Gov. Mbah’s NYSC Certificate Remains Fake Despite Misleading Reports To The Contrary – Groups Insist
Press Conference By Save Nigeria Movement In Collaboration With Freelance Journalists Federation
In a bid to enforce government’s order on ban to Sit-at-home order, the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority ECDA, on Monday went round the metropolis and sealed off shops that failed to open for business.
The Agency led by the Secretary to the state government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia and other top government functionaries, while monitoring level of complaince in the state, reiterated Governor Peter Mba’s resolved to bring an end to the illegal Sit-at-home order issued by a faction of the Pro Biafra movement, IPOB, headed by Finland based Simon Ekpa.
Daily Gazette recall that Enugu state government had ordered all shops, schools, banks and business centers in the state to open on Monday.
Our correspondent gathered that shops around Ogui Rd, New Haven, Emene and other parts of the metropolis were affected by the govt’s seal.
Enugu state government maintained that any closed shop on monday MUST be sealed off, for disobedience to the BAN on Sit-at-home.
Daily Gazette reports that shop owners could be seen rushing to their various business centers to confirm if their shops were among those sealed off by the state government.
Stay glued to Daily Gazette for more reports…
Nigerian music star, David Adeleke, fondly known as Davido, has deleted the much controversial music video of his signee, Logos Olori, after facing intense backlash online.
On Saturday, Davido came under fire from many Muslims on social media for posting a 45-second trailer clip of his upcoming musical video on Twitter.
The video, which many Muslim commentators described as offensive, showed a group of men dressed for, and ostensibly in, a Muslim prayer session suddenly turned to dancing and singing.
They accused the singer of disrespecting Islam by mixing their religious rites and rituals with song and dance.
They also called on him to delete the video and apologize.
Notable Nigerian celebrities such as Bashir Ahmad and Ali Nuhu were particularly vocal about this.
Ahmad, an ex-aide of the former president Muhammadu Buhari, in a tweet said: “There are many reasons why every Muslim finds this content absolutely disrespectful, hurtful and offensive @davido. I assume you all know that we Muslims don’t mix our religion with jokes in any way, especially Salah (prayer), which is sacred and the second of the five pillars of Islam.
“In Salah, Muslims remember our Lord, Allah, express our love and respect for Him and invoke and strive to express our gratitude towards Him. The notion is that the Salah activity brings the individual face-to-face with God. That is what we believe, and that is our faith. Please respect it. No Muslim will find it as an honor or acceptable.”
Kanywood star, Nuhu, in a post via his verified Instagram account, advised the singer to respect other people’s ‘religion, culture and tradition.”
He wrote, “I just came across the controversial video by @davido, as much we want to be creative in our various fields, we should learn to respect other people’s religion, culture and tradition.
“This is totally unacceptable in Islam. You should pull down that video and apologise for hurting the entire Muslim ummah.”
Also, Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker, advised the singer to delete the video.
In a tweet on Sunday, Sani wrote: “As an artist or entertainer, if your fans feel offended by a piece or portion of your work, especially as it concerns their culture, faith, or religious beliefs, it will be most honourable for you to delete or edit that portion, apologise to them, and move on. I’m here talking about Davido. This is my own opinion.”
While the musician had been relatively silent on the matter and made no formal apology, two days after coming under fire, Davido finally bowed to pressure and deleted the video.
Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says President Bola Tinubu does not have magical solutions to the nation’s problems.
The Senator representing Edo North said this when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’.
According to him, Tinubu and the APC, during campaigns, never promised to fix Nigeria in 24 hours.
“They know they were not electing a magician. And nobody promised a magical solution. Don’t bother giving me an example. I know what we (APC) promised more than you. Whatever is reported, we are the source. We did not promise anyone a 24-hour solution and we did not promise an overnight solution. Can you show me any document where we said in 24 hours, this will be done?”
“I think you are the ones who have the illusion that once a promise is made, automatically once he (Tinubu) gets into office, either spiritually or by miracles, solutions will emerge. What Nigerians need is what the president has demonstrated – the courage to take the decision, humility to admit some of the unintended consequences of those decisions, and, of course, the will to deal with those consequences,” he said.
Continuing, the former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) stated that addressing the current fuel price hike, rising unemployment and other challenges are not things that can happen in a day.
Condemnation has continued to trail the recent petrol price increase from N540 to N617 per litre.
Oshiomhole cautioned against making intemperate attacks on the Tinubu-led administration in response to the fuel price hike.
According to him, Tinubu deserves commendation for the manner he has hit the ground running since assuming office.
He said: “To be fair, the fact that the doctor is committed to treating the patient and claims to know the nature of the disease afflicting the patient doesn’t mean that as soon as you wheel the patient to the theatre, a solution emerges.
“I think President Bola Tinubu has shown commitment. He withdrew the subsidy and admitted that one of the things we have to do is to adjust wages in the formal sector. The other one is to appropriate some funds to be given to vulnerable people.”
The House of Representatives, on Sunday, flayed reports that the leadership is under external influence or pressure over appointment of chairmanship and deputy chairmanship of its standing committees.
The lawmakers in a statement signed by the Deputy Chairman, Special Ad-hoc Committee on Media, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State, said the reports and rumours are false, as the Selection Committee set up by Speaker Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D will do a fair, just and competent work without any external influence.
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He assured that the 10th House led by Rt. Hon. Abbas Abbas is carrying the interest of the 360 members in the selection of lawmakers that will head the various committees.
Ugochinyere said, “I assure you, the reports going around social media that the leadership is under external influence or pressure over appointment of chairmanship, deputy chairmanship of its standing committees are false. It’s not true at all.
“Mr Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen had last month constituted a Selection Committee to recommend members for appointment as members of House Standing Committees. The Selection Committee, which is headed by him, has one member each from the 36 States. The committee members are competent and they are doing their job with fairness and justice in mind.
“10th House led by Hon. Tajudeen Abbas is carrying the interest of 360 members, in the selection of lawmakers that will head the various committees or be Members. So I appeal to the masses to disregard any report of external influence or pressure, and allow the committee members do their job.”
Senior Pastor of the Help from Above Healing and Deliverance Ministry Worldwide in Abuja, Pastor Godwin Ube attributed unforgiveness and bitterness as underlying factors affecting the destinies of a lot of Christians.
Pastor Ube stated this at a thanksgiving service to mark the end of a three-day international conference with the theme “Gate of My Destiny Open Now” in Abuja.
Speaking on the topic, “the Dangers of Unforgiveness” from the bible book of Mark chapter 11 verse 25, Ube stressed that the devil makes people harbour bitterness in their hearts in order to truncate their destinies.
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“One of the weapons of the devil today is unforgiveness to hinder the breakthroughs of many Christians, unforgiveness is dangerous and bitterness is deadly” Pastor Ube added.
According to him, the scripture makes it clear that one of the attributes of God is his loving ability to forgive.
The Senior Pastor explained that it was because of God’s willingness to forgive the sins of humanity that he sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of men.
He further emphasized that unforgiveness attracts torments that can lead to self-inflicted pains and illnesses as well as close to heaven.
“Unforgiveness invite troubles in life, it is the root of bitterness and it leads people to eternal domination”
Pastor Ube added that bitterness grows to outright hatred that deprived people of being focused and urged Christians nursing unforgiveness to have a clean heart in order to be accepted by God.
“Bitterness can also cause mental condition, if you have grudges against anyone try and reconcile with the person because the name of a church cannot save you but personal relationship with God can” he added.
Pastor Ube therefore appealed to Christians to always have a open heart to forgiveness to be able to approach God stressing that an unforgiving heart is unfit to meet God in a place of prayer.
According to him one who hates his brother is a murderer and no murderer has eternal life.
” I counsel you to make up your minds never to live in unforgiveness, remember forgiveness can destroy sickness while unforgiveness can attract afflictions.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima will depart Abuja, on Sunday, to represent President Bola Tinubu at two major international Summits in Rome, Italy and St Petersburg, Russia.
At the Rome event, Vice President Shettima will join other global leaders for the first Stocktaking Moment (STM) Summit themed “Transforming Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity,” holding from Monday, 24th to Wednesday, 26th July.
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During the Summit, the Vice President will chair a high-level session themed “Innovative Financing for Food System Transformation: the Case of Nigeria” and the side event on ”Scaling up Multi Stakeholders Collaboration and Investment in the Implementation of Food Systems Transformation Pathways in Nigeria,”
The event is being organized in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and World Food Programme (WFP), as well as the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and wider UN system.
Shettima will then proceed from Rome to St. Petersburg in Russia to represent the President at the Russia-Africa Summit scheduled from Wednesday, 26th to Saturday, 29th July.
While in Russia, the Vice President will join other political and business leaders at the 2nd Russia–Africa Summit and Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum focused on strategizing to enhance relations between Russia and the African continent, among other benefits.
Former Big Brother Naija housemates, Pere Egbi, best known as Pere; Uriel Oputa and Chukwuemeka Okoye, aka Frodd and Somadina Anyama (Soma) are among the housemates introduced in the pngoing All-Star edition of the reality TV show.
Earlier Ebuka Obi Uchendu, host of the Big Brother Naija show, introduced Cynthia Nwadiora, popularly known as Cee-C; Doyinsola Anuoluwapo David, popularly known as Doyin, and Terseer Waya, aka Kiddwaya.
The show which is in its 8th edition comes with a twist that is set to keep lovers of the show glued to their seat as their favourite housemates from past seasons for the first time ever return for another round of thrills and spills in the house.
From engaging tasks, unpredictable twists and turns, fan-favourite ‘Ninjas to the famous pool and grill party and the Saturday Night Raves, fans are set to witness overwhelming entertainment for 72 days non-stop.
The show will continue to air for ten weeks on the 24-hour Big Brother dedicated channels, DStv ch. 198 and GOtv ch. 49.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has blamed the Federal Government for the deplorable state of the Benin-Sapele Road where his convoy was recently trapped.
A social media user had recorded a video of the convoy struggling to pass through the flooded road.
After the video went viral, Obaseki was heavily criticised over what many described as the failure of government to address infrastructural deficit.
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But addressing journalists after the monthly Security Council meeting held in Government House, Benin City, the state capital, the governor said much as Edo State is a transportation hub, it is concerning that the major Federal Road network in the state, which connects several parts of the Country were in bad condition.
He noted that his administration had done everything in its power to appeal to the Federal Government to look into the repairs of the wide span of damaged Federal Roads in Edo.
Obaseki added that his administration had drawn the attention of the Federal Government to the failed portions of Benin-Auchi Roads, Benin-Sapele Road and the Benin-Lagos Road, particularly the Ovia River Bridge but nothing has been done yet.
According to him, “Look at the incident that happened in Ovia River Bridge three weeks ago, in which we lost several lives following multiple accidents. Nothing has been done till now. This shows they don’t care about us in the State.
“The issue on the Benin-Lagos Road, particularly the Ovia River Crossing is becoming catastrophic. We have lost a lot of lives and done everything to get the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Works to work with us and put in place a palliative measure to stop the carnage on that road.
“I was on Sapele Road recently. After the heavy downpour, the road was impassable. What is going on in Benin-Sapele road is scandalous. I don’t think that any region where the oil resources that sustain the Country come from should be this neglected. We have done everything possible. We don’t know what to do again to draw the attention of the federal government to these roads.
“The Auchi-Ibillo Road was so bad that some of our contractors couldn’t go to their quarry site. We appealed to the Federal Government to do palliative work on that road but they refused, saying the road is under contract. If I want to do the same to Benin-Sapele Road, I am not allowed to do so. They claim the road has been given out to a contractor.
“Last year, the Benin-Auchi Road was locked for about two weeks as food, animals, petroleum products could not reach their destination. We don’t want such situations this year so they should help us. We are not here to criticize them but to appeal for help.”
The governor noted that the federal government’s policy relating to these roads is very confusing, noting that in the past, states could rehabilitate Federal roads and give the Federal Government the bills, but that is no longer obtainable.
“At a point they said we can apply and take over the repair of federal roads but I am yet to see a state they have given Federal roads to fix,” he noted.
Isa Yahaya Mohammed, a man who claimed to be an official of the Department of State Services (DSS) while testifying at the Enugu State Governorship Election Tribunal on Tuesday, is not a serving officer of the secret police, SaharaReporters investigation has revealed.
Yahaya, who claimed while giving testimony at the tribunal, that he was a serving deputy director in charge of operations at the DSS, later contradicted himself in his written deposition where he wrote that he was Deputy Director (Strategy).
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Yahaya said the failure of NYSC to maintain a proper record-keeping system was the cause of its inability to trace Mbah’s initial certificate.
Giving evidence, Yahaya, who also identified himself as DSS Deputy Director, Operations and Strategic Department, said the security agency commenced an investigation into the discharge certificate controversy following a petition to it by Mbah dated February 8, 2023.
According to him, there was an exchange of correspondence between Mbah and NYSC at every stage of their interaction.
But contrary to his statement, a source in the secret police told SaharaReporters that Yahaya retired as an Assistant Director of the DSS some years ago, suggesting that the secret service never at any time gave him the mandate to be in Enugu to give evidence on behalf of any of the contenders at the tribunal.
“Yahaya who testified at Enugu governorship tribunal is no longer with the DSS; he left the DSS some years ago. But some people are desperate to help Governor Mbah with his case and this involves some people at the top.
“So Yahaya who does dirty jobs for the DSS was recruited to testify in favour of Mbah,” the source said.
The DSS source revealed that contrary to the posturing of Yahaya at the tribunal, the DSS rarely responds to subpoenas, as its mandate does not include such investigations that would require it to be summoned to open court sessions.
The source said because of the nature of the mandate of the secret police, that there was no way the DSS would be involved in such an issue because, except otherwise stated, the duties of the service are secret and their findings are mostly classified.
“It is not possible for the DSS to be subpoenaed on such matters. Even when we are called to investigate issues such as certificate forgery by public officials, it is done discreetly and the findings are classified and shared only with relevant authorities.
“It is unheard of to find the service rendering before the courts or any member of the public, facts and materials from our investigations. It is not part of what we do here,” the source stated.
The source continued, “It will be unheard of for the DSS to put itself in a position where it is seen to be contradicting a federal government agency.
“You must know that the service must be aware of the position of the NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) on the matter. NYSC has made it clear that the man you are talking about (Peter Mbah) did not obtain his discharge certificate from them.
“How can the DSS, a federal government agency, be contradicting another important federal government agency? It cannot happen. Our job here is to protect the integrity of the Nigerian Government and its institutions and not to run them down.”
Another DSS source said there is no position like Deputy Director, Operations or Deputy Director, Strategy at the DSS headquarters.
He added that Yahaya could never have come from the DSS office.
“We do not have such positions as you mentioned in our office. I don’t know where that person came from, but it is certainly not from our office,” he said.
The source said, “In this document tendered by the so-called witness from the SSS or DSS, he described himself as the Deputy Director, Strategy. I wish to inform you that the position of deputy director does not exist in the service. What you hear is Assistant Director and then Director.”
When contacted for clarification regarding Yahaya’s case, the spokesman for the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, simply said, “We are investigating.”
Meanwhile, a legal practitioner, Joseph Maduabuchi Iloh also said the DSS is not, by its mandate, supposed to involve itself in investigations such as forgeries.
Iloh, who spoke about the controversy surrounding the appearance of the purported DSS officer at the Enugu Tribunal, said it was the duty of the Nigerian police and not the DSS to conduct investigations relating to forgeries and other crimes considered as not threatening to the internal security of the country.
Citing previous cases that have been handled by Nigerian courts, Iloh referred to a matter that had been handled by the Court of Appeal, which was published in the Nigerian Law Report.
He said, “In Tawakalitu v. FRN (2011) All FWLR (Pt. 561) 1413 at 1489 to 1490, par E-F, it is clear that the powers conferred on the police are wider than those of the State Security Service which are confined to detection of crimes against the internal security of Nigeria; preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning the internal responsibilities affecting internal security of the Nigerian State as the National Assembly or President may deem necessary to assign to the service.
“With the greatest respect, examination malpractices and/or certificate forgery is not one of those crimes relating to or contemplated by the National Security Act on the internal security of Nigeria to confer the State Security Service with the powers to arrest, detain, investigate, and arraign the accused persons in that respect.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Enugu State amid protests and allegations of overvoting.
According to the INEC declaration, Mbah polled a total of 160,895 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party, who secured 157,552 votes.
But before the result was announced, the media had been awash with allegations that Mbah forged his NYSC discharge certificate.
Although he denied it, the Director General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Yushau Dogara, in addition to a letter repudiating the discharge certificate submitted by Mbah to INEC, also went on national television to disclaim the purported certificate.
The discharge certificate became even more controversial when Edeoga and the Labour Party made it their major item of prayer in their petition at the tribunal, where they seek to have the governor disqualified for alleged forgery and perjury. (Sahara Reporters)
