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Ignore Detractors, Ozekhome Still Nnamdi Kanu’s Lead Counsel, Says Ejiofor

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By Eric Elezuo

A member of the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu legal team, and Lead Counsel of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq., has dismissed as false the news making the rounds that Kanu has sacked hisead counsel, Prof Mike Ozekhome, and the entire legal team.

Ejiofor made the clarifications in a statement he signed himself, denouncing Kanu’s brother, Kingsley Kanu, who purported originated the sack story as an opportunist, who does not have the interest of the IPOB leader at heart.

Ejiofor’s statement is presented in full below:

Update on Today’s Visit to our Indefatigable Client – ONYENDU MAZI NNAMDI KANU – AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE SERVICES (DSS), ABUJA, WHERE HE IS STILL BEING ILLEGALLY AND UNCONSTITUTIONALLY DETAINED IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT; AND A REJOINDER TO THE FAKE NEWS MAKING THE ROUND ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA TO THE EFECT THAT MAZI NNAMDI KANU’S LEGAL TEAM ABLY LED BY PROF. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, HAS PURPORTEDLY BEEN “DISMISSED” BY ONE KINGSLEY KANU, ALIAS KANUNTA KANU, who lives in Germany and does not even know anything about Onyendu’s case. To show his ignorance or deliberate falsehood, he lied that Prof Ozekhome has refused to visit Onyendu since 11TH OF MAY, 2023,whereas the erudite Professor of law actually led me to have an over 2 hours meeting with Onyendu and the DSS on the 3RD of JUNE, 2023.

We visited our indefatigable Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu –TODAY, being the 15th DAY OF JUNE, 2023, at the DSS Headquarters, Abuja, to brief him on matters relating to his cases in Court, including his matter coming up on the 20th OF JUNE, 2023, before the Federal High Court, Abuja. Matters of concerns relating to his deteriorating medical condition occupied the centre stage of our discussions.

It is important to make the following statements/clarifications:

1) The Medical Doctors that attempted to see Onyendu last week Tuesday being 6th OF JUNE, 2023, were not there to participate in any surgical procedure, but to first meet and interface with Onyendu.on a preliminary basis.

2) The Medical Doctors were expected to consult with our lead counsel- Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, before proceeding with other administrative engagements as we unanimously agreed upon during our well over one hour meeting of 3RD JUNE, 2023, led by Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, which was held with the DSS in the presence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who participated in and approached all the decisions reached at the meeting.

3) Biafrans should note and be assured that Onyendu’s legal team, ably led by the legal iroko of our time – Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is closely monitoring every situation about and around Onyendu. We are not resting on our oars to get him freed and released from his illegal and unconstitutional detention after his discharge by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division, which also prohibited his further detention or trial on the charges he was standing trial for before his extraordinary and forceful rendition from Kenya to Nigeria on 27thJune, 2021. There is therefore no cause for alarm, as the Supreme Court is set to finally decide the matter on the 14th of September, 2023, immediately after the annual vacation. We are thousands of miles and steps ahead of the evil plans of the enemies, both from within and from without. Onyendu will be out of the DSS gulag strong and unbroken, by the grace of God.

4) In view of the desperate attempt of the enemies to break our ranks, the legal team resolved to minimize the information that we make public through my regular updates. Therefore, you will not, as in the recent past, be receiving updates on our routine visits as regularly as it used to come, except when there is a compelling situation that demands for it, as the present one specifically demands.

Several visits to Onyendu, and particularly, the visit of 3RD JUNE 2023, was deliberately not publicized because of the confidential nature of the matters discussed, but all relevant persons were duly briefed about the outcomes.

5) May I use this medium to address an obvious HIGHLY DEFAMATORY and VERY DISAPPOINTING PUBLICATION which was brought to my attention immediately upon I stepped out of the meeting venue of my routine visit to Onyendu at the SSS Headquarters, Abuja. Unarguably, the author intended to serve some satanic mischief through a diet of falsehood and defamatory publication.BUT,HE HAS FAILED.

6) Let it be on record and be known to the whole world that NEITHER KINGSLEY KANU, NOR EMMANUEL KANU, had at any point in time briefed me to handle Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case,or even IPOB matters. My letters of engagement issued to me since 2015, by Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB are still firmly with me till date.

7) Neither Kingsley Kanu, nor anybody acting on his behalf, ever engaged Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to represent Onyendu in any matters affecting him. Biafrans and members of the public are aware that Onyendu specifically requested to see Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN upon his forceful abduction and extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June, 2023. It was not until 22nd December, 2022 (6 months later), that Ozekhome finally accepted the the brief. During that first meeting between him and Onyendu, which details are already in the public domain, Onyendu PERSONALLY BRIEFED Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to head his legal team. He also instructed me to put the briefing in writing, which I did to his satisfaction. Till date, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN has done excellently and overwhelmingly well in deploying his deep knowledge of the law, advocacy skills and daring bravado to represent Onyendu in all courts in Nigeria, churning out successes upon successes.

8) Further to the above, my briefings with Onyendu TODAY, lasted for WELL OVER one-hour, during which we discussed pertinent issues concerning his legal and health matters. There was NO TIME HOWSOEVER during the meeting that Onyendu entertained or expressed any iota of doubt WHATSOEVER on the ABILITY AND CAPACITY of his indefatigable legal team, ably led by Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to defend him. Onyendu, also proceeded to avail me with other important messages to be passed on to his said lead counsel, which assignments are expected to be conducted WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

9) Kingsley Kanu in a bid to preempt any exposition I may make after today’s visit, proceeded to make the extremely ridiculous publication at exactly 1:57pm Nigerian time, a few minutes before the scheduled visit of 2:00pm, but which drawn to my attention immediately I left Onyendu.He need not have worried himself, because out of respect and deference to Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I did not and I do not intend to make any such exposition.

10) As you may be aware, right from the 26th of July, 2021, when an order was made by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako, directing the DSS to allow Onyendu access to his lawyers and relatives, upon prior submission of the names of those visiting Onyendu, my chambers has been exclusively submitting names of those visiting Onyendu,on his personal instructions and this process has continued since then and still subsists till date. The names are usually shared with Onyendu before clearance is finally given by the DSS for the visits to take place.

11) Against the backdrop of the foregoing, I wish to unequivocally state that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu NEVER AT ANY TIME EVER DISMISSED, DISENGAGED, NOR has he EVER expressed any intention of ‘dismissing’ his legal team ably led by Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN. Biafrans and indeed the members of the general public are respectively advised to ignore in its entirety, the obviously FALSE, BASELESS, DEFAMATORY, MISCHIEVOUS, FAKE, REPREHENSIBLE, DENIGRATING, INSULTING AND UNAUTHORIZED Public Notice issued by one Kingsley Kanu, alias Kanunta Kanu, a person not even known to Prof Ozekhome. The alleged public notice is a blatant lie from the pit of hell fire as it is NOT TRUE.

12) May the general public and indeed Biafrans, be properly guided that the simple reason for dishing out such condemnable falsehood is to ridicule and embarrass Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team ably led by an erudite, foremost and distinguished Senior Advocate of our time – Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN. They hope to get him angry and leave Onyendu to his fate for them to prey on, a step the learned SAN has vowed not to take inspite of such shenanigans.

13) Kingsley Kanu should be assured that his evil strategies are DEAD ON ARRIVAL. There is nothing whatsoever, that will stop or deter Onyendu’s legal team which is tirelessly working day and night to ensure that Onyendu is released unconditionally. AND HE WILL BE RELEASED, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, to their eternal shame and embarrassment.

14) In conclusion, Onyendu further used the opportunity offered by my visit today to convey his deepest appreciation to Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, for his humane and robust legal defence; and also thank Ezigbo UmuChineke for standing shoulder to shoulder with him, particularly all through this trying time. Onyendu assured Ezigbo UmuChineke once again that it shall surely end in Praises. He urges you all to remain firm, steadfast, and unrelenting in your supplications to God.

Furthermore, Onyendu implores Ezigbo UmuChineke to continue to abide by your peaceful conduct as you have consistently demonstrated.

Thank you all, Ezigbo UmuChineke, and remain blessed.

We move!

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Presidency, Boss Mustapha on War Path over ‘Tinubu Didn’t Make Buhari President’ Comment

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By Eric Elezuo

The battle for supremacy between the camps of President Bola Tinubu and his immediate predecessor, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), took a dramatic turn last week as a former Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), Boss Mustapha, dismissed the popularly held claims that President Bola Tinubu made Muhammadu Buhari president in 2015.

Buhari was in power between 2015 and 2023 when he handed over to President Tinubu, having defeated an incumbent following a coalition of likeminds led by many of the stakeholders in different political parties in the country at the time.

“The merger of the legacy parties merely contributed three million votes to his victory at the 2015 presidential election,” Mr Mustapha said.

Mustapha insisted that Buhari was already famous and had over 12 million votes in his kitty before the 2015 election, stressing that Tinubu did little to support the former president in his eventual emergency as Nigeria’s president.

The former SGF made his claims while delivering a keynote address at the launch of a book titled ‘According to the President: Lessons From A Presidential Spokesman’s Experience,’ written by Garba Shehu, a spokesperson for former President Buhari.

Mr Mustapha disagrees with that notion that President Tinubu was key to Mr Buhari’s ascension to power.

“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough,” he said.

“In the 2003 elections, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari contest where Buhari recorded 2.7 million votes. In the next elections, he got 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, then back to 12.2 million in 2011,” he said.

“Though the CPC had only one state, the ACN had six states, and the ANPP had three states.

“When you sum up the total votes that gave us victory in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million votes. So, what we brought to the table, the other parties that were in the matter, in addition to Buhari’s 12.2 million votes, were 3.2 million votes,” Mr Mustapha said at the book launch.

The former SGF said the involvement of key figures such as President Tinubu and Ali Modu Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State, lent credibility and direction to the merger.

In a swift response however, the Presidency  punctured comments of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the contribution of President Bola Tinubu to the 2015 electoral victory of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the former SGF’s claims as a disservice to recent political history.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Tope Ajayi, issued a rebuttal via his verified X handle, @TheTope_Ajayi, stating that President Tinubu’s influence was pivotal to Buhari’s emergence not just as a presidential candidate but ultimately as president.

Ajayi faulted the assertion, saying it was an unfortunate and revisionist take on one of the most significant political shifts in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.

According to him: “Former SGF Boss Mustapha did a disservice to our recent history with that unnecessary glib at the book launch today.”

He stressed that regardless of the eventual 2015 general election, Buhari would never have stood as the APC’s presidential candidate without the intervention and influence of then-national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu.

He stated: “There is no way he (Buhari) would have won the election to be president without first becoming the presidential candidate of his party APC.

“General Buhari would not have won the APC primary election at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, in 2014 without President Tinubu, who mobilised the APC governors and the South West delegates to move Buhari’s way.”

Ajayi’s insisted that President Tinubu played a central role in uniting the different blocs that formed the APC, and in securing support for Buhari across the South-West — a region previously elusive to the former military ruler.

He further pointed out that despite Buhari’s strong base in the North, which routinely gave him 12 million votes in previous contests, he failed in three presidential elections — in 2003, 2007, and 2011 — until the 2015 coalition galvanised new national appeal.

“Former SGF Boss Mustapha did a disservice to our recent history with that unnecessary glib at the book launch today.

“Every effort and support that made it possible for President Buhari to win should never be diminished.

“Buhari had his 12 million captive Northern votes, yet he lost three presidential elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011.”

Ajayi insisted that Tinubu’s role in achieving that milestone must be recognised for what it truly was — decisive.

“The 2015 election marked a watershed in Nigerian democracy, being the first time an incumbent president was defeated at the polls.

“APC’s victory was largely attributed to the strategic merger of major opposition parties — including Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and factions of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP).”

Debates have sprung up in recent concerning the imput of Tinubu in the emergence of Buhari as Nigeria’s president in 2015 with the pro-Tinubu camp insisting that without Tinubu the possibility of Buhari becoming president was zero. This is considering that Buhari had contested on three consecutive occasions – 2003, 2007 and 2011 – without success.

The debate took a more accusing stand after officials in the Tinubu government began to castigate the erstwhile Buhari government as a ‘failure’, an assertion that has not gone done with the Buhari boys.

With the death of Buhari however, on Sunday, the debates may die a natural death.

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Remarkable Royal Father: Gov Abiodun Mourns Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Adetona at 91

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It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the revered Awujale of Ijebuland. Oba Adetona joined his ancestors today, July 13, 2025 at the age of 91 leaving behind a remarkable legacy that has significantly shaped Ijebuland, Ogun State and Nigeria in general.

It is indeed double sadness that Oba Adetona joined his ancestors the same day that the former President, Muhammadu died in a London, the United Kingdom hospital.

Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona was a remarkable royal father, who ascended the throne in 1960, marking the beginning of a transformative era for Ijebuland. Throughout his reign, he was a beacon of unity, cultural preservation, and progressive development. His dedication to the welfare of his people was evident in his efforts to foster educational advancements, healthcare improvements, and economic growth within the state and Nigeria.

Under his guidance, Ijebuland witnessed remarkable strides in infrastructure and community development, establishing itself as a model of progress in Ogun State. His leadership not only enhanced the cultural heritage of Ijebuland with the Ojude Oba festival attaining international standards but also solidified its reputation as a thriving hub of commerce and tradition.

As we mourn his passing, let us celebrate the extraordinary life of Oba Adetona and honour his contributions to our country. His wisdom, kindness, and unwavering commitment to the betterment of his people will forever be etched in our hearts.

May his soul rest in peace, and may we continue to uphold the values he instilled in us during his illustrious reign.

Governor Dapo Abiodun
Ogun State

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Presidency Condemns Misrepresentation of Shettima’s Comments

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The Presidency has dismissed claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments were directed at the political situation in Rivers State or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s constitutional decisions on the matter.

In a statement on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the Presidency described the reports as a “gross misrepresentation.”

The statement clarified that Vice President Shettima’s remarks at the public presentation of a book by former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), were misconstrued by some online platforms and individuals.

“These reports have distorted the Vice President’s comments in pursuit of a mischievous agenda,” it stated.

“They twisted his account of how the administration of former President Jonathan considered removing him as Borno Governor during the insurgency to falsely link it with current events in Rivers State.”

The Vice President, who spoke at the launch of OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block in Abuja on Thursday, was said to have referenced the past solely to commend Adoke’s professionalism while in office, and to reflect on Nigeria’s constitutional evolution regarding federal and state relations.

“For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara from office. The constitutional measure implemented was a suspension, not an outright removal.

“This action was taken in response to the grave political crisis in Rivers State at the time, with the governor facing a looming impeachment and the State Assembly complex under demolition,” Nkwocha clarified.

The Presidency insisted that the action taken by President Tinubu in declaring a state of emergency and suspending the Governor was fully in line with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which authorises such measures when there is a breakdown of public order requiring extraordinary intervention.

According to the statement, the President’s proclamation invoking Section 305(2) was subsequently ratified by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the National Assembly, confirming the legitimacy and constitutional propriety of the decision.

“The action of President Tinubu in suspending Mr. Fubara and others from exercising the functions of office averted the governor’s outright removal. To conflate suspension with removal is misleading,” the statement further noted.

Nkwocha also stressed that Vice President Shettima’s comments were delivered extemporaneously and intended to underline the importance of public accountability and historical documentation.

He referenced the Vice President’s mention of past public servants, including Adoke and former Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to illustrate principled leadership.

“His remarks were not in any way a criticism of President Tinubu’s actions, which the Vice President and the entire administration fully support and stand by without reservation,” the spokesman stated.

The Vice President, the statement added, remains in “loyal concert” with President Tinubu and is committed to implementing all constitutional measures necessary to safeguard democracy and uphold order across the country.

Concluding, the Presidency called on media organisations and political actors to desist from misrepresenting public remarks for sensational or partisan purposes.

“We urge media organisations and political actors to desist from the destructive practice of wrenching statements from context in order to fabricate nonexistent conflicts,” Nkwocha said.

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