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2023: Ameachi gets 21-day ultimatum to declare for presidency

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***As APC group saves 2bn for sponsorship

Former governor of Rivers state and current Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, has gotten a 21-day ultimatum to officially declare for presidency, else he will be forced to do so.

A pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) on the aiges of Bridge Builders Initiative For Green Nigeria (BBIGN), gave the ultimatum during a solidarity march in support of APC and Ameachi, Wednesday at the APC national secretariat, Abuja.

National President of BBIGN, Emmanuel Orgwu, said any person who will find Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and convince him to declare his interest to run for the 2023 Presidency will be rewarded with Ten Million Naira.

According to Orgwu, Nigerians are becoming impatient over his delay. But whether he is interested or not, Ngerians want him.

“It is based on the qualities which Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has that we, Nigerians are calling on the Ubima born leader and politician to declare his interest to run for the 2023 Presidency to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We Nigerians have saved the sum of Two Billion Naira to give to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his electionary activities once he declares his interest to contest for 2023 Presidency. So, Mr. Minister, money is not going to be a problem or cause any hindrance. Therefore, we are giving you a twenty-one day ultimatum to declare, otherwise, we shall force you to do so. As Nigerians, we have both legal and moral rights to choose our King, and we have chosen Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

“Considering the character and integrity of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Nigerians believe that he is the only one capable of succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari. His capacity, commitment to good governance, welfare of the people, critical thinking on programme and policy implementation, approaches on issues that enhance growth and development and sacrifices for the party, put him at number one position for the highest job in
Nigeria.

“Nigerians also believe that the only person who can
sustain and continue building on the foundations laid by the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.”

While congratulating the new elected National Working Committee (NWC), Orgwu said: “We believe in our great party, APC and her leaders.We appeal to the new leadership to do everything possible to ensure that APC retains power come 2023. As a Pro APC group, we are doing our best. We have recruited over ten million Nigerians into the party, APC, and have registered over six million members with INEC. We must do everything possible as a support group to hold and mobilize more grassroots to ensure APC wins elections come 2023.

“However, we are congratulating the new National Working Committee of our great party, APC as they resume their office today. We also want to specially thank the leader of our great party, President Muhammadu Buhari, who provided leadership when it was badly needed and ensured that the party had a successful convention. Today, because we have the party, we can aspire and express our interests to run in the general elections Come 20023.

“Therefore, we are using this opportunity to request
that our great party, APC should adopt and support the Minister of Transport, RE. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to fly the flag of our party, APC as he is the most qualified amongst all.”

While condemning the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train, the APC group accused opposition leaders of sponsoring the attack.

“It is very bad and wicked for unscrupulous Nigerians to take up dangerous weapons to destroy lives and properties. We are accusing leaders and personalities in opposition parties to be the sponsors of the wicked attack on Nigerians, just because of 2023 elections. Must they kill their fellow Nigerians because of politics and power? God will judge them.”

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Don calls for international appreciation of northern Nigerian Literature

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Professor Abel Joseph,
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By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

Professor of African and Post Colonial Literary Studies, Abel Joseph, has called for International Appreciation of Northern Nigerian Literature for global literary canonisation in view of its contributions to the literary world and historical antecedence.

The Don who is of the Department of English and Literary studies, Federal University Lokoja, disclosed this while delivering the 17th Inaugural lecture series of the university on Thursday in Lokoja.

Speaking on the topic: “Weaving the tapestry of northern Nigeria fictional imaginaries from the provincial to the pluriversal”, the professor described Northern Nigerian literature as a treasure trove of voices and narratives.

He said that in order for the Northern Nigerian literature to find its space within the global literary canon, there must be strategic, deliberate and sustained efforts in terms of collaborations involving authors, publishers, translators, educators, and policymakers.

He advocated for the introduction of Northern Nigerian literature and cultural studies into educational curricula of tertiary institutions if not nationally, at least in the Universities in Northern Nigeria.

“In practical terms, regional literature modules or Courses can be introduced and integrated into existing literature programmes in the Departments of English and Literary Studies.

“Through this, students would be exposed to works from the region to provide a richer perspective of what constitutes the Nigerian literature” Prof. Abel hinted.

He advocated Investments in translation initiatives or projects to make the literature accessible to a wider audience adding that translating works for indigenous languages can break down language barriers and enable global readership.

He also called for organization of literary festivals and events to encourage participation in international literary festivals, book fairs, and events.

“These platforms provide opportunities for authors to present their works and engage with imternational audiences and network with publishers, translators and fellow writers.

Prof. Abel Joseph also called fort the establishment of a Centre for Nigerian Cultural Studies in Federal University Lokoja to midwife a project to canonize Northern Nigerian writers.

He stressed that the FUL could live up to the general and statutory expectations of a “Centre of Learning aware of, and vibrantly responding to emerging ideational values and their nuances for research, Pedagogy, and innovation.

“In this center, scholars can research on significant historical and archaeological aspects of Nigeria’s fast disappearing cultural ethos”, he said.

The Don held that the Center would further secure for the University that capacity for knowledge production and the possible canonisation of Northern Nigerian literary writers.

“Same in much the same instances that, for example, Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Nigeria (Nsukka), Benin, Obafemi Awolowo, have succeeded in canonising Nigerian writers like Achebe, Clark, Soyinka, Okigbo, Okpewho, Osundare, lyayi, Ojaide, and a host of others.

“It would help rein in other gifted but neglected Nigerian Writers from within the immediate valance of central Nigeria and beyond”, he said. (Ends)

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Food Crisis: Obi raises f alarm over terrorists, bandits effect

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The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 General election has expressed apprehension over looming hunger and famine acasioned by tye activities of bandits and terrorists. That have continued to deny farmers access to their farms

Obi who was reacting to publications and the international agency’s warning on the matter, said the alarm should be given adequate attention.

Writing on his X handle the LP standard bearer said “I just read on the daily this morning, about the concerns being expressed by stakeholders in our agriculture sector over the worsening food insecurity in Nigeria.
“I have remained consistent in public voicing out my worries over this growing food crisis, which has even continued to claim the lives of our fellow citizens.
“I do believe that the urgency required to address these issues cannot be over-emphasized.

“The report this morning reads, in part, “The number of food-insecure Nigerians increased significantly, from 66.2 million in Q1 2023 to 100 million in Q1 2024 (WFP, 2024), with 18.6 million facing acute hunger and 43.7 million Nigerians showing crisis-level or above crisis-level hunger- coping strategies as of March 2024.

“While the above report gives an understanding of the present and impending food crisis looming large on the nation, the present realities show that we are already in a worse situation than is presented in the report.

“An earlier similar report by Cadre Harmonise stated that about 31.5 million Nigerians are projected to face acute hunger by the June-August of this year.

“What is now very worrisome is that many Nigerians have lost their lives in their quest to find food, reflecting a very acute level of hunger not yet captured in the media. We are gradually descending to the level of the survival of the fittest, where, driven by hunger and a quest for survival, one loses every sense of order to do the unthinkable.

“With the recurrent bandits and terror attacks on farmers, many of them have abandoned their farms. It is reported that in a state like Sokoto, farmers have paid an accumulated sum of N3 billion in ransom to bandits, others pay as high as N100,000 to bandits to gain access to their farmlands. About 165 farmers have reportedly lost their lives to insecurity this year alone.

“It is, therefore, a matter of urgency, for the government to solve the problems of insecurity in the country. This will in turn reduce the problems of food insecurity when farmers safely return to their farms. A New and hunger-free Nigeria is Possible.

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Slain Soldiers: Tinubu at funeral, announces death benefits, scholarship for children

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President Bola Tinubu has led top government officials, including service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to the funeral rites for the soldiers gruesomely murdered in Delta State at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
At the commencement of the rites, prayers were rendered for the repose of the souls of the slain soldiers.
It would be recalled that 17 personnel, comprising four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered in Delta state during a peace mission
Tinubu at Burial of Slain Soldiers
President Tinubu use the ocasion to confer national honours on the 17 slain members of the Nigerian Army who were killed in Delta State on March 14, 2024.

This was as he announced the provision of housing facilities for the surviving family members and scholarships for all their children to the university level.
He also directed the payment of death benefits to the family members within 90 days.
He announced these during the burial ceremony of the slain servicemen at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
The President, who arrived the venue exactly 4:10pm, was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
State governors on his entourage include: Abba Yusuf (Kano), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Hope Uzodinma (Imo) and their Bayelsa State counterpart, Duoye Diri.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla were present to pay final respects to the fallen heroes.

The Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas led members of the upper and lower chambers to honour the slain military personnel.
The slain military personnel responded to a distress call after a communal land dispute when they were gruesomely murdered.
The beheaded corpses of the slain soldiers were later recovered from a neighbouring river, while the stomachs and hearts of others were ripped off.

The Defence Headquarters later released the list of 17 military personnel killed in the attack.

The Defence Headquarters said 17 personnel including the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain, and 12 personnel of the battalion were killed.
Authorities in Nigeria have continued to condemn their brutal murder
Tinubu had described it as an attack on the nation and gave marching orders to security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the attack. The President also said the slain military personnel will be conferred with national honours.

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