It was further discovered that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa paid a total of N150, 000,000 ( One hundred and fifty million Naira) from the Directorate of Government House and Protocol account to NDUKA OBAIGBENA, the founding Chairman of Arise Global Media Limited.
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It was discovered that the payment was described as being for ‘Media Partnership with Arise Global Media Limited. Nduka Obaigbena is a Duke of Owa Kingdom (a traditional title holder)and kinsman of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
There was no evidence of work done” – being part of a Petition against GOV. IFEANYI OKOWA by APC, Delta state, addressed to the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Offences Commission, dated 20 February, 2023 and signed off by its Secretary, E V Onojeghuo Esq.
(See Page 28, THE NATION of Wednesday, 22 February, 2023).
Nigerians will now understand why the APC presidential candidate flatly refused to honour their television station with his presence.
It is Sunday, 26 February, 2023 and Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s election as the new Nigerian President MUST have happened, at least, 24 hours earlier than you are reading this.
The Almighty God must have had Bola Ahmed Tinubu in mind when He said in His word: 2 Timothy 1:7 that He has “not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”.
Twice did Tinubu head, all the way, to the historic city of Abeokuta, not only to out the plans of the enemy, but to confound, and put them to shame; and to make that come true which He also said of him in Psalms 6:9-10:
I have heard your cry for help and I have answered your prayer. All your enemies will be discomfited and troubled. They will turn and suddenly leave in shame”.
All these is why the ever perspicacious Yorubas say: ‘eni Olorun da ko se fara we’, meaning that a child of God is absolutely beyond comparison.
What did they not do?
What evil did they not plan?
To how many, other than Tinubu, did they not promise the presidency?
Was it former president Goodluck Jonathan, to whom they went, from the highest quarters, to woo, even when the decent gentleman – a minority of minorities – was still thanking God for the opportunity God gave him to rule Nigeria, or was it the political neophyte, Godwin Emefiele who, having turned the Central Bank to their plaything, they didn’t try to foist on Nigeria as if the country is a banana Republic?
They did not stop there.To Senate President Ahmad Lawan they also went, he who Tinubu almost singlehandedly paved his way to high office.
But, of a truth, God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to behold as that happened long after God had posititively used Lawan to partner with House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and other well meaning members of the National Assembly to CAST IN STONE, the impossibility of President Muhammadu Buhari naming a consensus presidential candidate for the party as some had planned.
This was because the Electoral Law, 2022, made it mandatory for every contestant to signify, in writing, his/her acceptance of a consensus agreement.
Even back home, in Tinubu’s own Southwest geo- political zone where he had been the political lodestar, mentor and boss for decades, there still emerged some unforgiving enemies, who are not only permanently plotting but, forever, grandstanding like they own us.
However, unlike many in Yoruba land who will find it extremely hard to forgive our one-time leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, I would rather empathise with him. Here, in case you’ve forgotten, was a once formidable political titan whose name we used to swear with in these parts, but who Tinubu has, for decades, irrepairably banished to political Siberia in the region, if not in Nigeria.
Our people merely sniggered when Papa announced his endorsement of Peter Obi as it actually amounts to nothing beyond the motor spare parts markets in Yoruba land.Tinubu was back in Abeokuta to, once again, expose the enemies’ shenanigans after they had come up with the worst lie ever against him.
They allegedly went to the Villa and convinced the president thatTinubu had distributed trillions of Naira to buy votes. Having given his word to leave a legacy of transparent election, the president apparently brought their story and approved what APC governors have appropriately described as the ‘Emefielian & co Naira confiscation’ policy.
The enemies went gaga, believing they had seen Tinubu and APC’s back. These well known wailers immediately went to town celebrating President Buhari, a man they had hitherto described in the most lurid of language, consigning his near 8 year tenure into Armaggedon.
Atiku, Peter Obi, amongst others, now started to speak from both sides of their mouth, but the more pauperised and penniless Nigerians became, the more they knew those who had coyly led the president to the cul de sac.
Things turned awry for those who planned to make APC the peoples’ enemy in order to demarket the party and its presidential candidate ahead the election when 3 APC governors headed straight to the Supreme Court, not only denouncing the wicked execution of an otherwise good policy but asking the President to withdraw it as it is not an APC policy.
The Supreme Court, with its ears to the ground, and seeing the ruinous effect on the citizenry, promptly acquiesced, ordering that the status quo ante should remain – that is, that the policy be put on hold.
It[i] speaks to the villainy of the enemies that they could not appreciate the fact that had.Tinubu and the APC intended to buy votes, they would not have severally traversed the length and breadth of this huge country, selling their very detailed Manifesto of Renewed Hope.[/i]
But Nigerians saw through them. Realising that the policy left millions of Nigerians penniless, pauperised and, indeed, actually dying on queues, lining up to be paid as little as N5000, turned with sumptuous curses on the originators of the torridly executed policy.
But since Tinubu’s candidature has the imput, and the blessing of God, the refrain, all over the country, particularly in the North today is: money or no money o, Tinubu is the candidate we are voting for. It is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.Halleluyah
The Ogbogbo – Ijebu Boy Turns 75 How. time flies?
This time 5 years ago the entire Ogbogbo – Ijebu community was a beehive of activities as family, friends, admirers, but especially his mates at both Loyola College and the Great UI, both of Ibadan, trooped out to celebrate one of their own – the ever genial, winsome and absolutely reliable Chief Olumuyiwa Runsewe.
On that occasion 5 years ago, this entire column was dedicated to my friend of exactly 55 years having both first met at the then BOYS’ WATERING POINT in Ibadan – that is COCOA HOUSE, fittingly one of the Avatar’s (AWO) indelible hallmarks in the region. Since then, Muyiwa and I have been like 6&7.
All I shall do on this momentous occasion – as all Nigerians await the formal, ‘sure as day follows the night’ election of Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the JAGABAN BORGU, as the President of Nigeria, is wish my friend God’s abounding grace.