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Gowon Leads ‘When The Righteous Are In Authority’ Prayer Rally In Umuahia To Herald Otti’s Take-over

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All is now set for a one-day national prayer rally in Umuahia, Abia State capital tagged: “When the Righteous Are In Authority” being organized by a non-governmental organization, Nigeria Prays.

The rally by Nigeria Prays, a pet project of former Head of State, Gen Dr. Yakubu Gowon will be at the Master’s Vessel Church, Umuahia on Sunday, April 23, 2023, according to a release by the Abia State Coordinator of Nigeria Prays, Apostle Chuks Alozie.

Drawing his reference to the rally from the biblical passage of Proverbs 29 vs 2, Alozie revealed that the former Head of State and the Governor-elect of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti are special guests expected to deliver talks at the prayer rally, even as Alozie disclosed that the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, (MOUAU), Prof Madu Ofo Iwe will be the guest speaker at the event.

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READ ALSO: What Abians Should Expect From Me – Governor-elect, Alex Otti

Other men of God that will join in praying for the nation, according to Apostle Alozie, include Senior Apostle Emmanuel O. Agomoh, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Abia State.

These include Archbishop Isaac Chijioke Nwaobia, Bishop of Isiala Ngwa Diocese, Anglican Communion and Archbishop Aba Ecclesiastical Province; Rev Dr. Emma Nzeako District Superintendent, the United Church of Christ District 4; Rev Ukanwanne Ikwunze, the Deputy General Superintendent, the Saviours Evangelical Church Nigeria Inc; Rev Ojo Ojo, Chairman, Aba DCC Evangelical Church Winning All (CWA); Prof B.N Marire, Coordinator, South East Zone, Nigeria Prays.

According to Vanguard, the Nigeria Prays Coordinator named the host minister of the rally as Pastor Amara Uwaeziozi, President of Masters Vessel Church, adding that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State will serve as chief host.

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“There will be choir ministrations from The United Church of Christ (UCC) Choir, Masters Vessel Ministry Choir, and ECWA Township Church Choir amongst other psalmists.

READ ALSO: Alex Otti’s Long walk To Abia Govt House

“This prayer ministry of Nigeria Prays has in the past 27 years, severally held its prayer activities across the 36 States of the Federation and Abuja, also at the UK and USA with Nigerians hungry for a New Nigeria.

“This 2023 edition of Nigeria Prays National Prayer Rally in Abia State is hosted on behalf of South East Zone, comprising of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, and Abia State. This will be the first National Prayer Rally organized by Nigeria Prays after the just concluded 2023 General Elections”, Alozie said in the release.

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He explained that the South East Coordinators of Nigeria Prays expected to join the National Prayer Rally are Anambra – Jeff Nwabueze; Imo – Pastor Adolphus Nnebue; Ebonyi – Evang Ngozi Robinson; Enugu – Prof Onyeisioche Ogu alongside other national officers which will be led by the National Secretary Evang Austin Kemie.

The release, therefore, enjoined Christians, Intercessors and all those wishing and trusting God for a new dimension of Good Governance in Abia State and Nigeria to come out en masse as Dr. Alex Otti, Governor-Elect of Abia State and Emetu Ikechukwu, Deputy Governor-Elect will be specially prayed for, asking God for His guidance, wisdom, and protection towards them as well as soliciting for a smooth takeover of government come 29th May 2023.

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JUST IN: Tinubu Appoints Governing Board Members For 111 Tertiary Institutions

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President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of at least 555 persons to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of Governing Boards of 111 federal universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

This followed Tinubu’s assent to a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education.

An advertorial by the Education Ministry sighted by The PUNCH showed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each of the institutions.

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READ ALSO: Judicial Misconduct: NJC Sets Up Panel To Probe 35 Petitions Against

It was signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

The inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events will commence at 9:00am daily,” said Walson-Jack.

When contacted for confirmation, the Presidency said the list emanated from the Ministry of Education.

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“This is from the Federal Ministry of Education…they make the nominations and forward them to the President to sign. But they are at liberty to release it from their end,” the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, told The PUNCH on Sunday.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Okays Payment Of N3.3tn Power Sector Debts, Gencos, Gas Producers To Get N1.3tn, $1.3bn

The appointments come days after the Academic Staff Union of Universities had threatened to embark on another strike, potentially disrupting the academic calendar and causing further setbacks in the country’s higher education sector.

The union, on Tuesday, decried the failure of the Federal Government to appoint Governing Councils for federal universities.

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The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters about academics in federal universities.

The body of academics, during a briefing at the University of Abuja, also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

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HOMEF Applauds NASS On Decision To Investigate GMOs In Nigeria

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says Nigeria needs to prioritise public health

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and the GMO-Free Nigeria
Alliance have commended the House of Representatives on the resolution to comprehensively investigate the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into Nigeria and for a halt on approval of new products
pending the completion of that investigation.

This is as the House of Representatives also urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure labelling of GM crops already in the country.

The House resolution to investigate the introduction of GMOs into Nigeria followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Muktar Shagaya at a plenary session held on Thursday 16th May 2024.

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In a statement made available to INFO DAILY Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, HOMEF, the Executive Director of the organisation, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said ass the lawmaker rightly explained, the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria raises serious concerns about safety, regulatory oversight, and their potential impacts on the country’s biosafety.

READ ALSO: Judicial Misconduct: NJC Sets Up Panel To Probe 35 Petitions Against

He noted that the investigation which has been long “overdue is vital to save the country from the dangerous path to food colonialism, contamination of our genetic resources, loss of
biodiversity/nutritional diversity, soil degradation, and overall
disruption of our agriculture and food systems.”

Bassey continued: “This investigation must be unbiased and thorough. To ensure this, the National Assembly should engage independent researchers to avoid contamination of the process by GMO promoters.

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“This investigation should consider Nigeria’s agricultural landscape and investigate the underlying
causes of hunger/food insecurity and as well establish definite measures to address those issues. This is the time to rescue Nigerians from being used for risky experimentations.”

The Executive Director also stressed the need for critical examination of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act for its fitness for purpose.

READ ALSO: GMOs: HOMEF Trains Gelegele Farmers, Urges Them To Embrace Agroecology

He further added: “That law needs to be completely reworked to close existing loopholes including the composition of its governing/decision making board by excluding GMO promoters such as the National Biotechnology Development Agency; the lack of provision on strict liability, inadequate public consultation measures, absolute decision-making powers of the agency, minimal reference to the precautionary principal and many others.

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This was the submission of Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, Food Sovereignty Activist and Deputy Executive Director at Friends of the Earth Nigeria.”

Also reacting to the Green Chamber’s call on NAFDAC to label GMO crops in the country, HOMEF’s Director of Programmes and lead on Hunger Politics, Joyce Brown, noted that the agency will need to devise strategies to have foods sold in local markets in basins, by the road sides, and in processed forms like Ogi and Akara labelled to ensure informed decision-making by the majority of people who purchase food from these sources.

This exercise will prove that GMOs do not fit our socio-economic context. Over the years, market shelf surveys conducted by HOMEF has revealed over 50 different processed/packaged foods labelled as produced using genetically modified ingredients,” she added.

READ ALSO: HOMEF Trains Women On Climate Change Adaptation

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Brown advised that permits for commercialisation of GMO products such as Bt Cowpea, Tela Maize, Bt Corn and all others be suspended pending the result of the investigation by the House Committee on Agriculture and others.

The statement reaffirmed the submission by Rep. Shagaya that there’s need to prioritise public health, biodiversity, increased support of small holder farmers in terms of extension service, provision of infrastructure (to curtail waste), access to credits, access to land and the growth of our local economy.

Nigeria should adopt agroecological farming which aligns well with our socio economic and socio cultural
context. Agroecology delivers increased productivity and economic resilience, revises/nourishes ecosystems, strengthens local economies, mitigates climate change and promotes food sovereignty,” the statement concluded.

 

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Mother Of Five Jailed For Forging Late Abba Kyari’s Signature

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A mother of five, Ramat Mba, has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, for her involvement in an employment scam.

Ramat who was also found guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, was arraigned before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on a 5-count bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery, contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Sections 320(b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

She reportedly committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers, promising to secure jobs for them with the ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

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READ ALSO’ Three Children Rescued As Fire Guts Storey Building In Delta

Also, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged the letterhead of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Buhari and his signature. The letter, addressed to the ICPC Chairman, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the commission.

However, the late CoS, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit, distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

Commenting on the sentencing, spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare said;

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READ ALSO: Doctor, Nurses Detained Over Missing Placenta, Umbilical Cord

“The trial judge, Justice Muhammad, in his judgment on May 9, 2024, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that border on cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4 which borders on felony.

“Justice Muhammad, during the sentencing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1, 2 and 3 on the convict.

“The presiding judge, who stressed the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother, also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.”

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