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Atiku Begs Aggrieved PDP Members to Return, Says Resignation Personal Decision

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By Eric Elezuo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has appealed party members who withdrew their membership of the just constituted Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), saying that the resignation of the party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, which the aggrieved members are calling for is the prerogative of only the chairman.

The members believed to be loyalists of the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, had Wednesday morning withdrew their membership of the party council pending when the chairman resigns.

Atiku lamented that the council was constituted after every state, except Rivers has submitted the list of persons they want in the Council, and so do not understand why the decision. He however, added that the PDP would do everything within its power to ensure they return to the

The statment in details:

Let us join hands and move on with the task of nation building.

Early this morning, my attention was drawn to a news clip in which several very senior and influential members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), addressed the press and, amongst other things, declared that they are withdrawing, forthwith, from the Presidential Campaign Council set up by our party to judiciously plan and prosecute the general elections set to hold in February and March 2023, on the one hand; and reiterated their earlier calls for the resignation or removal from office of the national chairman of our party, Senator Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, on the other hand.

The people that addressed the press must have their reasons for withdrawing from the Presidential Campaign Council, and I will not speculate as to what those reasons may be. Personally, I am quite surprised with this withdrawal because, as I have been informed by officials of our party, apart from the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, all the remaining states of the federation submitted names of people who they wanted included in the Presidential Campaign Council.

On the calls for the resignation or removal from office of our national chairman, however, I must reiterate what I have said severally in public and in private; the decision for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to resign from office is personal to Dr. Ayu and, neither I nor anyone else can make that decision for him. As to the calls for the removal of Dr. Ayu from office, however, I will state that, as a committed democrat and firm believer in the rule of law and democratic tenets, and our party being one set up, organized and regulated by law and our constitution, it is my absolute belief that every thing that we do in our party must be done in accordance with, and conformity to, the law and our constitution. If Dr. Ayu is to be removed from office, it must be done in accordance with the laws that set out the basis for such removal. In any event, you will all recall that the very body that is empowered by law to initiate this removal from office, has already passed a vote of confidence in him.

Now, our nation is currently in the throes of a multidimensional crisis encompassing insecurity, economic meltdown, disunity and mutual mistrust and educational dislocations, to mention a few. I have a plan to address these issues and I have, graciously, been given the ticket to lead our great party in next year’s presidential elections, with the singular mandate to come and lead the efforts to cure these ills. It is in this light that I have reached out to every single member of our great party to join me in the massive undertaking required to reset the ship of state, and help rebuild our country. Every single person who loves this country, as I do, is needed for the arduous tasks that face us ahead as a nation, and this includes every member of the PDP. And it is my fervent hope and prayer that every man and woman of goodwill will join hands with us to help rebuild and reposition our beloved country. In this light, therefore, I will urge those members of our party that have stated their resolve to withdraw from the Presidential Campaign Council to have a rethink, retrace their steps, and join us in these efforts.

The above notwithstanding, and for the sake of our country, our children, and those yet unborn, we must not, for one minute, shirk in our responsibilities to rebuild this beloved country of ours.

Accordingly, we must forge on with the task and the mandate that we have been bestowed with. It is time, therefore, to move on with the formidable tasks of nation building ahead of us.

May God guide us all, and may God soothe our great party, and our dear country.

Atiku Abubakar (GCON)
Waziri Adamawa
Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

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Simon Ekpa Lands in Finnish Prison Over Terrorist Propaganda Charges

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Self acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been arrested by law enforcement in Finland.

The BBC reports that Ekpa was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.

A citizen of Finland and Nigeria, Ekpa has described himself as leader of the separatist IPOB group since Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration.

Finnish police say Ekpa’s activities and social media rhetoric may have fanned the flames of violence in the south-east of Nigeria.

“He carries out these activities from his social media channels, for example,” said Otto Hiltunen, detective chief inspector of the NBI.

In February 2023,  Ekpa was arrested by police at his residence in Lahti but was released after hours of questioning.

Using his social media channels, Ekpa had directed Igbos not to participate in Nigeria’s 2023 general election.

In September 2021, the Biafra agitator and secessionist denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he won for the country at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.

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Balthasar Sex Scandal: Equatorial Guinea Govt Files Formal Charges

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The Government of Equatorial Guinea has filed a lawsuit against Baltasar Ebang Engonga, former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), over allegations of misconduct involving a sex scandal.

In an official statement, the government gave reasons why Engonga is being prosecuted, describing his actions as “violations of the ethical and moral values of noble Equatorial Guinean society.”

The lawsuit was announced by Jerónimo Osa Osa, Minister of Information, Press, and Culture, who confirmed that the Attorney General’s Office would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations.

According to local news platform Ahora EG, “This decision comes after several videos went viral in which Ebang Engonga is seen having sexual relations with multiple women, some of whom are married.”

The leaked videos, which have sparked outrage, prompted the government to take a stand on what it deems a violation of public morality and family values.

During an address on Friday, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, tasked with overseeing the case, intends to pursue administrative, civil, and criminal charges against Engonga and any accomplices, reiterated its condemnation of Engonga’s conduct.

The government emphasised the far-reaching impact of the scandal on social and family cohesion, stating, “In light of these serious events, which severely undermine family and social cohesion, and considering the negative impact that this situation has on the good image of our country, tarnishing its reputation, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, has commenced a thorough investigation to establish responsibilities at the administrative, civil, and criminal levels, given the possibility of a public health impact.”

Meanwhile, the investigation aims to address multiple issues, including the line between personal and public conduct, potential privacy violations, and damages to individuals’ honor and reputation.

The government affirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights of those affected by the scandal, including the State itself.

Baltasar Engonga has been facing severe backlash after investigators discovered over 400 explicit videos involving him and the wives of prominent national figures.

The scandal surfaced amid a fraud probe into Engonga’s stewardship, leading ANIF officials to search his home and office.

During this search, investigators reportedly uncovered CDs containing the explicit recordings, which have since leaked online, sparking a national outcry and widespread media coverage.

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Kamala Harris Congratulates Trump, Urges President-Elect to Unite Americans

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US Vice President, Kamala Harris, has finally called Donald Trump to concede defeat in the election.

This comes hours after the race was called and her loss was confirmed.

According to the Daily Mail, Harris had a warning for the president-elect, lecturing him even as she congratulated him.

“She discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans,” a senior aide said.

Harris is expected to concede to the nation at Howard University later today.

The White House has already confirmed that President Joe Biden also has called both candidates.

Biden has also invited Trump to meet with him, telling him about “the importance of working to bring the country together.”

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