News

We’ll Sanction Wike, Other Aggrieved Govs after Polls – PDP

Published

9 months ago

February 22, 2023

Eric

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party sees the presidential elections as a massive task and has decided to deal with the alleged anti-party activities of Governor Nyesom Wike-led Integrity Group after the elections.

The PUNCH reports that Wike of Rivers State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) pulled out of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council last year, insisting that except the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, quits his position, they wouldn’t have anything to do with the campaigns.

Following Ayu’s refusal to go and the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s apparent non-interest in the sacking of the former Senate President, the governors have since pitched their tents with their preferred presidential candidates.

While Makinde and Wike were said to be allegedly working for the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, Ortom has openly endorsed the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, even as Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi are reportedly torn between Atiku and Obi.

Findings, however, revealed that Ayu would wield the big stick after the polls to demonstrate the supremacy of the party in line with the PDP constitution.

A member of the PDP National Executive Committee and former governor of a North-West state told our correspondent in confidence that the action of the aggrieved governors infuriated party stakeholders across the board, warning that failure to call them to order would raise a lot of questions from loyal members of the party.

The NEC member said, “We watched every day how these leaders ridiculed the party. Nobody said they had no reasons to be aggrieved, but we generally agreed that there were other ways to speak on the issues than the way they did.

“When the elders (Board of Trustees) intervened, we all thought the crisis was over, but it only got worse. We expect some sanctions, although the leadership of the party will set in motion what to do with them.

“At the NEC, it was nothing short of a disgrace to wake up to see governors dancing not in solidarity with their party, but with rival parties to cast aspersions on the same PDP that catapulted them to national prominence.

“It’s a good thing that Ayu is focused on the elections, but we would like to see what happens after that.”

When reached for comment, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, refused to confirm or deny the fate of the Integrity Group, telling our correspondent that “we will wait until it is confirmed” what the party intends to do.

The biggest indication of what lies ahead for the Wike-led group came from the Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timothy Osadolor, who told The PUNCH that sanction for the aggrieved governors “is not a question of if but when.”

Osadolor stated, “How else could they have worked against the party than they have already? If they didn’t know that there would be sanctions, they wouldn’t be running to their states’ High Courts to procure ex-parte orders, but they are merely buying time.

“They know that they have erred, and the full wrath of the law will fall upon them. It’s not a matter of if, but of when.”
Osadolor added, “When the dust of elections is over, the party will revisit the issue. The party is supreme. Head or tail, their issue will be treated.”

The Punch

News

JAMB Releases Timetable for 2024 UTME

Published

7 hours ago

November 30, 2023

Eric

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed January 15 to February 26, 2024, for the sale of its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application document.

This was made known in a statement issued by the JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, on Wednesday, November 29.

Benjamin noted that the development was based on series of recommendations emanating from a two-day Information Technology (IT) and Management Retreat held between November 26 and 28.

Benjamin noted that March 7, 2024, has been slated for the 2024 Mock-UTME, while the main UTME would hold from April 19 to April 29, 2024.

He, therefore, advised candidates to print their examination slips from April 10, 2024.

The JAMB spokesman added: “Candidates are enjoined to take note of these dates and other advisories issued by the Board in relation to the administration of the examination.

“They are also to visit the Board’s website www.jamb gov.ng for any other information.”

Below is the 2024 JAMB schedule

2024 Jamb Official Timetable:

1. JAMB 2024 Registration Date 14th January 2024

2. JAMB Registration Deadline 14th February 2024

3. JAMB 2024 Registration Fee N4,700

4. JAMB 2024 Novel The Life Changer

5. JAMB 2024 Reprinting Date 29th April 2024

6. JAMB 2024 Mock Exam Date 20th April no 2024

7. JAMB 2024 Examination Date 29th April 2024

News

Diversion to Asaba: United Nigeria Airline Suspends Flight Dispatcher over Wrong Code

Published

22 hours ago

November 29, 2023

Eric

The United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) has suspended the flight dispatcher who entered the wrong code to the dispatch document on Sunday, for a flight to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, which ended up at Asaba airport..

The flight dispatcher (names withheld), according to reports, was issued a suspension letter on Tuesday, by the management of the airline following an outcry from the public, which caused the carrier avoidable embarrassment.

Although the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is already investigating the incident, the suspension of the Dispatcher will remain in place until after the conclusion of the probe.

Head, Corporate Communications, United Nigeria Airlines, Mr. Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, confirmed the suspension.

Uchegbu clarified that the suspension is not a sack, “but an action to enable investigation.”

The flight Dispatcher, on Sunday, entered into the dispatch document ABB, which is the code for Asaba International Airport, Delta State, instead of ABV, the code for Abuja airport.

Commenting on the incident, President of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Comrade Galadima Abednego, described the situation as worrisome.

Speaking in Kano at the ongoing National Air Traffic Communicators’ Association of Nigeria (NACAN) 10th Annual General Meeting/Conference, Galadima said: “I would not like to call it a diversion. It is quite a worrisome situation, where an aircraft that is Abuja bound found itself in Asaba. It has serious safety and security breaches.”

News

Appeal Court Judgment: Fresh Crisis Rocks Kano

Published

22 hours ago

November 29, 2023

Eric

A wave of fresh protests have broken out in the Kano metropolis as thousands of residents on Wednesday trooped to the streets demonstrating their rejection of the Appeal Court judgment sacking of Governor Abba Yusuf.

The appellate court, on September 20, upheld the verdict of the State Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Oluyemi Akintan Osadebay, which sacked Yusuf and declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Nasir Ganuwa, the authentic winner of the March 18 governorship election in the State.

The tribunal had ruled that 165,663 votes garnered by Yusuf of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) were invalid on the grounds that they were not signed or stamped by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus reducing his votes to 853,939 while those of the APC rival remained at 890,705.

Yusuf, who was not satisfied with the tribunal judgment, took his case to the Appeal Court only for it to uphold the verdict.

With the outcome of the appeal court, there has been tension in the state as several groups who are in support of Yusuf have been holding sporadic protests against the ruling which they see as a travesty of justice.

Different groups had also reportedly fixed protests but were dispelled by security operatives who prevented them from going ahead with the demonstrations to prevent break down of law and order.

However, despite concerted efforts by the police and other security agencies, the protesters defied all warnings and took over the streets in the city to protest the ruling of the appeal court.

The protesters were seen carrying placards as chanting slogans like “We will not accept it”; “We will not allow it”; “Kano belongs to Abba”; “Our mandate must be restored”; “Injustice exposed in CTC”; among others.

It was gathered that efforts by security operatives to disperse the protesters were abortive as they stood their ground and refused to back off.