The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has explained the absence of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, from rallies and town hall meetings of its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Bello was appointed as the National Youth Coordinator of the PCC by Tinubu on September 18 but has not been seen at any of the party’s campaign

The appointment, which was officially conveyed in a letter that carried the signature of the APC candidate, stated that the governor was chosen because of his impressive political achievements and exemplary leadership.

Giving reasons for his absence, the APC said, “We understand that he was appointed as national youth coordinator to help galvanise support for Tinubu in Kogi and other states in the North-Central region. But what we have been seeing from him so far is unimpressive.

“He only goes about calling himself ‘White Lion’ but not participating in all the rallies. Even that young Seyi Tinubu has done more than him in terms of youth mobilisation in the last two months. He has not justified his inclusion in the PCC at all,” an APC member told our reporter.

When asked for reaction, chief spokesman for the APC PCC, Festus Keyamo, dismissed the report, saying that it was obvious many people did not understand the effort Bello had put into the campaign.

“I spoke with Yahaya Bello yesterday and I can say he is one of the best strategic planners we have. With what he has set now, by the time he explodes, Nigerians will know.

“You know he heads a very strategic department and he is more than ready for the campaign 100 per cent.”

The post Why Yahaya Bello Has Been Absent From Tinubu’s Campaign — APC appeared first on Germane Reporters.

Nollywood actress turned politician, Funke Akindele, has finally given a hint on why her marriage to singer JJC Skillz collapsed.

The actress, who has been mum since her husband announced their separation months ago, said their views on marriage didn’t align.

According to her, there is no point waiting in marriage if they do not think alike.

She said, “Well, the truth is our dreams and vision of what our marriage should be just no longer aligned. And efforts to make it work all fell on deaf ears, so why hang around.”

JJC Skillz months ago in a post on Instagram and Twitter, said they have been having issues for years and their marriage is beyond repairs hence his decision to leave the marriage.

Prior to that, JJC Skillz’s son from a previous relationship threatened to reveal their dirty laundry to the world. He revealed that the actress is not who we believe her to be.

According to him, she is abusive and doesn’t respect her husband.

The post Why my husband and I separated – Funke Akindele appeared first on Germane Reporters.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun the distribution of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the remaining parts of the country, including the North-East and South-East states.

The Commission began the airlift of BVAS to states amid security concerns over the safety of the electoral equipment.

Confirming this, the Commission, on it’s social media handles, reported that the Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, supervised the airlift at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday.

This is after INEC earlier, in November, confirmed to newsmen that the North-East and South-East zones were yet to receive BVAS.

The North-East states affected include Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe; while the states in the South-East are Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Festus Okoye, had told newsmen in November that the non-delivery and non-receipt of the BVAS by the two zones had nothing to do with insecurity.

He explained “The commission has planned and will continue to plan all the activities relating to the conduct of the 2023 general election. The procurement of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, their delivery and deployment have been carefully designed and planned by the commission.

“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System was designed in-house by the commission’s engineers and is being fabricated outside the country. The manufacturers have kept faith with the timelines and schedules of production and delivery as handed over to them by the commission. The commission has started receiving the deliveries from the designated airports and for designated states; and these have equally been delivered to some of the states of the federation.

“Presently, the consignments meant for the North-East and South-East have not been received by the commission and could not have been delivered to the states.

The post INEC Begins Deployment Of BVAS To Northeast, Southeast appeared first on Germane Reporters.

FAMILIES of a former staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Segun Akinmeji, who was kidnapped under suspicious circumstances for the past 21 months, have appealed to Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to seek his whereabout.

They lamented that their son had only retired home to contribute to the economic development of his country and help reduce unemployment as a responsible citizen by investing millions of Naira in the state but was preyed upon by the wicked.

Mr Akinmeji (62yrs), who retired from NNPC and got all his retirement benefits in December 2020 as a director and top management staff, a native of Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State, was abducted alongside two of his workers.

Other victims are: Mr. Azeez Sikiru, a bricklayer and a tiler identified as Ibrahim, who were said to be kidnapped alongside their boss by unknown gunmen at his farm located in Iju-Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday January 30, 2021.

The “Guardian” reported that it was the last Saturday of the month and environmental sanitation day, which restricts human and vehicular movement from 7:00am to 10:00am monthly. The whereabout of the trip has since been a mystery.

While speaking to our correspondent in Akure, the family spokesperson and representative of the Akinmeji family, Mr. Samson Akinmeji, lamented that the entire family in Irele Local Government Area of the state have been thrown into despair for the past 657 days.

Akinmeji, who is a brother to the former NNPC staff, recounted that the immediate family and wife of the victim told the family that they were kidnapped on January 30 while sources in Iju reported that it was on January 15, 2021.

He narrated that “The circumstances surrounding their sudden disappearance for the past 21 months show that it was an abduction orchestrated by persons that are very close to him, not leaving the immediate family and workers on the farm out of any benefit of doubt.

“Mr. Akinmeji just retired from NNPC service in December 2020 and the kidnappers must have beeen aware that he just got his pension and gratuities, which will definitely be a huge amount of money.”

He added that “On that fateful day, all the regular staff of the farm, who had accommodation on the farm, were also absent; giving suspicious alibi as defence from the scene of crime.

“Being a sanitation day, Sikiru, who has been working on the farm and close confidant with Mr Akinmeji, contacted two other persons to work on an ongoing project in the farm. The three persons are: Sikiru, Ibrahim and one Aliu Akeem; they left earlier to the farm on Sikiru’s motorcycle before sanitation began by 7:00am.”

According to him, “It was revealed by tracking on Mr Akinmeji’s line that Sikiru, who was the head job-man, called his boss severally, perhaps waiting for him to come.

“It was learnt that the farm owner got there between 11:00pm to noon; and the unknown gunmen pounced on them shortly he arrived the farm. So, it was premeditated.

“The unknown gunmen whisked away three out of the four persons they met on the farm: Mr. Akinmeji, Sikiru and Ibrahim, while Akeem managed to escape the abduction. He ran away with Sikiru’s bike, reported at Iju Police Station but with a fake name; and disappeared into the thin air for many months.

“He neither returned to Sikiru’s wife to report the incident nor return her husband’s motorcycle,” he revealed.

Speaking on the complicity of the kidnapping, as reported by the wife, Mrs Comfort Akinmeji, he added that “The police sprang into action and organized a search party alongside Amotekun Security Outfit, local hunters and OPC members to no avail.

“In one of the searches, after the kidnappers had contacted the family members for N100m ransom, an OPC member, who was later discovered to be a former staff of the farm owner, was overzealous and didn’t wait to be teamed amongst the search groups: went alone to the bush and was killed by the kidnappers.

“After awhile, the search groups returned to the rendezvous, where they had departed, but the deceased OPC member was missing.

“They went back to the bush to look for him but found him murdered in cold blood under suspicious circumstances: his face was covered, his hands and legs were tied, and was shot at very close range.”

He revealed further that “As confirmed by the immediate past Commissioner for Police, Mr. Bolaji Salami, the OPC member must have identified the kidnappers, who killed him to cover up their tracks and identities.

“The kidnappers only contacted the family the first week of February and the ransom was negotiated to N20m, which was raised by relatives overseas and well-wishers at home.

“While speaking with family members from the kidnappers’ den, my brother asked the family to give his abductors whatever they wanted, informing them that his captors were people who know him very well and know that he could afford their demands.”

He disclosed that the attempt to pay random was to no avail, lamenting that the security agencies failed to give a clue on the whereabout of the former NNPC staff. He also expressed frustration at the huge money spent at Anti-Kidnapping Units of the police that yielded no result.

Meanwhile independent investigation, however, revealed that the farm owner, Mr Akinmeji and his two staff, were not kidnapped on Saturday January 30, 2021 as claimed by the wife but Friday January 15, 2021.

Sources in Iju, the town where the farm is located, reported that the incident became public on February 2, 2021 after the OPC man was killed by the suspected kidnappers.

According to them, the wife and immediate family of the victim also resumed operations at the Iju farm few weeks after her husband and their father was still declared missing, spiking the suspicion of the people against them.

Some residents of the town, who spoke to our correspondent under anonymity terms, mentioned that the farm owner had been released to his wife Comfort, who was said to have taken him to unknown destination for treatment.

Also, the Monarch of Iju Town, on several occasions noted that the farm owner had been released to his wife, Comfort, whom the family alleged of undermining every move to unravel the mystery behind her husband’s disappearance.

The brother of the ex-NNPC staff, Samson, confirmed that the wife did not inform any member of the family that his husband was kidnapped until the OPC member was killed and the news went viral across the state.

“There is also a conspiracy theory that suggested that Mr. Segun Akinmeji has been released by the kidnappers but hidden by his wife and children. Some people in Iju town, where the farm is situated, believe that he has been released to his wife and children.

“And whenever family members at home and overseas call them on efforts to rescue him, the wife and children would scorn them, responding with ease that their father and husband will soon come home but nowhere to be found for the past 16 weeks,” the brother said.

He lamented that several efforts made to reach the police, Amotekun Corps and other security agencies in the state did not yield any fruitful result, alleging the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Alagbaka, of conspiracy.

“The family was asked to bring N250,000 to track the phone of the victims and suspects, but till today we did not get any reasonable results on the call-logs from the police. Even the Department of State Security (DSS) and Amotekun Corps left the family in the lurch.

“Several letters were submitted at the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, to register our frustrations and seek the prompt intervention of the state government. But it appeared there was a deliberate move to jeopardize our efforts to rescue our kinsman.”

He lamented that the sister-in-law, Comfort, who hails from Cross-River State, alongside her children, had not been cooperating with the family in the bid to find the missing man, revealing that their attitudes point to the fact that they have skeleton in their cupboard.

The family appealed to Ondo State government, DSS, police, NSCDC, Amotekun Corps and other relevant security agencies to wade into the matter to unravel the circumstances surrounding the mysterious disappearance of their kinsman.

“Our son and brother is the pride of the family and Ondo State at large and should not just be missing like that without any clue to his whereabouts. He is a benefactor to everyone that came his way and we cannot afford to miss such a rare gem.

“We appeal to the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to intervene in this matter. Our ‘Talk-and-do-Governor, should re-open this matter by keeping the security agencies on their toes, especially the Amotekun Corps that have been unraveling such security matters in the state.

“For years, he has been managing diabetes and keeping him perpetually away from home would further complicate his health condition. Mr Governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, help us bring back our kinsman.”

The post 657 days away, family Demand Whereabout Of Ex-NNPC Director, Two Staff. Accuse Security Agencies in Ondo Of Complicity. *Appeal To Governor Akeredolu To Fish out Perpetrators, Rescue Kinsman. appeared first on Germane Reporters.

Nigeria Police Command in Plateau State on Wednesday (today), confirmed the presence of g

Gunmen attacked Maikatako, a small community in the Bokkos local government area of the Plateau State, leaving about nine persons dead.

This was confirmed by the Plateau State Police Command on Wednesday.

The assailants stormed the village at night on Tuesday leaving scores of people severely injured after killing others.

A resident of the community who identified himself as Godwin Malan told newsmen that the victims of the incident are mostly women and children.

He said vigilantes were able to repel the attackers, but that they had already burnt a compound and no one knew that people were still inside the compound.

“The casualties were from that compound. The community contacted security, and they came but it was already late,” Malan said.

Confirming the incident in a statement on Wednesday morning, the State Police Command through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo said “It is true that an incident happened there, the DPO there responded with his team and were able to push back the bandits but some people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.

“As of yesterday, about seven people with gunshot wounds were taken to the hospital, our men are still tracing the bandits so I can’t reach the DPO on phone for an update. I don’t want to give inaccurate information but once I speak with the DPO about the death of some people, I will let you know.”

The post Gunmen Kill Nine, Injure Others In Plateau Fresh Attack appeared first on Germane Reporters.

Akinfolarin Ogunseyi , the brother to ex Olori Naomi was arraigned and charged on three count charges ranging from forgery and conversion of money at the state High Court sitting in Akure on Tuesday.

The offences are said to be punishable under sections 467 and 390(8)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol 1 Laws of Ondo State 2006.

Akinfolarin pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

The charges read: “That you, Ogunseyi Akinfolarin, fraudulently convert the sum of N26m being proceeds of the sale of plots of land belonging to Atibuti Oni at Akure, Ondo State.”

Prosecuting Counsel, DSP Osoobu Itunu, said they were ready to open the case as all witnesses were ready to testify.

Presiding Judge, Justice Yemi Fasanmi, adjourned the case to January 9, 2023 for commencement of trial.

The post Ex Olori Naomi Ogunwusi’s brother was arraigned At The State High Court on Tuesday In Akure, The Ondo State Capital For Forgery appeared first on Germane Reporters.