13112019 - Protesters storm DSS Hq, want Sowore, Bakare freed

12 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019
EMMANUEL VS EKERE:
Appeal Court rules today
By Chioma Onuegbu
UYO—THE Court of
Appeal in Calabar,
Cross River State will today
deliver its judgment on the
case between Governor Udom
Emmanuel of the People’s
Democratic Party, PDP, and
Obong Nsima Ekere of the All
Progressives Congress, APC.
Ekere is seeking a fresh
governorship election in the state,
I remain committed, bonafide member
of PDP — BAYELSA SPEAKER
By Samuel Oyadongha
YENAGOA—SPEAKER of
Bayelsa State House of
Assembly, Mr Monday Obolo-
Bubou has described as
unfounded, his purported
defection to the All Progressives
Congress, APC.
Obolo-Bubou spoke, yesterday,
in Yenagoa while reacting to a
report that he has had defected
to the All Progressives Congress,
APC, from the PDP.
He also denied the reported
defection of Chairman of the
Southern Ijaw Local Government
Area, Nigeria Kia.
The Speaker who said he
remains a bona fide member of
PDP, urged supporters of the
party, particularly in Southern
Ijaw to discountenance what
he described as, fake news, as
the APC does not stand any
chance of winning Saturday’s
guber election.
By Alemma Aliu
BENIN
CITY—THE
political crisis in Edo State
All Progressives Congress, APC,
seems to be having its toll on the
main opposition Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, as the
party, yesterday, said, it was
‘excluding’ its governorship
candidate in the 2016
governorship election, Pastor
Osagie Ize-Iyamu from its
activities in the state over his
silence on his rumoured defection
from the PDP to the APC.
State Publicity Secretary of PDP,
Chris Nehikhare in a statement
said Ize-Iyamu was being
excused from the party
because he had failed to react
to the rumours that he was
as he had contended in his
petition that there was noncompliance
with the provisions of
the Electoral Act, 2015 in the
conduct of the election in the state
by the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC.
It will be recalled that the three
man governorship election
tribunal chaired by Justice A.
Yakubu had on September 19,
2019 dismissed Ekere’s petition
for lack of merit.
“There was never any time that
I imagined or contemplated the
idea let alone defect to the APC.
This is desperation taken too far.
I woke up this morning
(yesterday) to receive several
calls on my phone that news
making rounds that the Speaker
of the Bayelsa State House of
Assembly and Chairman of the
Southern Ijaw council have
defected to the APC. That is the
height of desperation from the
opposition APC,” he said.
Obolo-Bubou expressed
confidence that Southern Ijaw
would demonstrate its
overwhelming support for the
PDP by casting its votes en-bloc
for the Senators Diri/Lawrence
governorship ticket of the party.
“I want you to know that I,
Obolo- Bubou and Nigeria Kia
are members of the PDP and will
remain resolute, committed,
authentic and bonafide members
of the PDP,” said.
Edo PDP ‘excludes' Ize-Iyamu from
its activities
PSC reads riot act to personnel, sends 45 monitors
By Kingsley Omonobi
THE Police Service
Commission will to deploy
staff monitors to Bayelsa and Kogi
states to monitor the conduct of
Policemen on electoral duties
during the November 16
governorship poll in the two
states.
No fewer than 45 staff monitors,
20 for Bayelsa and 25 for Kogi will
be in the two states to benchmark
the conduct of officers with
approved rules of engagement for
Police Officers on electoral duties
and other relevant laws guiding
such exercise.
A statement by spokesman of
the commission, Ikechukwu Ani,
said: “Cases of Police misconduct
arising from the monitoring
vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews
leaving the party
He said “The party leadership
has patiently waited to hear or
read his reaction to confirm or
deny the stories, but to no avail.
“We boast of being a party of
men and women of integrity and
high moral standing. It is a brand
we have earned and wish to
maintain.
“As a result of the “uneasy
quiet” from our dear pastor and
the impression our silence will
send to our teeming supporters
and followers, Edo PDP is left with
no option but to announce the
exclusion of Pastor Ize-Iyamu
from all PDP related activities with
immediate effect, until he
acknowledges, accepts and
addresses the issue of his
decamping to APC. This
decision has been taken
without prejudice.”
exercise will be investigated by the
Commission and any police officer
found guilty will be punished
accordingly.
“The officers are advised to
ensure that they operate within the
law and should be professional in
their conduct while remaining
neutral and apolitical.
“The Commission Staff Monitors
will be in the eight local
government areas of Bayelsa State
and the 21 councils of Kogi State.
The team will be expected to arrive
the two states November 13, 2019
(today) to monitor deployment of
men and materials, conduct of the
officers before, during and after the
election.
“The Bayelsa State team will be
led by Mr Austin Braimoh,
Commissioner in the commission
ALAGHODARO 2019: My reforms,
people-oriented policies'll earn me
a second term — OBASEKI
By Gabriel Enogholase
BGodwin ENIN—GOVERNOR
Obaseki of Edo
State has said the far-reaching
reforms and people-oriented
policies that have changed the
fortunes of the state and restored
hope to the people, were among
the many reasons that will earn
him a second term in office.
He stated this, yesterday, in
Benin City, while speaking at the
Alaghodaro 2019 Summit to
celebrate his third year in office.
He said, “Despite the very
difficult and uncertain political
environment in which we have
operated in the last one year, we
are grateful to God that we are
able to achieve all these
successes, particularly
engendering hope in the youths
and people of Edo State by
showing them pathways to
fulfilling and successful lives.
“Next year is an election year
By Levinus
Nwabughiogu
A FOLLOWING
B U J A —
incessant attacks that affected
representing the South-South
geo-political Zone and the Media,
while the Kogi State team will be
led by Rommy Mom, also a
Commissioner in the Commission
representing the North Central
geo-political zone and human
rights organisations.
“Already dedicated telephone
lines have been provided for
Nigerians to call and report cases
of police misconduct or exemplary
conduct during the elections.
“The lines are: Bayelsa Central
- 08033326666; Bayelsa East -
08037002162; Bayelsa West -
08062583132; Situation Room -
08088155981; Kogi Central –
08090976725; Kogi East -
08061509877; Kogi West -
08054970152, Situation Room –
09022202111.”
in Edo State. Despite the anxieties
associated with the forthcoming
election, I want to assure you, our
partners and other would-be
investors that because of the
foundational and fundamental
reforms, which we have
undertaken that are very popular
with our people, the chances of
continuity of these policies and
programmes are very high. We
therefore, encourage you to
continue with your various
investment programmes.
“In the last three years, we have
been guided and governed by
certain key values and tenets such
as accountability, transparency,
and probity in the conduct of state
matters. This may not have gone
well with few actors in our society.
Today, we can boldly tell you that
when we came to office, the total
revenues by all local governments
in the state was N31million
monthly, but as at October 2019,
we had at a monthly revenue of
N205 million. We are not there yet
NEWS HOTLINES
018773962,
08052867058
MEETING:
Senator Ben
Obi (left) and
Mr. Peter Obi
after their brief
meeting at
Awka.
because there is still room for
improvements. We will continue
to grow.
“After three years in office, we
have established credibility, not
only with our civil servants,
retirees, and contractors, but we
have continued to promote
reliability in the flow of services
and commercial transactions. This
is the basic minimum expectation
that we have set for ourselves so
that we can build on the
fundamental reforms, which we
embarked upon to transform Edo
into a predominantly private
sector driven economy, capable of
creating jobs, improving the
quality of lives and reducing
insecurity.”
Earlier, Chairman, Alaghodaro:
Edo Summit, Mr Asue Ighodalo,
said that the event was
organised for communicating
and reviewing the progress
recorded by the Governor
Obaseki-led administration
in Edo State.
BOKO HARAM ATTACKS: Reps ask army
to relocate barracks from UNIMAID
civilian populace, the House of
Representatives, yesterday asked
the Nigerian army to relocate
Giwa barracks to outskirts of
Galtimari, Borno State.
The House also expressed worry
that the barracks was also close to
University of Maiduguri.
Members took the decision on
the heels of motion by Satomi
Ahmed from Borno State at
yesterday plenary.
Ahmed told the House that the
barracks was surrounded by
civilian population who had fallen
victims of Boko Haram attacks in
the recent times.
He said: “The House notes that
Giwa barracks, located in
Galtimari Area of Jere Local
Government Area of Borno State,
was originally built as a military
school for signals and
communications but later
converted in 1979 to serve as the
office of the Brigade Commander
of the 21 Armoured Brigade;
“Also, note that the barracks has
been attacked several times by
Boko Haram insurgents as
detainees in the barracks are
mostly confirmed or suspected
members of Boko Haram and
their families.
“Recall that the first attack on
the barracks by the insurgents
was on March 14, 2014 in a bid
to free some of their members,
and in the process, hundreds of
people were killed within and
around the barracks which
included inhabitants of
surrounding areas;
“Also recalls that in 2015 the
barracks was also attacked three
times, in January, February and
May respectively and suicide
bombers had attempted to bomb
the barracks on several occasions,
the incidents that forced residents
near the barracks to relocate.
“Aware that the population of
Galtimari ward has over the time,
expanded and therefore the
barracks is now surrounded by
civilian settlements, which
incidentally makes it prone to
more attacks.
“Concerned that the security
challenges in the area make the
military and its formation the first
target of Boko Haram insurgents
thus endangering the lives of
civilians around the barracks.”