The Lumine News

Tag: #Agba Jalingo

  • Six Months Ago, Agba Jalingo Wrote: Why Justice Simon Amobeda Should Leave Cross River And Exit The Bench

    Six Months Ago, Agba Jalingo Wrote: Why Justice Simon Amobeda Should Leave Cross River And Exit The Bench

    (This opinion was written 6 months ago.)

    A court order from the vacation judge of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, has stopped INEC from recognizing any candidate of the PDP for the Cross River Northern Senatorial by-election scheduled for October 31, 2020.

    Vacation for federal high courts ends tomorrow Friday September 25 and federal high courts are meant to resume in Monday September 28.

    But while the matter is still pending in Port Harcourt, Governor Ayade went forum shopping for an injunction for his preferred candidate to be announced. He went to his friend, Justice Simon Akpa Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Calabar.

    Fiam, Justice Amobeda arrived Calabar on Sunday and on Monday 21st September, granted an injunction in favor of Ayade’s preferred candidate and ordered INEC to include the candidate’s name as the rightful candidate pending the determination of the motion on notice before him. This is happening during vacation. In broad daylight.

    When were the processes filed?

    Hon. Justices I.M. Sani and I.O. Oshomah are the two vacation judges in the South South. How on earth was it possible for Justice Simon Amobeda to sit during vacation when he is not a vacation judge?

    Was Justice Amobeda granted fiat to sit during vacation?

    What special interest does Justice Amobeda have in Cross River politics?

    He has played so many controversial roles in partisan political scenarios in our State that leaves much to be desired.

    He is the same judge who, on the eve of the contest, said APC did not have a candidate for the 2019 governorship election.

    He is the same judge that threw out Barrister First Baba Isa’s suit challenging the illegal creation of ministries on the exclusive list by Governor Ayade.

    He is the judge that gives all the pro Ayade judgments in Cross River State.

    Justice Simon Amobeda appears to have become a tool in the hands of Governor Ayade to thwart the wishes of the good people of Cross River State.

    I’m glad a petition has gone out to NJC again against Amobeda. Let more follow. He needs to tell the public how that injunction was granted when courts are not sitting.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are strictly that of the writer, Agba Jalingo and does not represent The Lumine News or the organization the author works for.

  • Ayade’s Commissioners To Protest Supreme Court Judgement On PDP Ward And Chapter Executives Tomorrow But Asu Okang Denies The Allegation

    Ayade’s Commissioners To Protest Supreme Court Judgement On PDP Ward And Chapter Executives Tomorrow But Asu Okang Denies The Allegation

    By Admin

    There seemed to be a different strategy adopted by Governor Ben Ayade’s camp after the supreme court judgment on ward and chapter exco of PDP in Cross River State.

    The supreme had struck out the appeal brought before it challenging the verdict of the Federal Harcourt and the Court of Appeal which authenticated the list that favoured National Assembly Members.

    A development that  some of Governor Ayade’s Aides have continue to argue that it is in their favor. Some of the aides had even announced the dissolution of the ward and chapter exco by the National Working Committee NWC of PDP.

    It was however learnt this evening that Commissioners serving in the Ayade government are currently meeting in one of their colleagues house making finishing touches in preparation of the planned protest.

    According to Agba Jalingo on his Facebook page “Ayade’s commissioners brawling in George O’ben-etchie’s house right now, where they are planning a protest against the supreme court judgement tomorrow”

    When contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Asu Okang denied the allegation completely and said that “there is no protest, I’m only aware that some junior appointees wants to pay the Governor a solidarity visit to pledge their commitment to the Governor despite the supreme court judgment. To stage a protest will be counter productive”

  • Even If Jarigbe Doesn’t Win In The End, I Will Be Happy That He Would Have Taught Governor Ayade That You Cannot Always Ride On A People Roughshod And Go Away Without Bruises – Agba Jalingo.

    Even If Jarigbe Doesn’t Win In The End, I Will Be Happy That He Would Have Taught Governor Ayade That You Cannot Always Ride On A People Roughshod And Go Away Without Bruises – Agba Jalingo.

    Kudos To Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe

    I like Jarigbe Agom

    I love fighters.

    Jarigbe is the member representing Ogoja/Yala federal constituency in the House of Reps and he is having a running battle with governor Ayade over many things including the struggle for the Cross River North Senatorial seat.

    By my make up, I am naturally drawn to the underdogs. I love their triumph. The odds are always against them but they rise.

    I love Jarigbe because he has become the stormy petrel from within. I have nursed my doubts about his complete sincerity to follow through in his insistence that the right thing must be done by Governor Ayade. I always told him he will soon drop the gauntlet like they characteristically do in their party PDP, and enter a room then come out smiling with Governor Ayade and leave us with only pictures to publish. So far, he has proven me wrong.

    Jarigbe has demonstrated the firmness and effrontery that Cross River North needs in her next Senator. Governor Ayade’s first shot in the Senate when he was a green horn himself representing the same Cross River North Senatorial district before becoming governor, was to take on the red chamber frontally without fear or favor.

    The Senate under General David Mark, was deliberating in plenary over capital punishment for kidnappers. In his very famous intervention, Senator Ayade stepped up and berated the Senate and accused his colleagues of playing the ostrich when they collect millions of Naira and want to legislate the capital punishment for kidnappers who are mostly unemployed youths. This contribution made headlines and also cost Ayade some speaking time in the red chambers subsequently, after the leadership of the Senate began to see him as a rising threat. That is the stuff that Cross River North senators are made of. Tough, fearless, and knowledgeable. They have the ability to confront nonsense and call it what it is. That is the mould Jarigbe has cast himself in the last one year in Cross River.

    In a state where stakeholders with a louder voice that his. In a State with three former governors who are alive and kicking, a State with a former Senate leader of the Federal republic, a state with a minister in opposition, a State with former ministers and former this and that, who have mostly refused to stand up to be counted in the face of the arrogance of our governor, Jarigbe has been able to make himself available for the many Cross Riverians looking out for those that should call our governor to order. Jarigbe who may not be as rich as we perceive other individuals, is spending money, time, energy and building structures and getting down to the people to give them an alternative voice, yet he is in the governor’s party while the opposition politicians in the State are no where to be found.

    I feel a huge sense of relief because the trend where our governor feels that he can continue to hand pick individuals and stifle opportunities for the growth of choice and democracy particularly in northern Cross River must be challenged. Two male members of the State House of Assembly died and the governor sits and says their wives should go and replace them. A Senator dies and you bring up another stooge to impose on us?

    Are you God?

    Even if Jarigbe doesn’t win in the end, I am from Northern Cross River, I will be happy that he would have taught governor Ayade that you cannot always ride on a people roughshod and go away without bruises.

    Thank you.

    Yours sincerely
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    Disclaimer: The Opinions in this are strictly that of Agba Jalingo and does not represent The Lumine News or its agent.

  • 43rd Birth Anniversary: Publisher Of The Lumine News Eulogizes Agba Jalingo

    43rd Birth Anniversary: Publisher Of The Lumine News Eulogizes Agba Jalingo

    Dear Agba Jalingo,

    As I reminisce on your birth, upbringing and existence, I’m yet to come to terms with the tact, uniqueness and exceptional consideration God displayed in your creation.

    Each time I reflect on your intelligence which spans through all human endeavors, I’m tempted to think that God exhibited a sense of bias during your creation.

    However, what is very amazing and interesting about this intelligence is the fact that you deploy same for the services of humanity.

    Each time I’m privileged to have a conversation with you, I learn a lot, for every discussion you initiate, you definitely espouse our thought process to emerging realities within the context.

    The rapid and steady growth of social media advocacy in Cross River State, to demand for effective leadership at all strata of our human endeavors is solely your initiative. This however has placed the state as the second most social media active state in the country with Lagos state being the first.

    Your resilience and dogged disposition to holding leaders accountable has been very rewarding. Majority of those who come to social media to attack you, celebrate you secretly for fear of the unknown.

    I have been privileged to watch a video that you joined a protest in 1998 during the military era, demanding for good governance and the return to democracy. Your activism has come a long way.

    I celebrate you because of your resolve to deploy your God given intelligence and wisdom as well as your talents to advocate for good leadership and to the services of humanity.

    You’ve been locked up severally, but at no time have you committed any crime but on account of speaking truth to authorities.

    You were declared prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. You won so many Awards and got multiple recognition.

    I don’t expect you to be a perfect person, for there is none of us on account of our existence was created to be perfect, you also have your short comings due to your human frailty.

    I want you to note that even Jesus who died for our salvation was never liked and celebrated by all and sundry, in fact he was accused of blasphemy.
    The same people that Jesus healed, performed different miracles for, were the same people who shouted “crucify him”

    The path you’re toeing has a price tag. But I know you’re prepared for whatever the outcome could be.

    You’re humble but very bold, you’re a happy even at your worst moments.
    Your smiles edifies the soul and reassures victory.
    You bear no grudge, you seemed not to have any enemy. What remains my dilemma is the fact that you know no brother or friend when the person does what you perceived to be the wrong thing.

    The many things that you do that I consider inappropriate or wrong, I have and will continue to excuse you because I have my own flows too, and I have learnt not to be judgemental or condemn anyone.

    Your respect for me when I hold a contrary view from yours and the tact with which you communicate your decisions without hurting me or outrightly dismissing me remains a mystery to me.

    You gave me the approval to start ‘The Lumine News’ and today we are growing by the day. The skills you taught us have rightly deployed here and we hope to get better by the day.

    On this auspicious day of your birth anniversary, let me charge you to reflect, retrospect and adopt the best form approach in your advocacy for good governance, while I wish you God unending grace, support, forbearance, patient, love and protection as you toe the path you’ve chosen.

    Be rest rest assured of my goodwill and that of the management of ‘The Lumine News’ as our thoughts and prayers are with you always.

    Once Again, happy birth anniversary to you!

    By Elijah Ugani

  • Dealing With #FakeNews From Government. By Agba Jalingo

    Dealing With #FakeNews From Government. By Agba Jalingo

     

    Government has been accusing citizens and the press of peddling “Fake News” and pushing multi-pronged efforts to suffocate channels of information dissemination.

    I agree,

    It is true that there is #FakeNews.

    It is true that individuals are peddling #FakeNews.

    It is true that the media is peddling #FakeNews

    It is also true that #FakeNews is doing incalculable damage not just to society but also to public trust in the media profession.

    It is also true that the media space needs to self-regulate to weed out #FakeNews.

    But there is one truth also that is missing from this whole gamut.

    That is, Government is the biggest peddler of #FakeNews.

    What effort is been made to ensure that #FakeNews from government is curbed?

    Who should be the fall guy or fall babe when government peddles #FakeNews?

    In the various #SocialMediaBills pushed around, what are the prescribed punishments for #FakeNews from government?

    Why does GOVERNMENT, who is arguably the biggest dispenser of #FakeNews, feel that it has a duty to control something it is as guilty of, as those it accuses?

    Let me give you some examples of what I am talking about.

    1. Every home in Nigeria got COVID 19 palliative – Humanitarian Affairs Minister. #FakeNews

    2. Only 10 Kankara school boys were abducted – Shehu Garba #FakeNews

    3. Boko Haram has been technically defeated – Buhari #FakeNews

    4. I have created 20,000 new jobs in Cross River civil service – Ayade #FakeNews

    5. Our government is doing everything to fight corruption – Buhari #FakeNews

    6. Fashola finds camera a #LekkiTollGate – #FakeNews

    7. Nobody died at #LekkiTollGate – FG
    #FakeNews

    8. Government is not fixing fuel prices, the sector has been deregulated – FG #FakeNews

    When all these offensive lies are dished out to the public by a government, who should be held accountable and with what legal instrument?

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo

  • In Nigeria, Count The Cost Before You Ask For Power To Your Region – Agba Jalingo

    In Nigeria, Count The Cost Before You Ask For Power To Your Region – Agba Jalingo

    In Nigeria, Count The Cost Before You Ask For Power To Your Region

    Under OBJ:

    While former President Olusegun Obasanjo, from the South West region was in power, Human Rights Watch said in a report released in February 28, 2003 that, “the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), an organization based in the south west, has killed or injured thousands of people over the last few years.” The 58-page report, “The O’odua People’s Congress: Fighting Violence with Violence,” provides detailed accounts of killings and other abuses by the OPC from when the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo took power in 1999.

    According to the report, “testimonies gathered by Human Rights Watch, confirmed that the OPC had played a central role in the violence in Ajegunle. In other cases, OPC members publicly killed and mutilated alleged criminals in the course of their vigilante work in the south west. They also attacked and killed policemen.” Obasanjo, a Yoruba man, got so frustrated and angry that in 1999, he declared a ban on the OPC, which I doubt has been lifted.

    Under Yar’adua:

    Upon his death, the Time Magazine of Thursday, May 06, 2010 said Obasanjo’s successor, former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua “did not look like the most promising of leaders.” He died and left behind a ceasefire and amnesty deal with militants in the oil rich Niger Delta and a Taliban style Islamic terrorist group in his northern part of the country. In fact, it was President Yar’Adua, a northerner, who first ordered a military crackdown on Boko Haram in 2009 following the group’s daring attacks on sensitive locations in his own northern Nigeria.

    Under GEJ:

    When former President Goodluck Jonathan took over, though violent agitations and militancy had been preponderant in the Niger Delta region where Jonathan comes from, his rise to power also saw the rise of violence again to the peak in the Niger Delta region with thousands of deaths and economic sabotage that nearly crippled the oil producing communities. His own region became one of the most violent in the world with near daily records of kidnapping for ransom, deaths and pipeline sabotage. By the time he left, thousands had been killed in the Niger Delta.

    Under GMB:

    Until General Buhari took power, Katsina was very scanty in the news, even with religious extremism. But since Buhari took over, not just northern Nigeria, but even his own home state, Katsina has become inhabitable as it were. Even after signing peace deals with the criminals, the State and the federal government are overwhelmed by the audacity of militia leaders who incessantly abduct, rape, raid, maim, kill and enslave thousands in Katsina and neighbouring states. These are things that hitherto, couldn’t be imagined in Katsina until their son became President and chief security officer of the country.
    **************************************

    With this trend, it is possible to extrapolate that the next region that will produce the next President should also include in their plan, how they will deal with violent insurgency from their own people especially. Their governors should also start preparing to count bodies and include insurgency appeasement bills and amnesty plans in their budgets.

    This way, the country can consolidate and boast of her “enviable achievement” from rotational presidency and cement her place as one of the most flourishing AK47 economies in the world.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • Agba Jalingo Receives Gani Fawehinmi Award For Impact And Integrity

    Agba Jalingo Receives Gani Fawehinmi Award For Impact And Integrity

    By Elijah Ugani

    A human right activist and a veteran Journalist, Citizen Agba Jalingo who was  declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, has been honored with Gani Fawehinmi Award for Impact and Integrity.

    Agba expressed unreserved satisfaction for the award and maintained that he was particularly very elated about the award because of the name behind the award, Gani Fawehinmi.

    Agba expressed his views on his verified Facebook page @Agba Jalingo.

    His views reads  “Yesterday Thursday, I had the honor of receiving the Gani Fawehinmi Award For Impact and Integrity presented by Honorable Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, Justice of the Court of Appeal JCA, at Radisson hotel, Ikeja Lagos.

    “I am particularly very elated about this award because of the name behind it. Gani Fawehinmi.

    “I also have very fond memories of Justice Oyewole. He jailed Bode George and Reverend King. He is a very progressive judge and one of the shining lights on the bench and I was very proud to recieve the award from his hands”.

  • Freedom, Like Most Things In Life, Doesn’t Come By One-off Actions, It’s A Product Of Cumulative Consistency – Agba Jalingo

    Freedom, Like Most Things In Life, Doesn’t Come By One-off Actions, It’s A Product Of Cumulative Consistency – Agba Jalingo

    By Agba Jalingo

    Whatever you want to be free from will never want to let go. I am sure you know.

    Be it poverty, slavery, ignorance, pestilence, or bad governance. Their claws evoke identical pinch. You have to be consistent, cumulatively, over a period of time that isn’t in your control to ensure incremental progress. It’s a journey, not a destination. A baton a generation must hand to another and another.

    See our black brethren in the US, over two hundred years, they have been marching and protesting against police brutality. They have become free yet still in chains. But they are still marching. Their old and young. Marching for more than 200years now. Just to have the police treat them right.

    But we just started our own in the real sense. Our own oppressors will not give up. They will come back at us. Brutalize us more. Intimidate us. Instill fear. Try to break our ranks and will. But we must stand strong and determined.

    We must keep our eyes on the long haul and train our will for a tortuous trek. I am referring to all of us. Not just the youth now. Every suffering peoples of Nigeria. Wherever we are.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

  • Ayade Industries….Before They Shut Down – By Agba Jalingo

    Ayade Industries….Before They Shut Down – By Agba Jalingo

    By Admin

    Even with the chequered history of the Cross River state government in managing state owned companies, governor Ayade insisted from take-off that he believes government has business doing business.

    He didn’t stop there; he argued his point very explicitly, citing similar models from other parts of the world. Additionally, he has created a cluster of industries that are supposed to provide jobs for Cross Riverians and revenue to decouple the State from federal allocations, in the words of the professor governor.

    In the Ayade Industrial Park, unmistakably visible from the aircraft as you touch down Margaret Ekpo international airport, along the Goodluck Jonathan by-pass in Calabar alone, we have:

    1. Cross River state Garment Factory.

    2. Cross River State Rice Seeds And Seedlings Factory (Rice City).

    3. Cross River State Pharmaceutical Production Company (Calapharm).

    4. Cross River state Chicken Processing Plant (Calachika).

    5. Eastern Instant Noodles (CallyNoddles).

    6. The Fabrication Academy of West Africa is also located in Calabar but not in the Ayade industrial park.

    7. There is the Banana Plantation and Processing farm in Odukpani. (That one is already dead sef.)

    8. Poles, Piles and Pylon factory in Akamkpa.

    9. Ekori Toothpick Factory. I don’t know which market I have seen it, not even in government functions.

    10. Ultra Modern Cocoa Processing Factory in Ikom.

    11. Ultra Modern Rice Processing Mill in Ogoja.

    12. Roof tile Manufacturing Plant in Ogoja.

    13. Groundnut Processing Factory in Bekwara.

    But these projects are as highfaluting as they sound. Only the garment factory and the rice city have people who still resume for work with all the bottle necks and they are still paid from government purse like civil servants, while the other companies are at various levels of construction, some barely taking off, some stalled. I am not quite sure about the present state of the Ekori toothpick factory. Even the government does not patronize its own toothpick.

    The State House of Assembly has repeatedly expressed concerns about the sustainability of these companies and asked the governor to privatize them. The Speaker and the Majority Leader of the House have said in different fora that the companies were gulping more from government purse than they generate and urged the governor to privatized them. The House also passed a resolution to that effect.

    Other stakeholders have also expressed worry about the ability of the Ayade government to privatize the assets of the companies transparently owing to the lack of transparency and acquisitionist tendencies of his government.

    Also, besides the fact that these industries are over priced due to the different levels of corruption padded into the procurement processes, the shareholding and/or ownership of the Special Purpose Vehicles SPVs that were incorporated to run these companies are shrouded in ominous secrecy. Only governor Ayade, his younger brother and co-governor Franco Ayade, DG Due Process, Alphonsus Eba and Commissioner for Industry Peter Egba, seem to be abreast of those details and they are not willing to tell Cross Riverians the whole truth.

    Then, the most excruciating challenge for these companies is that the governor does not have the money and time to see his intentions through. No matter how well meaning he may be, he has put his hands in too many pies and the reality is that, he can only get enough allocation to barely pay salaries and manage to ramp a few things together before he begins his 2023 departure/survival race.

    And the possibility is that these companies will not survive after May 29, 2023, after which they will become luxury apartments for reptiles and rodents. And very painfully, the lame excuse as usual will be that “My successor failed to continue from where I stopped.”

    But right now that voices of reason are calling for a rethink, the governor will not listen. It is a familiar path. $450million was spent on developing Tinapa by Donald Duke. With all the projections and good intentions, Tinapa failed and the rest is history. Ask Ayade if he continued with Imoke’s projects and why he should expect his successor to continue with his!

    I really wish the story will change, that the graph will take a different curve, but the signs are clear that we are not, so yet again, we are on course to building another set of monuments that will stand as a painful reminder of the inability of our governor to blend, vision, passion, fantasy and reality.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    #968DaysToGo
    #AyadeLegacy
    #ShineYourEyes
    #FollowOurMoney

     

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are strictly that of Agba Jalingo and does not represent the views of The Lumine News or its staff.

  • Gratitude Post, I stand With My Husband – Agba Jalingo’s Wife

    Gratitude Post, I stand With My Husband – Agba Jalingo’s Wife

    By Admin

    May God continue to fall the hand of those that want to see us in pain. Amen.

    This is a gratitude post.

    Gratitude to God my maker who has continued to preserve us, Thank you sweet holy spirit. Haaa, Jehovah Ebubedike I praise you🙌🙌🙌 and to you yes you my friends, relatives and great Nigerians who stood by me and joined me in singing #FreeAgbaJalingo my husband everyday from August 22 2019 till February 18 2020 when he was granted bail after 6 months in prison for exposing corruption in Cross River state by the government of gov Ben Ayade.

    This time last year I was thrown into confusion, emotional pain and traumatised still traumatised and apprehensive.

    I should have made this post since August 22 but sincerely it was like there was a replay of the whole governor Ben Ayade plot I was very apprehensive that day so I held back. I refused to go out or let my husband out of my sight I had to reschedule activities programmed for that day.

    August 5, 2019 two of his team members Jonathan Abang Ugbal and Jeremiah Achibong were arrested charged to court for wicked reasons, the matter worry me but glory to my Jehovah Ebubedike as they were discharged and acquitted August 2020 a year after.

    I stand with my husband👫

    God bless Nigeria
    God bless the nation’s paradise

    Thank you Jehovah Overdo🙌🙌🙌🙏

    Thank you friends and my fellow Nigeria people👍👍👍 God bless you.

    Still we rise.

    Mrs. Violet Apeal Agba.

    This is strictly the opinion of Mrs. Violet Apeal Agba and does not represent the views of TheLumineNews.