By Our Correspondent

Saddened by the death of former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and leader of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),Chief Audu Ogbeh,Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has described his demise as shocking.

Speaker Abbas described the Otukpo, Benue State-born Chief Ogbeh as an elder statesman who spent most of his life in diligence service to Nigeria and the people.
In a condolence message issued on Sunday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krithatthe Speaker noted that not many Nigerians were privileged to so serve the country like Chief Ogbeh.

While recalling how Ogbeh had been a public servant since the late 70s, the Speaker said the Kate elder statesman occupied various offices in the Executive and Legislative arms of the government at the state and federal levels in his lifetime.

In the Second Republic, Chief Ogbeh was the deputy speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly in 1979. He was also the Federal Minister of Communications (1982–1983) and later Minister of Steel Development until a coup ended the Republic in December 1983.

In the Third Republic, Chief Ogbeh was a member of the National Constitutional Conference Commission (1993) and the National Reconciliation Committee (1995).

In the Fourth Republic, Chief Ogbeh was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party and was the national chairman of the PDP between 2001 and 2005.

Later on, Chief Ogbeh was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (2015–2019) by the late former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

He was also the chairman of the ACF between 2020 and 2023.

Speaker Abbas commiseratedcommiserated the Ogbeh family, the people, and the government of Benue State, while extending his condolences to Chief Ogbeh’s colleagues in the parliament and the Federal Executive Councils of the various administrations under which he served.

The Speaker prayed to God to grant Chief Ogbeh eternal rest.

By Our Correspondent

Disturbed by the plot by a splinter group from Northern elites plot to sabotage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term ambition to Aso Rock seat come 2027 election, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), from Osun, has urged political and traditional leaders in Southern Nigeria to protect President Bola Tinubu’s interest.

Speaking to newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye said Tinubu deserves to enjoy the support of the North for his second term bid, having supported its political cause.

He, however, expressed concern that a splinter group from the North often form itself into a clique whenever a Southerner is the President and use every available means including blackmail to destroy his government.

According to him, this has been recurring and the nation’s political history won’t forget the kind of intimidation Southern President often suffered in the hands of very few men from the North who always mount serious opposition to the reelection bid of such President.

“But in the case of President Bola Tinubu, he has done enough to get the support of the major power block in the North.

“Therefore, the time has come for the region to further put the tiny few behind the mischief being plotted against the President where they really belong.

“These individuals are self appointed leaders of the North, so the region’s recognised political leaders and royal fathers can’t continue to watch the trend and allow blackmail against Tinubu to gain traction,” Oyintiloye said.

He further called on political leaders and traditional rulers from Southern Nigeria not to make themselves available for some rejected politicians from the North who are plotting against Tinubu.

He said, “And this is the more reason the Southern leaders must rise and rally support for the President.

“This support is necessary to put an end to the consistent, negative political trajectory that second term bid, whenever a Southerner is the President, often follows.

“They should shield the President against unwarranted attacks from just a handful politicians from the North.”

He also appealed to the His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who is Chairman of the Council of Southern Traditional Rulers, and the co-chairmen, Obi of Obinugwu, Cletus Illomuanya, and King Jaja of Opobo, Dandeson Jaja, with the Secretary of the of the council, Benjamin Ikenchuku Keagborekuzi 1, Dein of Agbor, to champion the support for the President within the region and work with their colleagues from the North to ensure victory for Tinubu in 2027.

“I also want to advise ex President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Prof. Wole Soyinka, former President of the Nigeria Senate, Ken Nnamani, and other Southern elders, to rise to the occasion and stop repeat of negative history.

“They should defend Southern Nigeria from the few Northern power mongers,” he further said.

By Our Correspondent

Barely six days to the by-election for Onitsha North 1 constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly slated for 16 August, this weekend, the Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Princess Njideka Ndiwe, has warned the electorate not to call her on phone again for assistance if they fail to deliver her.

Giving this warning during the party campaign rally flag off held at Washington Memorial Grammar School, Inlandtown Onitsha, the YPP House of Assembly hopeful disclosed that the electorate pleaded to her to come out and contest assuring her that her philanthropy will see her through.

“I didn’t want to come out but you people insisted that I should come out that you will deliver me because of my philanthropic gesture. Now that I have come out if you don’t deliver me don’t call me on phone again for assistance because I will not listen to you.

“I have been assisting people by empowering them especially the down trodden without asking for anything in return until now that you have asked me to contest. I have given out motorcycles, tricycles and vehicles to people even before now and most of you can attest to it

“So it is about a week now for the by election and it is for you to decide. This rally is not ordinary flag off, the down is cast, there is no going back”she stated.

Having come from the same Ogbeoza village, Onitsha, where the killed former lawmaker representing Oniitsha North 1 constituency, late Hon. Justice Azuka came from, Pricess Ndiwe urged the constituents to vote for her as a substitute to the late lawmaker who was her brother.

Speaking, the gubernatorial candidate of YPP in the state, Sir Paul Chukwuma, stressed the need for the electorate to vote for Princes Njideka to enable her continue from where the late Azuka stopped.

He lamented that the state government has not shown any remorse over the untimely death of the late lawmaker whose seat has been declared vacant by INEC which prompted the contest for replacement.

He said it was a sign of failure on the part of the government to protect lives and property of its citizens adding, “If a person like the late Azuka could be killed, what will happen to the common man in the street”..

The YPP gubernatorial candidate urged the people to vote for him come November 8 and vote Njideka this week Saturday, being 16, August to help better their welfare adding that crime wave in the state is in the increase.

In his contribution, the state chairman of YPP, Dr Chinedu Umeadi, pleaded to the people to vote for the YPP state House of Assembly candidate, Njideka, as they will be assured of dividends of democracy

“She has been assisting by empowering the people when she is not a lawmaker, then it means if she wins the kind gesture will be more than when she is not a lawmaker,” he said.

The chairman of ward 8, Chief Ikechukwu Oforkansi, expressed satisfaction with the flag off of the campaign and assured Njideka of 100 per cent vote pointing out that her previous achievements will speak for her as they surpassed those of her opponents on the House of Assembly race.