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Oshiomhole: ‘ God Will See Me Through, My Travails Not From Edo’

Published

5 years ago

March 5, 2020

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has blamed his recent travails on some chieftains of the party outside his state, saying “God will see me through, he knows my heart”

Oshiomhole spoke to State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday evening at the Presidential Villa, just hours after a Federal High Court in Kano gave a restraining order in his favour.

He said despite efforts by those he dubbed as ‘blacklegs’, whom he accused of holding membership of other opposition parties, his leadership of the party would be determined by God.

According to Nation, The party Chairman lamented that those who have been working to undo him had committed themselves to the fight not because he had performed poorly but because he had refused to allow them to abuse their privileged places in the party.

He also claimed that the ambition of some leading members of the party to contest the office of the President in 2023 had been a major motivation for many of the plots against him.

According to him, the court order, which called for his suspension was generated by the National Vice Chairman (Northwest), Comrade Mustapha Salihu and four others, adding that his lawyers had faulted the order gotten against him, saying it was issued by a court out of jurisdiction.

Speaking about those he alleged were behind the onslaught against him and their alleged motives, he said: “Those behind this plot, the hands you saw which includes as you saw yesterday, the Edo State governor and his people jubilating but that is the irony of life that you will help give birth to a child and the child look for cutlass to want to chop off your neck. It has happened in history, it has happened in this country so I won’t be only person.

“But there are other forces who see me for whatever reason as a threat to them. And those leading this anti-Oshiomhole campaign, some of them I emphasize, cannot even boast of a counselor in their state even as they lay claim to leadership position in our party.

“I am proud to say that I have done my best not only when I was a governor, I have done my best as chairman of this party.

” I have worked not only along members of the party and with support of the good people of Nigeria for the president to be re-elected, for us to have majority in the two chambers of the National Assembly.

“I also worked hard to deliver my unit, my ward, I worked hard to deliver my local government, I worked hard to deliver my federal constituency three of them in my senatorial zone, I also worked hard to deliver my senator.

“Those fighting me couldn’t deliver even a counselor of a local government in their unit.

“And they just feel that if they cannot give me orders then they must do everything to embarrass my person, but I believe that he who God stands with no man born of a woman can bring him down.”

He went on: “I can’t say more than that. Those who are parading themselves, holding meetings at night, my prayer to my God is that let them meet at night, what they do at night will be destroyed my light in the day time.

“I don’t go for night business I do day business. They know themselves, they know me and I know them.

“It is just unfortunate that if you have out of 100, 90 people are happy with you, will call and say well done, those 10 who are not are the ones that will call press conference to denounce you, they are the ones who will hold midnight meetings in a minister’s house to say how do we bring him down.

“They are the one who will plot how do we get rid of him because they want to be president in 2023 even when their hold on their state at the moment is doubtful If they were to go for referendum in terms of their approval rating.

“But God will see me through, He knows my heart, He knows my conscience and He knows the wishes of the overall majority of our members and to them I remain ever grateful”, he said.

On why they want him out, Oshiomhole explained: “You see there is an issue in this country. People want strong leadership, the averaged Nigerian want to have a strong leader for Nigeria, they want to have strong leaders in various institutions, they want institutions that are strong enough that cannot be controlled by individuals. That was why President Obama said, what Africa needs are strong institutions not strong persons.

“Unfortunately, very few section of our elites want to weaken institutions so that they can control and if you refuse to oblige them the misuse of your institution then they go for your jocular, that is the only thing. Otherwise I ask you, remember the confusion we had at the last NEC meeting?

“That meeting took place exactly a week or about 10 days after we had won Kogi election, Bayelsa election before the court took it and donated it to somebody else.

“Yet in the face of this victory, people said Oshiomhole must be removed, precisely because we won more seats.

“But you see whatever you do, those who want to fight you will fight you. But I know that my tenure will be defined my God not by man.

“And I worry more about what I will be remembered for when I was chairman rather than how long I was chairman.

“And I am convinced that I have done my very best, mistakes would have been made and I want to see the one person who will say he has never made mistakes.”

Speaking on the court order obtained against him, Oshiomhole said “just yesterday (Wednesday) morning suddenly I saw in the news that an FCT High Court has suspended me as national chairman.

“And that the person who went to court includes one of my vice chairmen, north East, one Mustapha (Mustapha Salihu APC National Vice Chairman Northeast) and four others. I was taken back because in the same suit they joined the APC, the police as the DSS.

“Our lawyers told me that in law that when you sue a federal agency, FCT High Court has no jurisdiction to entertain it. Number two, the purported suspension of my person by my ward, first I am going to give you a document to that effect so that you can form your opinion.

” Number three, I am not an officer of my ward, I am the national chairman of my party, elected at a national convention by over 7,000 delegates, so how could nine persons sit down somewhere and purport that they have removed a national chairman.

“And the court contrary to all logic, all judicial precedence find comfort in granting an interim interlocutory order to stop me from functioning pending when the matter is determine.

” In other words, he has given the order without the facts being laid before him and in the process adjourned the case to 7th of April.

“The calculations are clear that between now and April 7th, my opponent in the system would have had ample time to do all the mischievous plans they have in place to distabilise the APC.

“Because, some of them have membership of more than one political party. But happily this afternoon, a federal high court that I believe that has jurisdictions on federal issues because the DSS, the police are not state institutions but federal institutions, has given an appropriate order to restrain the so called suspension that was allegedly impose on me by my ward in Edo State.

“I thought that I had a duty to brief Mr. President as the overall leader of our party about this development. Incidentally, when I requested for the audience yesterday I wasn’t sure what has happened today will happen.

“But I had a duty to inform him about the court order. But happily before coming here, the order from a Federal High Court that has made nonsense of what the FCT court purported to have done has already settled the question.

“And I showed to the president the resolutions of my ward even though a ward executive does not have the powers to remove a national chairman, just to say that the document that we have says clearly that my ward passed vote of confidence on me.

“How the court can hold vote of confidence and twist it to mean vote of no confidence, only that judge can explain it to himself.

“But the good news is that this is not a final court nor is it the only court, incidentally it is just the court that didn’t have the jurisdiction even to listen to this matter.

“And our lawyers so pointed it out but the judge was determined to obliged those who want to distabilise the All Progressive Congress.”

(NATION)

PHOTO: File

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How Fake Miracle Water-producing Church Is Resisting Investigation – NAFDAC

Published

3 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a stern warning to faith-based organizations regarding the illegal production of regulated products that fail to meet regulatory standards.

The agency also cautioned the public to steer clear of so-called ‘miracle products.’

The advisory followed the discovery that Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries, a church located in Delta State along KM 5 Effurun, Sapele Road, has been involved in producing ‘miracle water’ and has been resisting NAFDAC’s efforts to investigate.

The church is accused of selling this miracle water with a counterfeit NAFDAC registration.

However, NAFDAC Director General (DG), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Sunday, September 8, revealed that following numerous public inquiries regarding the authenticity of the product, allegedly bearing a NAFDAC certification, the agency launched an investigation that has faced resistance.

Emphasizing that as a science-based organization, NAFDAC would not compromise its responsibility to safeguard public health for spiritual claims, the DG said after being inundated with inquiries by the public to ascertain the authenticity of the product given its NAFDAC certification, the agency was forced to commence an investigation that has met resistance so far.

Adeyeye, in a statement, detailed the events and multiple attempts made by the church to evade investigation, saying, “NAFDAC wishes to alert the public on the activities of a faith-based organization – Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries – that uses NAFDAC’s name to deceive unsuspecting public.

“Recently, NAFDAC has been inundated with petitions from concerned citizens about Senior Prophet Jeremiah Omoto of Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries, KM 5 Effurun, Sapele Road, Delta State on a Miracle Water and Miracle Soap being advertised with healing and miracle claims and sold to unsuspecting members of the public by the Spiritual Ministry.

“The Minister showcased the use of Miracle Water and Miracle Soap on social media to heal barrenness.

“He claimed that the women would carry twins if they used the soap. He openly told his congregation that the Soap is NAFDAC registered. Thus, the public began to visit the office to confirm the claims.

“The petitioners also submitted the following products from the Spiritual Ministry to NAFDAC to verify the bogus claims.

“The products include Miracle & Healing Water; River Jordan Water; The Miracle Water from The Pool of Bethsaida; A New Beginning Mount Camel Miracle Water; Water of Life; Miracle Water from The Pool of Bethsaida (1L); A New Beginning Pool of Bethsaida Water; and Father Smelled Perfume.

“Upon receipt of the petitions, NAFDAC, through the Director Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) NAFDAC, contacted the Delta State Coordinator to ascertain the existence or records of any transaction with the Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Ministries and the products in Delta State Office.

“The coordinator was also directed to visit the Ministry to establish the veracity of the claims in the petitions and take necessary regulatory action on the production facility in the Ministry where the Miracle water and other products are produced.

“The State Coordinator covertly bought the Miracle Water (25cl) for 3000 naira from the Ministries and took the pictures.

“On Wednesday 14th August 2024, the State Coordinator Delta State visited the Mercy Land Ministry and met the Head of Service (HOS) – Mr. Ogunleye Fufeyin and the Chief Security Officer (CSO).

“The officials denied producing Miracle and Healing Water or Soap even with the evidence of the receipt of purchase. He claimed that only the Logo and address on the label were theirs but not the product.

“The HOS added that they only have a pool of Bethsaida water which is spiritual and artificial. The HOS requested time to meet with other staff and returned. He returned after 30 minutes and refused to cooperate, asking them to see the CSO.

“On 27th August 2024, a team of Investigation and Enforcement NAFDAC and Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods visited the Ministry, to commence investigation on the place of purchase or the manufacturing site for possible sample collection, for laboratory analysis, but the officials did not cooperate with the team.

“Letters of invitation were issued to the officials to report on 28th August, but it was not honoured. The company instead submitted a Legal document at NAFDAC Headquarters Abuja on 28th August 2024 and asked to come back on the 3rd September 2024 to organize their document before coming. The Agency then gave the Prophet till the 29th to report at the investigation and Enforcement NAFDAC Office Asaba for further necessary investigation.

“Investigation and Enforcement Asaba waited for the Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries officials based on their earlier request to report for commencement of the investigation, but they still refused to show up. On 3rd September 2024, they forwarded some documents instead asking for more time to report.

“In a document, made available to the NAFDAC Office on the evening of 3rd September, the faith organization claimed to have entered into a production contract agreement with Globod Table Water Km 4, DSC Expressway, Otokutu, Delta State without the knowledge of NAFDAC State Office in Delta State. This act is illegal according to the extant rules and regulations on commercial production.

“In continuation of our investigation, NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement has sealed Globod Table Water factory for aiding and abetting the production, sale, and advertisement of unregistered and unwholesome Miracle Water under the pretext of Fake NAFDAC Registration Number.

“At this point, it is very clear that Christ Mercy Land Delivery Ministries, KM 5, is not ready to present itself for investigation of production and advertisement of suspected falsified, unwholesome, and unregistered “Miracle” products.

“NAFDAC wishes to inform the public that none of these products being advertised and sold are registered with NAFDAC.

“The public is also being advised to stop patronizing any of these Miracle products. NAFDAC is a scientific organization that is guided by verifiable scientific facts before registering any product.

“In the meantime, we will continue with our investigation into the activities of this faith organization with regard to products within our mandates that have been reported to be manufactured and sold by them.

“I want to use this opportunity to warn either faith organizations against illegal production of regulated products without requisite regulatory requirements.

“I want to assure Nigerians of our resolve to continue safeguarding the health of the citizens”.
NATION

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Ijaw Nation Vows To Protect Fubara’s Government From ‘Strangers

Published

7 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Editor

Prominent Niger Delta rights and environmental activist, Comrade Ozobo Austin, has stated that the Ijaw nation will not permit “strangers” to destabilize the government of Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara.

Ozobo specifically mentioned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike Nyesom, as one of the “strangers” who will not be allowed to undermine Fubara’s administration.

According to Ozobo, Governor Fubara is the “original aborigine” of Rivers State, adding that the Ijaw nation will not allow outsiders to disrupt his government.

Ozobo’s statement comes amid reports of political tensions in Rivers State, with some individuals allegedly trying to undermine Fubara’s government.

Ozobo who is also the president of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, emphasised that the Ijaw people have a vested interest in ensuring the success of Fubara’s administration, which they believe is working in their best interests.

Ozobo made it clear that the Ijaw nation will not stand idly by while “strangers” try to rock the boat.

“We will not allow anyone to come into our state and cause trouble,” Ozobo said.

“Governor Fubara is our son, and we will protect his government from any external interference.”

Ozobo’s comments have been seen as a warning to those who may be trying to destabilize Fubara’s administration.

“The Ijaw nation is a powerful force in Rivers State, and their support for Fubara’s government is crucial to its success.

“One thing is clear: the Ijaw nation will not allow anyone to undermine Fubara’s government without a fight,” he noted.

News

ATBU Alumni Donate N7.2m Laboratory Equipment To Bauchi University

Published

7 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Editor

A group, under the aegis of 2001/2002 Alumni class of Electrical Engineering Department of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, has donated laboratory equipment and furniture to the department.

Speaking during the presentation of the equipment on Saturday, the leader of the delegation, Prof. Nurudeen Umar, said that the equipment was worth N7.2 million.

Umar, who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Kano, said the group felt they should go to the school and make the donation as a sign of gratitude to the school.

“We are here this morning at the Electrical Engineering Department of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi to donate some equipment and furniture to the department.

“We are alumni of this great department class 2001/2002 and we felt we need to give back to the department and that’s why we are here today.

“We donated some items, mostly laboratory equipment and furniture.

“We donated desktop computers along with computer tables, we donated more than 200 tools, we donated office blinds, multimeters, magnifying glasses, sockets and other items that can be used in the workshop.

“Basically, they are laboratory equipment, tools and furniture,” he said.

Receiving the equipment, Prof. Sani Kunya, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, said that the gesture marked another milestone moment for the university at this critical point in time.

“I feel humbled on behalf of the university to have this presentation.

“Not even the presentation but when you look at the amount involved, we really appreciate this gesture.

“This would go down in the history of the department, the faculty and the university as a whole,” he said.

Kunya assured that all what was donated would be used judiciously and highly maintained.