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Japa: I Support Nigerians Fleeing Abroad For Greener Pastures — Peter Obi

Published

11 months ago

June 22, 2023

Labour Party’s Presidential candidate in the February 25 presidential poll, Mr Peter Obi has endorsed Nigerians fleeing the country for greener pastures abroad, “JAPA”, saying it will benefit Nigeria’s fortunes in the future.

The former Anambra governor who gained massive support from Nigerians, especially on Social media in the just concluded electioneering campaign for being “a prudent and incorrupt politician”, stated that today’s brain drain will be Nigeria’s brain gain tomorrow.

Ex-governor Obi, in a series of tweets, Thursday, supported Bill Gate’s opinion on the migration wave hitting Nigeria, noting in the tweet that “Nigerians leaving the country will be critical in the building of the New Nigeria”.

“I read and agree with Bill Gates’s recent comment on the ‘japa syndrome, where, according to reports, he stated that the recent surge of Nigerian professionals leaving the country for greener pastures is good and healthy for our country.”

Obi noted that “I have always preached and maintained this same position that ‘Our brain drain today will be our brain gain tomorrow’.”

“Nigerians leaving the country may look like a loss today, but when we start doing the right things and taking the governance of our nation more seriously, the knowledge and resources from them will be critical in the building of the New Nigeria, as it happened in China, India, Ireland and other developing countries,” Peter Obi noted.

Peter Obi’s comments are coming on the heels of a clarification by the British Envoy to Nigeria on the UK visa policy believed to be targeted at Nigerian students who depart the country in droves with their families.

News

JUST IN: US Lawmakers Order Investigation Of Shell, Eni For Allegedly Bribing Nigeria’s Ex-President Jonathan, Others

Published

33 mins ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has asked the Department of Justice, DOJ, to reopen the Foreign Corruption Practice Act into Shell and Eni’s 2011 purchase of the rights to Oil Prospecting Licence, OPL, 245, one of Nigeria’s most lucrative oilfields.

The lawmakers said evidence available implicated Shell and Eni for bribing some Nigerian government officials, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to the tune of $1.1 billion.

According to the lawmakers: “Available evidence implicates both companies in a scheme that resulted in the payment of $1.1billion in bribes to Nigerian government officials, including then President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Shell and Eni, both registered with the US Security and Exchange Commission, continue to profit from the deal in violation of FCPA.”

News

BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Clerk Disowns Pro-Fubara Faction, Insists Amaewhule Is Speaker

Published

59 mins ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi, has disowned the pro-Governor Sim Fubara’s faction of the Assembly.

Amadi insisted that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains Martin Amaewhule.

The clerk said the three members of the assembly loyal to Fubara—Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari and Hon. Adolphus Orubimie Timothy—were suspended on October 30, 2023, and they cannot lay claim to be officers of the House.

On Thursday, some lawmakers appointed Jumbo as the new Speaker of the Assembly.

News

Suspension Of Enigies: Court Grants Benin Monarch’s Prayer To Join BTC

Published

2 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin has granted the prayer of Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, to include Benin Traditional Council as a defendant in a suit between him and some suspended Enigie (Dukes) in Benin kingdom.

Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Benin monarch’s prayer at the resumed hearing of the suit on Thursday.

The suspended Enigie that took the Oba of Benin to court are Professor Gregory Akenzua, Enigie of Evbuobanosa, Chief Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen, Egbaen Siluko Dukedoms in Benin Kingdom, on behalf of others.

The suspended Enigies are challenging their suspension by the Oba of Benin at the Edo State High Court.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argued that only the state governor can remove them from their positions.

In his ruling, Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Oba of Benin’s prayer to include the Benin Traditional Council as the 3rd defendant in the suit marked, B/250os/2023, while Oba Ewuare II and Edo State Government, are the 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively.

Akhihiero, however, urged the defendants’ counsel not to worry about the timing, insisting that “the race is not for the swift, or the battle for the strong”.

“If they were bringing in the Traditional Council as necessary, I don’t see this as a problem since you people have brought the Oba to court.

“I don’t think I can shut down any party. Let them come in and file their processes,” he added.

He, however, adjourned the case to July 15, 2024.