The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

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  • Air Peace To Land At Ebonyi International Airport Thursday

    Air Peace To Land At Ebonyi International Airport Thursday

    Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi has confirmed that an 80-capacity Air Peace flight conveying federal government delegation to the state is expected to land at the Ebonyi State International Cargo Airport on Thursday.

    Governor Umahi said that the flight is expected to depart the Abuja Airport at 11am while the flight is expected to land in the state as part of the test flight of the completed International Airport.

    Speaking to journalists shortly after the meetings held by the state executive council in Abakaliki, the governor said that the delegation will be in the state to participate in the commissioning of the numerous projects executed by the present administration.

    Umahi stated that apart from the federal government delegation, others that will join the flight to the Ebonyi Airport will include Ebonyi Indigenes also arriving the state for the epoch -making event.

    He said another 80 capacity Air Peace flight will also land at the airport from the Lagos adding that the test flight will be carried out having completed all the works at the international airport.

    Umahi announced that the delegation will also participate in the commissioning of projects in the state adding that parts of the projects to be commissioned includes, the Ebonyi International Cargo Airport, the Inyere Bridge in Edda, Afikpo South local government area, King David Umahi University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Akanu Ibiam flyover and Bishop Micheal Nnachi Okoro flyover among others.

    Governor Umahi during the state executive council meeting also swore in six permanent secretaries in the State and charged them to discharge their duties with every commitment and zeal.

    Leadership

  • Appeal Court CJ orders relocation of Election Tribunal in Ebonyi to Abuja

    Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal, Monica Mensem, has directed that the Ebonyi State Election Petition Tribunal be relocated to Abuja immediately.

    The Secretary of the tribunal, Nyior Sekulla announced this in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

    He said the tribunal office at the Ebonyi State Judiciary Headquarters in Abakaliki has been shut down from Wednesday, following the directive.

    According to him, all processes relating to matters before the tribunal would continue at Abuja.

    “In compliance with the HPCA directives, the petitioners, counsel to parties and general public is hereby informed via this medium that, the EPT sitting here in Abakaliki thereby cease to operate in Abakaliki as at 26-04-23; filings of processes, taking of proceedings etc. shall henceforth continue at Abuja”.

    When asked why the decision to move the tribunal to Abuja, Mr Henry said it was not within his powers to speak on the reasons.

    He, however, noted that the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal and that of one other state were also affected.

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Odii, and that of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Bernard Odoh, had rejected the declaration of Francis Nwifuru as the winner of the 18 March election and governor-elect of the state.

    Mr Nwifuru, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, had been Governor David Umahi’s preferred successor. He is the Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly.

    The various political parties were yet to react to the relocation of the election tribunal to Abuja.

    Premium Times

  • [WATCH] Nigeria begins evacuation of Nigerians in troubled Sudan

    [WATCH] Nigeria begins evacuation of Nigerians in troubled Sudan

    The Nigerian government, on Wednesday, commenced the evacuation of Nigerians in Sudan.

    This was revealed in a tweet by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) where it shared a video showing buses parked in line. It also shared a picture of people queued up which it captioned “at the registration point this morning.”

    “Last night, the Nigeria Evacuation team in SUDAN received some buses to transport Nigerian Students to nearby borders in Egypt, before airlifting them to Nigeria, this has been sorted by the Federal Government through @nemanigeria and the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan,” NiDCOM tweeted.

    NiDCOM added that more buses are arriving this morning and the stranded students will depart today.

    The evacuation was initially scheduled to start on Tuesday but did not happen because buses were unable to secure passes to move, a source at the ministry of foreign affairs who did not have permission to speak to the media, told PREMIUM TIMES.

    Another explanation on the WhatsApp group for Nigerians in Sudan said it was due to some logistics issues.

    Since the fighting erupted over a week ago, nearly 500 people have been killed and almost 4,100 injured, the UN said.

    Several countries including UK, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, France amongst others have been able to evacuate their citizens from torn Sudan.

    Four attempts at a ceasefire failed last week, however, the U.S. was able to broker a partial ceasefire that enabled more countries to evacuate and the Sudanese to run to safety.

    There are no signs that the warring parties in Sudan are ready to seriously negotiate an end to fighting, UN envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes told a UN Security Council meeting in New York City on Tuesday.

    Premium Times

  • Over 26,000 bread factories shut down across Nigeria in four years —PBAN

    Over 26,000 bread factories shut down across Nigeria in four years —PBAN

    Emmanuel Onuorah, the President of the Premium Bread Makers Association of Nigeria (PBAN), has revealed that more than 26,000 bread factories have shut down across Nigeria over the past four years.

    According to Onuorah, the doubling of the cost of bread production is the primary cause of job losses in the industry.

    Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, Onuorah said his own company has laid off 130 workers in the past four years.

    He further revealed that PBAN membership has dropped from 36,000 in 2017 to less than 10,000.

    “In my factory, I used to have about 180 workers and we were doing two shifts, today, we have about 50 workers. That is how it is in the industry.

    “I have laid off about a hundred and you can see the job losses. Just imagine that you don’t want to do that but you are forced to do that. At the end of the day, you must pay. A labourer deserves his wages. That is for me.

    “So many have shut down. Four years ago, we had about 36,000 members when we started this association. Today, it is less than 10,000 across Nigeria and what are you having? It is a series of job losses across the line.”

    He also blamed government taxes which include the 30 per cent wheat levy, 15 per cent for wheat development levy, while 15 per cent is on duty.

    According to him the industry players have written several times to the Federal Government to remove the 15 per cent development levy which has outlived its usefulness, but nothing had been done by the Nigerian government to stabilize the price of wheat.

    He said, “Those millers that bring in the wheat from Ukraine, the US, and other places, they pay 30 per cent on wheat import. There is a 15 per cent wheat development levy. It was supposed to be a stopgap.

    “It started in June 2012 and it hasn’t gone away. For the Federal Government, it is a revenue stream that is not a good one. You can’t generate revenue from everything. It is supposed to be for two years or thereabout after which the money generated will be used.

    “We have been begging the FG, we have written for them to remove the 15 per cent development levy which has outlived its usefulness so that we can have some cushion for those people bringing in wheat.

    “With that, you can stabilise to a reasonable extent the price of wheat coming into Nigeria. But it is just like flogging a dead horse. Nobody listens.”

    Ripples

  • ‘Tomato Ebola’ ravaging farms in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe – FG

    ‘Tomato Ebola’ ravaging farms in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe – FG

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Horti Nigeria, and Nigeria AgriBusiness Group (NABG) have collaborated to combat the recent tomato disease (known as tuta absoluta) outbreak in the country.

    Tuta absoluta, also known as ‘tomato Ebola’, has affected states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Gombe.

    The stakeholders disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, initiated by Hoti Nigeria and supported by the Netherlands.

    Emmanuel Ijewere, NABG president, said tuta absoluta are insects that ravage tomato farms.

    “The insects have decided to build their homes under the leaves, and when insecticide is sprayed, it doesn’t affect them. The affected states are mainly Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Gombe states, but the insects don’t need a visa to go to any other state as far as the conditions are right,” Mr Ijewere explained.

    The NABG president added, “We are glad to have the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development here, and we are working together to solve this problem. It is ‘war’ we are going to declare against these insects, and all of us here will be providing the ‘weapons’ to achieve it.”

     

    Deola LordBanjor, Director of Horticulture at the ministry, said the current crisis with tuta absoluta started from a local government (Galama) in Kano.

    “When it was reported, we started our investigation, and we found out that about 300 hectares in that local government alone were affected by this infestation,” said Mr LordBanjor.

    The farmers in Galama might have lost about N1.3 billion economically due to the infestation of the disease, the ministry official said.

    “We are working in collaboration with the Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) every time and investigating what is happening in other states,” Mr LordBanjor disclosed. “We have our records already and we are working on two things; the ministry is convening a stakeholders’ meeting, which may be merged with what NABG is planning.”

    He revealed that the ministry was sourcing funds “seriously and interventions to solve critical problems of tuta absoluta.”

    Mohammed Attanda, executive director of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), said the agency conducted a Hausa radio phone-in programme to create awareness on the mode of damage caused by the disease.

    He urged the agric ministry to incorporate NIHORT sustainable tuta integrated management package for tomato production in the national tomato policy to stem the tide of the disease.

    NAN

  • EFCC To Commence Fresh Money Laundering Proceedings Against Fani-Kayode, Others

    EFCC To Commence Fresh Money Laundering Proceedings Against Fani-Kayode, Others

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to commence afresh the prosecution of a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode and three others at the Federal High Court, Abuja on alleged misappropriation of N4.6bn and money laundering.

    Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) told Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday that this move became necessary following last week’s judgement of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, which quashed the charges.

    Oyedepo said that in view of the judgement of the Court of Appeal, all exhibits and documents tendered by the prosecution should be released to enable the Commission commence the matter afresh at the Federal High Court, Abjua.

    Justice Osiagor subsequently ordered the release of all exhibits and documents tendered before the court during the hearing of the matter back to the EFCC.

    Last week Thursday, via zoom, Justice Mohammed Danjuma of the Court of Appeal had delivered judgement on an appeal filed by one of Fani-Kayode’s co-defendants, former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos to hear the matter. The appellant also submitted that the charge as filed before the Lagos court was defective.

    The appeal court unanimously resolved the issues in favour of the appellant and also held that the Federal High Court in Lagos lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.

    The appellate court also held that the facts of the case showed that all the transactions carried out by the Defendants took place in Abuja, hence the Federal High Court Abuja has jurisdiction to hear the case.

    Justice Fatima Akinbami and Justice Onyekachi Otisi agreed with the judgment.

    It would be recalled however that in an earlier appeal filed by Fani-Kayode in 2019, another panel of the same court of appeal led by Justice Mohammed Garba had agreed with the EFCC that “some act forming part of the offence or at least the consequence of it happened in Lagos”. The court had therefore held that the Federal High Court, Lagos had jurisdiction to hear the suit

    The EFCC subsequently rearraigned the defendants before Justice Daniel Osiagor after the previous trial judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa was transferred out of the Lagos division.

    In the suit, Fani-Kayode is charged alongside a former Minister of State for Finance Nenandi Usman; a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Yusuf Danjuma, and a company Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Ltd.

    They were alleged to have at various times between Jan. & March 2015, unlawfully retained over N4.6 billion which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful acts of stealing and corruption.

    In counts 15 to 17, Fani-Kayode and one Olubode Oke, who is said to be at large, were alleged to have made cash payments of about N30 million to one Paste Poster Co (PPC) of No 125, Lewis St., Igbosere, Lagos.

    The said payments were alleged to have been made in excess of amounts allowed by law without going through a financial institution.

    All offences were said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15 (3) (4), 16 (2) (b), and 16 (5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

    The defendants had however each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.

    Channels TV

  • Sudan Crisis: UK Evacuation Flights For Citizens Take Off

    Sudan Crisis: UK Evacuation Flights For Citizens Take Off

    Britain on Tuesday began evacuating its citizens from Sudan, after criticism of a delay in getting its passport holders out of the restive country.

    “The first flight has left and you can expect that there will be at least two more flights overnight tonight,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman told reporters.

    Britain only announced that it had launched a large-scale evacuation on Tuesday morning, lagging other countries and 10 days since fierce urban fighting erupted, leading to hundreds of deaths.

    It came after a US-brokered 72-hour ceasefire between Sudan’s warring generals officially took effect.

    London has faced pressure to act after unfavourable comparisons to the chaotic evacuation of Britons when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021.

    British nationals trapped in Sudan on Monday said they felt “abandoned” by the UK authorities, while the furious relatives of one 80-year-old man said their father had turned down two opportunities to leave in a convoy with family members because he thought Britain would evacuate him, only for the flight to leave without him.

    Sunak’s spokesman said that the German military was running the evacuation site at the Wadi Seidna airfield but Britain had “the capacity to take over” if necessary.

    Germany’s foreign and defence ministries said earlier on Tuesday that the country planned to operate its final evacuation flight on Tuesday evening.

    Downing Street said British forces were prepared to defend the airfield but would strive to avoid “active engagement” with other forces.

    “It’s worth emphasising that international evacuations have been taking place since Sunday and we haven’t seen any significant issues… or large crowds appearing,” Sunak’s spokesman added.

    Britain carried out a military operation Sunday to withdraw its diplomats as deadly battles raged in the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

    But citing the dangers on the ground, it had held off on extracting its citizens more widely despite Western allies evacuating hundreds of their own passport holders.

    The government says that some 4,000 Britons with dual nationality and 400 with UK-only passports are in Sudan, while 2,000 people have registered with the foreign ministry seeking help to get out.

    The flights were prioritising the vulnerable, elderly and children, taking them on military planes from the airfield north of Khartoum.

    Britons were urged only to come to the airfield if contacted.

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said 120 British forces were involved, and a contingent of Royal Marines were in Port Sudan to “establish the safety of the area and any options”.

    That would allow for an increase in support if necessary, he added, raising the possibility of a seaborne evacuation via the Red Sea.

    A Royal Navy frigate, HMS Lancaster, and a support ship, RFA Cardigan Bay, have both been sent to the region, said Wallace.

    All UK passport holders are eligible for the flights as well as their partners, children and parents but only if those relatives have an existing right of entry to Britain, the Foreign Office said.

    Pressed on other options such as Royal Navy warships, Sunak’s spokesman said earlier: “We are looking at every possible option to ensure those who want to leave are able to do so.”

    AFP

  • Sudan Fighters Occupy Lab Holding Samples Of Diseases; WHO Says It’s ‘Huge Biological Risk’

    Sudan Fighters Occupy Lab Holding Samples Of Diseases; WHO Says It’s ‘Huge Biological Risk’

    Fighters have occupied a national public laboratory in Sudan holding samples of diseases including polio and measles, creating an “extremely, extremely dangerous” situation, the World Health Organization warned Tuesday.

    Fighters “kicked out all the technicians from the lab… which is completely under the control of one of the fighting parties as a military base,” said Nima Saeed Abid, the WHO’s representative in Sudan.

    He did not say which of the fighting parties had taken over the laboratory.

    Abid said he had received a call from the head of the national lab in Khartoum on Monday, a day before a US-brokered 72-hour ceasefire between Sudan’s warring generals officially came into effect after 10 days of urban combat.

    “There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab,” said Abid.

    He pointed out that the lab held so-called isolates, or samples, of a range of deadly diseases, including measles, polio and cholera.

    The UN health agency also said it had confirmed 14 attacks on healthcare during the fighting, killing eight and injuring two.

    And it warned that “depleting stocks of blood bags risk spoiling due to lack of power.”

    “In addition to chemical hazards, bio-risk hazards are also very high due to lack of functioning generators,” Abid said.

    The Sudanese health ministry has put the number of deaths so far at 459, with a further 4,072 wounded, the WHO said Tuesday, adding it had not been able to verify that number.

    The UN refugee agency said thousands had already fled the violence and that it was bracing for up to 270,000 people to flee Sudan into neighbouring Chad and South Sudan.

    UNHCR said it does not yet have estimates for the numbers headed to other surrounding countries.

    Laura Lo Castro, the agency’s representative in Chad, said some 20,000 refugees had arrived there since the fighting began 10 days ago.

    Speaking to reporters in Geneva via video-link, she said the UNHCR expected up to 100,000 “in the worst-case scenario”.

    Her colleague in South Sudan, Marie-Helene Verney, said that around 4,000 of the more than 800,000 South Sudanese refugees living in Sudan had returned home since the fighting began.

    Looking forward, she told reporters that “the most likely scenario is 125,000 returns of South Sudanese refugees into South Sudan”.

    Up to 45,000 Sudanese might also flee as refugees into South Sudan, she said.

    Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency, said the fighting had led to “acute shortages of food, water, medicines and fuel, and limited communications and electricity.”

    “The people of Sudan, already deeply affected by humanitarian needs, are staring into the abyss.”

    Some 15.8 million people in Sudan — a third of the population — already needed humanitarian aid before the latest violence erupted.

    But humanitarian operations have also been heavily affected by the fighting, Laerke warned, highlighting among other things reports of looting of humanitarian supplies and warehouses.

    Five humanitarian workers have been killed.

    (AFP)

  • 2023 Census: NPC Server Was Never Hacked – Official

    2023 Census: NPC Server Was Never Hacked – Official

    The Federal Commissioner of National Population Commission in Kogi state, Prof. Habibat Jimoh Isah has affirmed that the Server of the Commission that has been prepared for the 2023 Population and Housing census was never hacked despite several attempt by Hackers to invade the server.

    Prof. Isah revealed this during a press conference that was organized by the commission in Lokoja.

    The commissioner added that they were able to learn from the incidence that happened to INEC and they didn’t stop but made continuous efforts to secure the server.

    Mr. Isah added that the server is one of the most important aspect of the census and the need to protect it from being hacked is of great importance.

    He said “in the time past, censuses have been conducted using paper and pen but this time, the census will be conducted using Android devices such that once the information is gotten, it will go directly to the server”.

    “As against lies and rumours that have been peddled, National Population Commission Server has never been hacked because we have never rested and we won’t rest until the program becomes successful”.

    “Apart from our actions against Hackers and intruders, we have been able to conduct series of trainings for different stakeholders of the commission including the Federal Commissioners. The recent training for Federal Commissioners was held in Port Harcourt while the state directors and other officials of the commission are undergoing continuous training”.

    Prof. Isah explained that the need to take census serious becomes important because it is a tool for national development.

    He said ” No serious government is supposed to take census as a joke. Any serious minded government should take the population and housing census as an issue of key interest”.

    Isah revealed that the leadership of the commission will also be meeting with the federal government at the Federal Executive Council meeting to brief the executive arm of the government about the level of preparedness.

    While speaking on the genuineness of the exercise, Habibat Isah assured residents and citizens of Kogi state that the census exercise will be transparently conducted and the fear of increasing the number of a segment of the state or reducing the counted number of another part of the state will not occur.

    He added that being a citizen of the state from the Ebira extraction will never prompt him to favour any part of the state or even the people from his own community.

    The federal commissioner revealed that special provisions have been made by the population commission to ensure that far reaching places are captured during the headcount. He revealed that the commission have been able to procure speed boats for places like Ibaji and Bassa LGAs that are surrounded by water.

    He added that sensitive issues like religion, language and ethnicity has been removed from the templates because of crisis and clashes that is associated with the aforementioned in some part of the country.

    (Leadership)

  • I’m strong and ready to work as President – Tinubu

    I’m strong and ready to work as President – Tinubu

    President-elect Bola Tinubu says he is ready for the responsibilities attached to being Nigeria’s number one citizen.

    Tinubu said this shortly after returning to the country after about a month in Paris, France.

    While abroad, there were reports that he was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment.

    But addressing his supporters who thronged the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, where his plane touched down, Tinubu dismissed reports about his health.

    “I’m happy to be back. I have rested, I’m refreshed and I’m ready for the task ahead.

    “Forget about what the rumour mill may have told you. I’m strong, very strong.”

    Asked about his plans for the country, he said he had been consulting and planning with a view to putting together a strong team so he could hit the ground running once he assumes office on May 29.

    Later, he posted a tweet in which he said he was glad to be back home.

    “I am extremely excited to be back home and deeply humbled by the warm welcome I received on my return to Abuja today. Thank you all for your love and support. Our promise to deliver a nation of Renewed Hope for all Nigerians remains in motion.”

    The President-elect, who was accompanied by his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, and son, Seyi Tinubu, was received by Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as well as Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Abubakar Sani-Bello (Niger), former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff.

    Also at the airport were former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, APC Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Deputy National Chairman, South, Barrister Emma Enekwu, and National Woman Leader, Dr. Betta Edu.

    There were also Senators Barau Jibril, Adeola Olamilekan Yahyi, Opeyemi Bamidele, Dayo Adeyeye, Sabi Abdullahi and Adelere Oriolowo as well as Secretary of the recently-dissolved Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. James Faleke, Hon. Babajimi Benson and Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Director of media and publicity in the dissolved Presidential Campaign Council.

    (Daily Trust)

  • US President Joe Biden Announces 2024 Re-Election Bid

    US President Joe Biden Announces 2024 Re-Election Bid

    President Joe Biden announced Tuesday he is running for re-election in 2024, plunging at the record age of 80 into a ferocious new White House campaign “to finish the job.”

    “Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms,” Biden wrote on Twitter, along with a video.

    “I believe this is ours. That’s why I’m running for re-election as president of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job.”

    After a series of big legislative wins and momentous foreign policy struggles in his first two years in office, Biden has no real challenger from within the Democratic Party.

    But in a campaign that may result in a rematch of the 2020 election against Donald Trump, he is expected to face constant and fierce scrutiny over his age.

    The veteran Democrat would be 86 by the end of a second term. Even if a medical exam in February found him “fit” to execute the duties of the presidency, many including in his own voter base believe he is too old.

    An NBC News poll released over the weekend found that 70 percent of Americans, including 51 percent of Democrats, believe he should not run.

    Sixty-nine percent of all respondents who said he shouldn’t run cited concerns over his age as a major or minor reason.

    Biden likes to answer those concerns by saying, “watch me” — meaning that voters should focus on his policy wins at home and his marshaling of an unprecedented Western alliance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invasion.

    Over the next year and a half, Biden will have all the advantages of incumbency, backed by a united party, while Republicans are only just starting a messy primary season.

    Trump, despite becoming the first former or serving president to be criminally indicted — and facing probes into his attempt to overturn his loss to Biden in the 2020 election — is the overwhelming Republican frontrunner.

    On Monday, Trump was quick to pitch in his own criticism of the man who defeated him last time around.

    “With such a calamitous and failed presidency, it is almost inconceivable that Biden would even think of running for reelection,” he said in a statement.

    The most likely Republican challenger to the 76-year-old Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, presents a similarly right-wing figure, though starkly younger at 44.

    Biden will underline his foreign policy credentials Tuesday when he meets with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is starting a state visit to the White House.

    Like in 2020, Biden’s video message framed his election bid as a fight to save American democracy from Trump and increasingly far-right Republicans. However, he also stressed his message of restoring an economy with heavy focus on the manufacturing base and jobs for the middle class.

    Later Tuesday he was scheduled to deliver an economic address to a union conference being held in Washington.

    While not a campaign event, the scheduled theme — “how his investing in America agenda is bringing manufacturing back, rebuilding the middle class, and creating good-paying union jobs” — was set to be at the heart of the Democrat’s 2024 message.

    Biden’s approval ratings have not topped 50 percent for more than a year and a half.

    However, he has consistently over-delivered when it matters. Supporters say the Democratic Party’s surprisingly strong performance in 2022 midterm congressional elections validated the Biden brand.

    And while Biden may seem bland in comparison to Trump, he would bank on his moderate, old fashioned image being the secret weapon needed in an increasingly extreme era.

    “My dad had an expression,” Biden often says. “Joey, don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.”

    (Channels TV)

  • JUST IN: Mbah, Enugu Governor-Elect Names Chioke, Abah, Onyia, Nebo, 60 Others for Transition Committee

    JUST IN: Mbah, Enugu Governor-Elect Names Chioke, Abah, Onyia, Nebo, 60 Others for Transition Committee

    Ahead of the May 29, 2023 handover, the Enugu State Governor-elect, Dr. Peter Mbah, has named Ike Chioke, Dr. Joe Abah, Prof. Chidi Onyia, Prof Chinedu Nebo and 54 others to his Transition Committee. The Committee includes internationally-recognised technocrats, good governance, transparency and accountability advocates, financial and management experts, entrepreneurs, as well as tech and innovation specialists. The Governor-elect said the Transition Committee would help articulate and fine-tune the incoming administration’s “implementable and impactful development plan” when it assumes office in May.

    The Transition Committee members, as contained in a statement issued on Monday by the head of the Peter Mbah Media Office, Dan Nwomeh, will streamline the State development plan in line with Mbah’s “Social Charter” with Ndi Enugu. The Charter aims at repositioning the state as one of the top three states in Nigeria in terms of Gross Domestic Product per capita, while addressing poverty, unemployment, and insecurity.

    The committee will be chaired by Ike Chioke, an engineer, renowned investment banker, and Group Managing Director of Afrinvest (West Africa) Ltd. He is also the President of the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria, Chief Executive Officer of Triple-A Infrastructure Nigeria Ltd, and Chairman of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company. Mr. Chioke has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry, project and structured finance, debt and equity capital markets, media, telecommunications, financial services, and industrial reform.

    Other committee members are the Country Director of DAI Nigeria, an international development company and former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms in Nigeria, Dr. Joe Abah; the Managing Director of United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UK-NIAF), Prof Chidi Onyia; a former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; a former Chief Executive Officer of Pricewaterhouse Coopers Nigeria and West Africa and current Chairman of Execution Edge, Ken Igbokwe; a former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo; a former Executive Director at First Bank and Founder, Krystle Group, Mrs. Christy Okoye.

    The Transition Committee members include the Director, Industrial and Trade Development at the African Development Bank (AFDB), Dr. Abdu Mukhtar; the Director, Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institutions, Dr. Aloysius Ardu; a renowned transporter and university proprietor, Chief Dr. Sam Onyishi; President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu; a former Commissioner at the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission and Co-Founder, Excredite, Mr. Eyo Ekpo; former CEO at Neconde Gas, Engr. Frank Edozie; the Group CEO, PanAfrican Capital Holdings Ltd, Chris Oshiafi, and foreign direct investment promoter, Mr. Andrew Thorburn.

    Also included are the Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Prof. Christian Anieke; Mrs. Ijeoma Emezie-Ezigbo (KPMG), Kingsley Eze (Tenece), Prof. Obiamaka Egbo (USAID), Chief Chinedu Anih (Coal City University), Mr. Chuka Mordi (Ellah Lakes), Dr. Nnenna Mba-Oduwusi (InSiGHT Health), Dr. Dorothy Jeff-Nnamani (Nova Health), Mrs. Modupe Adefeso-Olateju (The Education Partnership Centre), Mrs. Nneka Okekearu (Pan African University), Mr. Joseph Aneke (Transnetwork), Mr. Tobenna Erojikwe (The Law Crest), and Mr. Obi Ozor (Kobo 360).

    Also on the list are Monsignor Prof. Obiora Ike, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN, Prof Chris Ohuruogu, Mr. Ikeazor Akaraiwe, SAN, Lady Ada Chukwudozie, Dr. Simon Gusah, Mr. Aronu Ugochukwu, Mr. Gerald Asogwa, Mr. George Agu, Dr. O. J. Mbonu, Mr. Chinedu Ani, Mr. Chris Roberts Ngwu, Mr. Chinedu Eze, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, Mr. Dubem Njeze and Engr. Barr. Steve Avah.

    Others are Mr. Obi Asika, Mr. Oliver Nnona, Dr. Andreas Gebauer, Mr. Chibuzo Okafor, Mr. Victor Edeh, Mr. Obinna Ike, Dr. Damian Ozoani, Ms. Vivian Ngozi Ani, Mr. Arinze Chilo-Offiah, Mr. Mike Ogbuekwe, Mr. Osita Onuma, Mr. Emeka Onyebuchi, Mrs. Rita Mbah, Mr. Nkenna Emehelu and Mr. Emeka Ani.

    The Director General of the State PDP Campaign Council/Peter Mbah Campaign Organization, Chief Ikeje Asogwa; Deputy Director General (Enugu North Zone) and former Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Dan Shere; Deputy Director General (Enugu West Zone) and former ranking member of the House of Representatives for Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Chief Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi; and Deputy Director General (Enugu East Zone) and former State Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Deacon Okechukwu Ogbodo are also members of the committee.

    Nextier, a multi-competency advisory firm led by Patrick Okigbo III, will provide technical support and policy advisory to the Transition Committee.

    The statement said the committee would commence work upon inauguration on April 27, 2023, and end on May 29, 2023.

    Dan Nwomeh 

    Head, Peter Mbah Media Office