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The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has called for immediate arrest, prosecution, and disqualification of the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar of alleged corruption and breaching of the code of conduct by operating Special Purpose Vehicle while serving in the office as Vice President of Nigeria.

A former aide of Atiku, Micheal Achimugu has revealed that Atiku siphoned several billions of naira while in office as the number two person under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to the Director of Strategic Communications of the APC presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, during a joint press conference of three directorates of APC PCC, the allegations against Atiku are too weighty to be ignored by Nigerians.

Keyamo said the documentary and audio evidence released by the whistleblower are damning and are a breach of the code of conduct and declaration of assets by public officials.

In a video recording played during the conference, Atiku could be heard speaking on corrupt deals he did while in office as VP by using some companies and several individuals as conduit pipes.

Keyamo alleged that the presidential candidate of the PDP of guilty of abuse of power, money laundering, breach of trust, and conspiracy among others.

“The issues of the marine port account are not new to Nigeria the voice note of Atiku Abubakar can be held in the issues of that account was probably investigated by the EFCC yet he was smart enough to escape.

However, we know that in 2006 and the heart of the public quarrel between Obasanjo and Atiku was about sharing of money the same PDP officially ask Atiku to return 10bn naira that they took from that account.

“Atiku ran a criminal enterprise to enrich himself at the expense of ordinary Nigerians who were in penury,” Keyamo said.

“He has committed offenses against the code of conduct of public offices. Check sections 5,10, and 13 and the code of conduct rule and tribunal act which state as follows;

Article 5 says “the public officer shall not put himself in the position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.10 say a public officer shall not act falsely and 13 says a public officer shall not do or direct to be done in abuse of his office, any act perujdiction to the right of any other person knowing that such act is unlawful or contrary to any government policy.

“Section 17 a public officer who does any act prohibited by this act through a nominee, trustee or other agent shall deem deep so factor to have committed a bridge of this act

“Section 13 of the money laundering asAny person in and outside who directly or indirectly conceals or disguises the origin, or convert or transfer remove of transitions or acquires, retain or control of any properties intentionally, willingly.”

Keyamo said he has on his own written to the security agents to immediately arrest Atiku Abubakar and made to face the law. He added that he will also be approaching the court to determine whether Atiku has a case to answer and why he should be disqualified.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed 42 new cases of COVID-19 in the country in two weeks.

The cases were recorded in Lagos, Edo, Kano, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau states, and the Federal Capital Territory.

The 42 new cases brought the nation’s confirmed COVID-19 infections to 266,492, according to the NCDC.

The cases were recorded from December 31, 2022, to January 13, 2023.

The agency told our correspondent that “From December 31, 2022, to January 6, 2023, 13 new confirmed cases were recorded in Nigeria.

“The 13 new cases are reported from two states – Lagos (12) and Edo (one).”

The NCDC also said from January 7 to January 13, 2023, 29 new confirmed cases were recorded in the country.

 Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, has said that the G5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will soon foreclose the possibility of reconciliation.

Since the presidential primary of the PDP, there has been a crisis in the party over calls for Iyorchia Ayu to step down as National Chairman of the party.

The calls, championed by Wike and his allies, are based on the grounds that the PDP presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region.

In an interview with the BBC on Friday, the Rivers governor said there will be no coming back once the G5 governors take a decision on their choice of a presidential candidate.

“The point I am trying to tell you is that PDP should have their opportunity because there will come a time the door will be shut and nothing will happen. If that day comes, if heaven wants to come down, let it come down.

“Nobody should threaten anyone. If we (G5) take the decision today that we will not support the PDP candidate, we will give reasons why we will not support him and nothing anybody will do about it. They should better be careful,” he said.

In December 2022, Wike said he will start campaigning for his preferred presidential candidate in January, but when asked about it during the interview, he said strategies are being put in place.

“Why are you in a hurry? I didn’t mention the particular date in January. People should calm down. We are all politicians; we have political strategies. I don’t work as an individual. That’s what people don’t understand,” he said.

“There are different strategies in going to war. What you see today is not what you see tomorrow. I laugh at them (PDP) when they say we are in touch with so, so governor.”

Wike also reiterated his stance that the G5 governors won’t leave the PDP to any other party.

“We are not like them. We can’t leave our house for armed robbers, we won’t do that. This is a house we built. We cannot leave it, for who? No way,” he said. 

“We will stay inside this house and fight. And we know that they have no choice but to allow peace to reign. They must bring the peace.”

Felisberto Sampaio, a pastor from Brazil, and his wife Inalda died while attempting to save their 13-year-old son, Ian, from drowning.

The outing with the family at Camaçari Beach in João Pessoa, Paraba, took a negative turn when they saw their son struggling in the sea.

The couple had jumped into the water in an effort to save the teenager, according to a Monday story from Daily Mail UK.

Sadly, the parents were unable to save their son from the water.

However, a family member and some neighborhood fishermen came to Ian’s aid. They then went back for the boy’s parents and helped them into their boat.

Paramedics performed CPR on Filiberto, 43, and his wife, 42, before they were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

According to the report, the incident occurred on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

In memory of the 16 party members who lost their lives in a car accident in Plateau State on Saturday, the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday ordered that party flags at the national secretariat in Abuja fly at half-mast.

The party claimed that the PDP family was devastated by the fatal car accident in a statement released in Abuja by its national publicity secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba.

The statement, “Our hearts bleed. Our party deeply grieves at the loss of these patriotic Nigerians who paid the supreme price while gallantly devoting their lives in the quest with other compatriots to rescue our nation.

“The PDP mourns these courageous patriots who lost their lives in the pursuit of a better country with a purposeful leadership that cares for the wellbeing of all citizens, adding that they shall never be forgotten.”

Ologunagba stated that the PDP had ordered that its flags at the national secretariat in Abuja be flown at half-mast in honor of those gallant countrymen. He also urged Nigerians to continue their prayers for the country at this critical juncture.

Ologunagba commiserated with the families of the victims of the accident, he prayed to God to grant them the grace to bear the loss and to heal the injured and grant them speedy recovery.

The trial of police officer, ASP Drambi Vandi, accused of killing Lagos lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, started at the Lagos State High Court January 16, with the first prosecution witness.

It was reported that Inspector Matthew Ameh testified in court that police conducting a stop and search flagged down the deceased lawyer’s family vehicle because it lacked a license plate number.

Ameh testified in court under the direction of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Attorney General of Lagos, Moyosore Onigbanjo, that when the vehicle was stopped, Vandi, the patrol team’s commander, was behind while he was in the middle, and another teammate was in front.

According to the witness, his colleague who was in front was the first person to flag the car down but the car did not stop. 

““I also flagged down the car, the car did not stop for me. The car is a Toyota vehicle and it had no plate number. I saw people in the car. I don’t know how many people were in the car because it did not stop.”Ameh told the court

If the vehicle lacked a number plate or if he simply failed to notice one, the Attorney General pressed him for clarification. “It had no number plate.”

“After that the next thing I heard was a gunshot. I looked back to see what was happening, I saw a car in which the windscreen was falling down. 

“The next thing, I saw is that one dark woman jumped down from the vehicle, she held SUPOL Vandi and she said ‘Oga you have killed my sister’.

“The next thing, they entered the car and they all zoomed off.” he added.

The witness further stated that, in contrast to Vandi and the other officer, he was unarmed.

Ameh testified in court that he and his colleague returned to the office after the car sped away with Inspector Vandi, without knowing where he was.

“Later the DPO brought back inspector Vandi with the patrol before taking them to Panti. The incident occurred around 1pm on the faithful day.” he said Under cross-examination by counsel.

Adetokunbo Odutola, the witness repeated that he did not know the number of people riding in the car because the car didn’t stop for a search. 

Additionally, he repeated his prior statement that the deceased family’s car was unregistered. The witness further stated that the family did not pose a threat to the police patrol unit.

After giving his testimony, the witness was released, and the court continued the case on January 25 and 26.

The court also mandated that the case be heard more quickly.

Vandi was charged on a single count of murder charges prior to the hearing.

The charge reads;“that you ASP Drambi Vandi on the 25th day of December 2022, at Ajah Road long the Lekki Expressway, Lagos unlawfully killed one Omobolanle Raheem by shooting the deceased in the chest contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.” 

The defendant, however entered a not guilty plea after hearing the charge.

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party, stated on Monday that removing Godwin Emefiele as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will not solve the amount of fiscal rascality driving inflation and other economic problems.

He revealed this when delivering a speech at the Chatham House in London.

He claimed that even if Emefiele is fired, Nigeria’s problem with its currency will persist.

Peter Obi has supported Emefiele despite the economy’s obvious problems, which include high interest rates, an unstable foreign currency system, and growing inflation.

He said, “People are talking about the Central Bank Governor, first let me assure you that the CBN governor will maintain his independence, he will be respected.

“Again, it is not the problem of the person there. CBN has a role in monetary policy. Then, you have the fiscal ecosystem. It’s like you go to a football match and the person who is supposed to be playing a particular wing is no longer there.

“Replacing Godwin Emefiele and putting somebody else there, with that level of fiscal rascality, which is what is fuelling our inflation and our rate of exchange today… these are some of the things we need to cut”.

Emefiele reportedly returned to work after taking an annual break, according to a statement from the director of corporate communications for the top bank, Osita Nwanisobi.

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, the Nigerian Secret Service, DSS, refuted a claim that Emefiele’s office had been invaded upon his return on Monday.

Donald Duke a former governor of Cross River , lamented about the current situation of the once-famous Obudu Cattle Ranch on Monday in Obanliku, close to Calabar.

Duke, on the other hand, emphasized that the moment for restoration was drawing near and urged the townspeople not to give up.

The former governor said this while addressing traditional rulers in the locality, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), governorship campaign team belted in the area.

He stated that the state’s citizens needed a public-spirited individual to restore their optimism and added that Sen. Sandy Onor, a PDP candidate for governor, was such an individual and had everything necessary to revive the lost hope.

He said, “to hold a public office, you must be a public spirited person. Sandy is a public spirited person and that is what we need at this stage in our dear state.

“So much have been lost in the last couple of years. He knows the politics of the state. He is not a stranger, we have seen the result of a stranger.

“We need someone who can give us hope that today will be better than yesterday. Sandy is here to restore hope of the people.”

 Onor pledged in his speech that his administration will administer the state using a Bottom-Up strategy.

The governorship candidate urged them to restore PDP to its previous position of authority in the state and observed that the group had the knowledge and resources to undo the wrongs committed by the current government.

“We won’t determine what you want but will seat and listen to your problems, see how we will tackle them within the available resources of the state.

“My experience as a former council chairman, former commissioner and now a legislator, has prepared me enough for the mantle of leadership of Cross River.

As part of events to honor the school’s 100th anniversary celebrations, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president, led present and former students of Baptist Boys High School (BBHS), Abeokuta, on an 18-kilometer walk across the city on Monday.

Obasanjo entertained townspeople, drivers, and passersby on the walk as he was accompanied by the leadership of the old boys organization, led by the National President, Prof. Kayode Oyesiku.

According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, hundreds of locals and admirers applauded Obasanjo for having the strength, vigor, and stamina to participate in the walk despite his advanced age.

The Olubara of Ibara, Oba Jacob Omolade, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, and the former Finance Minister, Onolapo Soleye, were among those who hosted Obasanjo and his party. Some long-lost school friends joined them as they went to the palace of Alake.

They strolled through Oke Egunya, Igbore, Oke Igbein, and finally arrived at Omida, the palace of Oba Omolade, while singing various songs as they went.

The walkers then made their way to Soleye’s home in the Ibara Housing Estate. The group then walked once more to Ake, the palace of Oba Gbadebo.

After leaving Alake, the octogenarian quickly got back on the road and headed towards Saje. They passed through Isale Ake, Adatan, and Kugba Road before reaching the school’s grounds by way of the newly rehabilitated Saje Road.

Oyesiku revealed that the walk totaled 18 kilometers, and he praised the school’s former students for their enthusiasm in organizing the centennial anniversary event.

Dino Melaye, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) spokesperson and director of public affairs, stated that the party’s presidential nominee, Atiku Abubakar, is not frightened of being investigated in light of allegations of alleged money laundering.

Melaye made this statement on Monday during an appearance with Politics Today on Channels Television.

Melaye claims that despite repeatedly submitting himself for investigation, Atiku is still the subject of the most investigations in Nigeria.

His words were, “Atiku Abubakar is a democrat, he’s a Nigerian. He has always been available for investigation. He has been investigated time and time again and come out very clean with clean status. 

“So, you do not need the permission of Atiku to investigate him. We are not afraid of an investigation, because he’s the most investigated Nigerian and if you investigate him again he will come out clean,” he added.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, according to the PDP spokesperson, is the one who is anticipated to be subject to an investigation and criminal prosecution.

“He is the one that has been indicted already in a certified court indictment. He is the man that has faced the Code of Conduct before,” he said.