Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has directed the immediate freezing of all accounts of the state government and those of its agencies domiciled in every bank and financial institution across the state and around the federation.

He has also dissolved all boards of Abia State government agencies and parastatals and ordered the heads of all the dissolved agencies and parastatals to subsequently hand over to those next in line to them.

The governor gave the orders in a statement he issued through his media office on Monday, which was signed by Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

The directive read in part, “With this notice, all banks and other financial institutions in the country are directed to immediately seize from honouring any cheque, document, instrument or directive of any kind not expressly approved by or emanating from him.

READ ALSO: Abia: Why I Accepted To perform At Alex Otti’s Inauguration – Davido

“Similarly, Governor Otti has directed the immediate dissolution of all boards of the Abia State Government agencies and parastatals and subsequently ordered the chief executives of these organisations to hand over to those next in line to them”.

The reporter gathered that the news of the sack of the former chief executives of the dissolved boards sparked celebration among staff of such agencies, especially those who were owed some months of salary arrears.

 

The presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed, are currently in attendance at the ongoing presidential election tribunal PUNCH reports.

Former minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, is also present at the tribunal and appearing as a counsel in the legal team of President Bola Tinubu.

Obi and the Labour Party filed a petition challenging the victory of Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, in the February 25, 2023 Presidential election.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi, LP Must Pay N1.5million To Access Documents – INEC

In the petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, Livy Ozoukwu, lead counsel to LP and Obi, said Tinubu “was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the time of the election”.

Among other allegations, they claimed that Kashim Shettima, vice-president, had a double nomination in contravention of the electoral act.

A proper hearing of the petition commenced on Tuesday and the first witness has been called.

See photos below:

Few hours after he was sworn in as the 16th President of Nigeria, several countries formally presented their goodwill messages and letters of support and solidarity to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The letters were presented to the president by the special envoys and heads of missions of the countries after his inauguration as the 16th President of Nigeria.

A statement issued from the President’s office and signed by Tunde Rahman, listed some of the foreign countries to include the United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Israel, Cape Verde, Somalia and Nicaragua.

While congratulating President Tinubu, the new UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, presented letters from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

READ ALSO: I’ll Support Tinubu On Nigeria’s Economic Growth, Security – Biden

The US delegation led by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia L. Fudge, paid a courtesy call on President Tinubu and had a brief bilateral discussion with him.

Also, the South Korean delegation had bilateral discussions with Tinubu.

While delivering a letter of invitation from South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol for Tinubu to visit their country soon, the delegation also sought sustained relations between the two countries.

The Saudi Arabian delegation delivered a goodwill message from the Saudi Royal House to the Nigerian president.

A special envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida equally paid a call on President Tinubu and extended a hand of support and fellowship.

READ ALSO: Tinubu ‘ll Unveil Cabinet Within 60 Days – Faleke

In the same vein, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a delegation that met with Tinubu and expressed willingness to work with the country in the area of fin-tech.

Others who met with President Tinubu and pledged cooperation with Nigeria included delegations from Brazil, Somali, Cape Verde and Nicaragua.
VANGUARD