth.

    The students purported to have been detained have since been released. In less than 24hours after the incidence, a picture attached as Annexure 4 was taken. Thus, same clearly show that there was no detainee as at 11th March, 2020. From the attached picture, the detention board had carefully been cleaned up.

    Based on the above, the testimony of Police Officers in Obudu vis-à-vis the publication (Annexure 1) by the Cross River State Police Command is totally untrue and unverifiable, same is a product of hasty conclusion. As a family we contend and contest same in their entirety, the false representation as per the report and all testimonies.

    Once again, we are desperately in need of justice. Justice is all that we demand at this point. We seek that the real truth be unravelled with the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the laws.

    To this end, we appeal very respectfully that you use your good office(s) to arrest, investigate and prosecute all Police Officers in Obudu, particularly, officers mentioned above and same include: Inspector Insp. Omini Ibiang (Station Guard), PC Edet Ansa (Orderly to the deceased Officer), ASP. Egbala Sunday (Station DCO), INSP. Arah Sunday (SO), ASP I. Egwa (Station 2 IC), Inspector Angelina Baggie (co-opted to falsely represent that she was the person who took the deceased officer to the Hospital). Other suspected officers Tony Odu (Station Chief Clerk), Sergeant Itoro etc., as well as every officer connected to the matter.

    From the facts and circumstances of this case, these named persons have information as to the unlawful shooting, extra-judicial killing and gruesome murder of our deceased son, husband, father and brother – late SP Amawu, Gabriel Anang. Apart from the joint act of conspiracy, one of them should be able to reveal the fellow that released the trigger on the late officer.

    Other personnel and officer in the Police Division should also promptly be investigated and interrogated with a view to ascertaining the whole truth.

    We also demand that the SUG President of the Federal College of Education Obudu and all the students linked with this murder should be arrested, investigated and prosecuted where a prima facie case is made out against them. Their arrest and timely investigation will give preliminary insight into the unfortunate incidence. The students said to have been detained on the night of the incidence should as well be arrested, investigated and prosecuted where necessary.

    The Commissioner of Police (CP Uwem Akpan) should be questioned and disciplined for the act of monumental neglect and laxity in this matter and above all, we demand that an independent Autopsy and Ballistic Analysis be conducted in this case. Those responsible for the hasty publication of Annexure 1 and misleading the general public without necessary verification and prior investigation of the matter should be disciplined as well.

    Sir, we hold the view in accordance with our extant criminal laws that a case of Murder of this nature, especially, a case where a serving Police Officer was shot and murdered in cold blood at his own division, should not be treated with kid gloves. Truth be told, it is a direct confrontation on the integrity/prowess of the esteem institution of the Nigeria Police Force.

    We demand for JUSTICE and request very respectfully that this matter be given accelerated and prompt attention.

    On your request, we shall avail necessary information and further clarification as may be required.

    Thank you and accept our warm regards.

    Yours faithfully,

    BENEDICT OBUO AMAWU, ESQ
    (On behalf of the deceased family)
    07031846089

    Cc:
    1. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abuja.
    2. The Executive Secretary, Human Rights Commission, Abuja.
    3. The President of Senate, through the Clerk of the National Assembly, Abuja.
    4. The Director General, State Security Service (SSS), Abuja.
    5. The Director, Amnesty International, Nigeria.
    6. The Ordinary President Ahmed Isah, Human Rights Radio, Brekete Family, Abuja.

  • Birthday Felicitation to Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Obele Abue

    Birthday Felicitation to Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Obele Abue

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    Dear very Fr. Dr. Peter Obele Abue,
    Your existence is indeed a manifestation of God’s providential benevolence on mankind.
    In fulfilment of God’s words as addressed to the Prophet Jeremiah, 1:4, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. I chose you and consecrated you to be a prophet to the nations”. Your apostolate has really justified God’s pronouncement.

    You are a rare breed among the pastors entrusted with the responsibility to shepherd God’s flock.

    Shortly after your priestly ordination, you left for further studies and while there, you created a niche for yourself positively, having lived a trustworthy life to the admiration of many, whose connects, contacts and support you leveraged. You built one of the best worship places in Cross River State for God’s glory, St. Theresa Little Flower Parish church, Ipong.

    Having painstakingly watched with utter dismay the sufferings of the African child and juxtaposing same with developed countries, you midwifed a pet project CHILDREN OF RURAL AFRICA code named (CorAfrica- Nigeria) to give hope to the African child.

    You sought for grants and support using your pet project, built and handed over nursery/primary and secondary schools @St. Joseph model schools/Orphanage, Idum -Mbube, St. Theresa the Little Flower nursery/primary school, Ipong in Obudu, to the catholic diocese of Ogoja.

    You have paid school charges for so many indigent children.
    You are a priest of no mean repute, touching lives through your ministration and charity.
    The church is in dare need of your kind especially in this era of gospel commercialization.

    On this day of your birth anniversary, the church in particular and the society at large demands your collaborated disposition to speak truth to power that suppresses us and deny us our due without compromise.

    The entire Mbube kingdom is blessed to have you as their son, your apostolate speaks volume within Ogoja diocese and beyond.
    It is my prayer for you this day that God hasten your plans for CorAfrica as to extend and expand your coverage to areas where the attention is needed most.

    Fr. Peter Obele Abue is the Vicar General of the catholic diocese of Ogoja and parish priest of St. Thoma’s Parish, Igoli-Ogoja local government area of cross river state.

    Padre, you have the assurances of our esteemed goodwill, support and prayers to shepherd God’s flock.

    Be rest assured that the best is yet yet to come
    The future is even brighter.
    Happy birth anniversary to you servant of the most high!

    #PeterObeleAbue
    #DioceseofOgoja
    #StThomasIgoli
    #CorAfrica

    Elijah Ugani
    Executive Director
    CorAfrica- Nigeria

  • Locking down Nigeria not helping fight against COVID-19 – Ayade

    Locking down Nigeria not helping fight against COVID-19 – Ayade

    Government House Press – Calabar

    Cross River state governor, Professor Ben Ayade has urged the federal government to discontinue with the policy of shutting down the country in its effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

    Ayade who spoke to newsmen Monday at the Cross River state Rice Seeds and Seedlings factory, Calabar during the official commencement of deployment of agricultural machines to various parts of the state, said a complete lockdown of Nigeria has been counter productive.

    He therefore, “pleads with the federal government not to shut down this country. The healthy people cannot be locked down. It is the sick that should be identified and isolated and locked down. You do not lock down a healthy citizen, a healthy individual who falls within an area where there is no reported case or confirmed case.

    “The sick has to be shut down for the healthy to work, and by the sick I mean those who have confirmed cases, those who fall Within the tracing line, those who fall within the suspicion line. They have to be locked down for the healthy to work. But locking down the sick and the healthy together only creates an expansion climate for the virus. In some cases the lockdown creates a more clustered and difficult and accumulated residence like people who live in squatter camps. When you lock them down it expands and increases the chance of contamination,” he said.

    Continuing, the governor said: “If everyone goes out with a nose mask and is busy in the day and returns, tired he goes to his bed to sleep. But the idea of locking down ebullient young people with so much energy boiling out, it is never going to work.
    “It’s not going to work for the economy, it’s not going to work for the people it’s not going to help in controlling the virus.

    While urging the Federal Government to slacken some of its restrictions including flights, he said the pandemic offers Africa the opportunity to catch up the rest of the world.

    He regrets that the continent has failed to grasp the chance.

    “This is the opportunity for Africa to play catch up instead of adopting what is happening in Europe because it can never be exactly the same in our circumstance. Our demographics are not the same, we have a lot of young people with very strong immune system.
    “That is why I insist we should just wear nose mask and loosen up the country. Let the airlines start working. Just insist that nobody gets into an airplane to fly without a nose mask.”
    He insisted that a general use of the nose mask will flatten the curve in no time.

  • Voodoo Appointments and the Demystification of Ben Ayade: The beginning of the End

    Voodoo Appointments and the Demystification of Ben Ayade: The beginning of the End

    • BY VENA IKEM- CALABAR

    Do people still celebrate”Appointments”? I understand that there was a flood of over 400 appointments today!

    I understand that of the Over 100 “Special Advisers” only about 15 have so far been paid.

    Commissioners just received their first salaries and beginning from the month of March, despite being appointed in December.

    The other motley crowd that laughs at themselves and their titles know that it’s all a joke! They are still doing “documentation”!

    As the comedy continues and more names are being announced even as Ayade knows very well that he has no plans to pay anybody, the helpless citizen has no choice than to encourage himself in the hope that he will be paid. What’s the alternative? He hasn’t any. And so despite knowing that the man appointing him is not sincere with the appointment, he goes around trying to convince himself that he has something to hope for. He knows in his heart of hearts that he doesn’t.

    Apart from Commissioners and some Special Advisers, most of the rest are still struggling with “documentation” whose requirements now include Tax Clearance and “Letter of Appointment”! In the process people are borrowing to pay taxes to access an appointment for which they may never get paid.

    The “smart”way to keep some off the payroll is the demand for a letter of appointment which the appointing authority knows doesn’t exist! The appointments are all on Radio and Television! Yet more appointments are being added.

    Now the scam is beginning.

    What I see in the end is that this strategy of Appointment which is Ayade’s only claim to political “strategy” is the same that will eventually backfire and demystify him and expose his crookedness.

    It’s not his fault. He doesn’t know what else to do. The easiest job he knows as Gov is making appointments! Everything else he tried has failed. No roads. No light. No water. No seaport. No Airport. Nothing! Just appointments. Why should he stop making more appointments? It takes nothing to just compile names and announce! Otherwise, What will be his scorecard?

    Today’s Crude oil prices are reading $12 a barrel! The last month’s federal allocation Committee shared over N700bn naira. It is projected that the next allocation or the one after it might come below N200bn! No sensible State is making deceptive, reckless, childish pretense to mass appointments and mass employment. It takes a certain level of dubious exceptionalism to pretend that you have a solution when you are at the same time seeking to spend money from the Local Govt account which you know you are not entitled to!

    Is it not logical to reason that if the state govt has enough money to embark on these frivolous appointments, she wouldn’t be seeking approval to withdraw almost N1bn illegally from the local Government account?

    Is it not sensible for citizens to ask why the Local Govts have so much money when they are not allowed to embark on the simplest of projects at the local Level? Not a borehole?

    In the end, there will be an endgame.
    When everyone who doesn’t have a voice now will develop one!

    When wind blow we will see wetin fada wear under him long dress!

    Congratulations for accepting to be duped so willingly!

    • NB.
      Try and print this and add to your file for documentation. I will refer you to it next year!
  • WILL MY PARTY, PDP LEARN IT’S LESSON FROM ABI/YAKURR FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY RERUN

    WILL MY PARTY, PDP LEARN IT’S LESSON FROM ABI/YAKURR FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY RERUN

    Will my party PDP, learn it lesson from the Abi/Yakurr Federal constituency rerun?

    The People’s Democratic Party PDP, in cross river state has lost trajectory with the basic principle of participatory democracy lately.

    Democracy in its simplest understanding being the government of the people, by the people and for the people demands that the processes leading to the emergence of flag bearers should be seen to be participatory, be it primaries or consensus.

    Regrettably, what we now have as opposed to known laws and acts is hand picking, which will soon become a reference point as our norm.

    This classical departure from the ideal is spelling doom for us as a party. Pride will not allow us to come to terms with this all important reality.

    The Abi/Yakurr federal constituency permutation is still fresh in our memories and should be seen as a model for future permutations.

    The PDP handed over it flag to an unpopular candidate and thought that it was going to be a work over, no doubt that the candidate was the Speaker of the 8th Cross River Assembly, but lacked the pedigree to contest election the Alex Egbonna we all know. Unpopular here I mean having an unequal pedestal when placed side by side in all facets of life with his contender,, especially previous antecedents.

    While the main opposition party, the APC desirous of winning the election, insisted on a candidate with the convincing credibility and potentials to win election, and so it was.

    Today another history is to be made as we are all students of history, there is no gain saying the love and concentration the governor has for Yala local government area is unmatched.
    This is evident as the governor while in the senate had more constituency projects in Yala more than other local government areas in the north.

    Today, yala occupies prominent positions in the Ayade government as governor. I insist and have no intention to win your sympathy that the ticket that was given to the late Sen Rose Oko as compensation to forth her medical bills was a great disservice to the people of northern senatorial district.

    My attention was drawn to my position against returning the senate to Yala by some prominent stakeholders who served the state meritoriously in the previous administration, specifically in Sen. Liyel Imoke government, the made reference to the precedence of the late spouses replacing their husbands in the 8th Cross River State House of Assembly which according to them has form a reference point and has come to stay, which should also be applicable to Yala, that Yala should be allowed to complete the tenure. This is what our system has been reduced to. We won’t allow people to abuse our sensibility!

    Where are the late senator’s children, family members to replace her in line with the archaic and Mundane political precedence set for us!

    The APC is busy shopping for a candidate with track records that dates back to the return of democracy, that will have the acceptance of even members of the PDP, the leadership of PDP is busy planning to impose a preferred choice.

    It is however interesting to note that changing strategy is apt if we must stay tune and up to date with developmental trends, it however demands of us to adopt the best model.

    The days ahead are very interesting!

    #Note

    All those jumping to speak and attack my opinion here in support of this abnormality does so because of what they gaining from the leadership of the party, they can’t be more PDP than us. They are paid salaries, maybe for attacking people with contrary opinions.

    We are the very people with genuine interest for the party! Working for the party at all levels winning elections for the party at our pulling units but relegated and stigmatized after the election.

    Ellijah Ugani

  • CORAfrica Awareness Campaign on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

    CORAfrica Awareness Campaign on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

    As the issue of COVID-19 continue to increase around the globe, CORAfrica Nigeria took to both urban and the rural communities in Cross River State to educate the people about COVID-19 by teaching them how to stay safe, distribution of hand sanitizers, nose mask and food items to survive the hard situation caused by the coronavirus.

    Watch the video below 

  • Buhari’s bodyguard dies

    Buhari’s bodyguard dies

    Source: Pulse News NG

    Lawal Mato, one of president Muhammadu Buhari’s personal bodyguards, has died on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

    The president’s media aide, Bashir Ahmad, announced on Tuesday that Mato, a warrant officer, struggled with diabetes.

    The deceased had served the president for a long time before his death, Ahmad said.

    “Mr. Mato had been working with the President for many years before he won the 2015 elections,” the presidential aide tweeted.

    Buhari described the deceased as “very thorough, trustworthy and dependable soldier who carried out his duty with diligence and focus”.

    Mato’s death comes days after the president also lost his long-time friend and chief of staff, Abba Kyari, to the coronavirus disease.

    Kyari died in Lagos last week, almost a month after he was diagnosed with the disease that has infected over 2.5 million people across the world.

  • Abba Kyari’s death saddening, says Ekweremadu

    Abba Kyari’s death saddening, says Ekweremadu

    Former Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, (PDP Enugu-West) has described the death of Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari, as a heavy loss to the Presidency and the nation.

    Ekweremadu, on his Twitter handle, @iamekweremadu, expressed deep sadness and condolences to Kyari’s immediate family, President Buhari and the entire Presidency.

    He also prayed to God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal repose.

    “I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing on of the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari.

    “It is a heavy loss to The Presidency and the nation, which he gave his all.

    “My heartfelt condolences go to his family, the Presidency and the entire nation.

    “May his soul rest in peace. Amen,’’ Ekweremadu prayed.

    (NAN)

  • WHO Secretary General validates Ayade’s position on social distancing

    WHO Secretary General validates Ayade’s position on social distancing

    Source: CRS News Bulletin

    World Health Organization (WHO) Secretary General, Tedros Adhananom Ghenreyesus has re-echoed Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State’s stance to the effect that social distancing is not practicable under certain conditions.

    He, like Ayade, was also of the view that social distancing is at best, an alternative preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus as other public health measures are equally effective.

    Governor Ayade, a professor of Microbiology had stirred the hornet’s nest recently when he declared the observance of social distancing unnecessary where a population is properly protected with appropriate nose masks, which he has made compulsory in his state.

    He said observing social distancing presupposes normal atmospheric conditions, which is far from reality given that variables such as wind speed and wind direction are outside anyone’s control.

    Dr. Ghebreyesus in a series of tweets Monday, validated the governor’s positions on the matter.

    According to him, “many poor people, migrants and refugees live in over-crowded conditions with few resources and little access to health care. Physical distancing is very difficult in such situations. So, other public health measures must be put in place.”

    He concluded by saying that “while COVID19 accelerates very fast, it decelerates much more slowly. This is especially concerning for countries with large poor population, where #StayatHome orders and other restrictions used in some high income countries may not be practicable.”

  • 56-year-old dies of coronavirus in Lagos

    56-year-old dies of coronavirus in Lagos

    Source: Punch News 

    A 56-year-old Nigerian man has died of coronavirus in Lagos State.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made this known on Tuesday.

    He said the patient had visited the United States.

    “A 56-year-old Nigerian who recently returned from the United States has died of coronavirus-related complications. This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Lagos to six,” the commissioner said.

    He added 61 patients have recovered and discharged in the state.

    Abayomi said, “13 new cases of COVID-19 infection confirmed. The total number of confirmed cases in Lagos is now 192. The total number of COVID-19 patients that have recovered and discharged is now 61.”

    While urging residents in the state to obey social distancing directive, he said, “I urge Lagos residents to remain on alert across communities and obey instructions aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 infection.”