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Tinubu Best Among All 2023 Presidential Candidates, Says Okupe

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Former presidential aide Doyin Okupe has praised President Bola Tinubu as the most suitable candidate among those who vied for the 2023 presidential election.

Okupe made this assertion during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.

Recall that Tinubu emerged victorious in the election, with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party securing second and third positions respectively.

Okupe, who previously served as Peter Obi’s campaign director, expressed his revised perspective, stating that Tinubu is the most capable candidate for the role.

He said “Let me tell you, of all the people that actually ran for President in 2023, by the benefit of hindsight, Bola Tinubu is the best.

“I have seen Peter Obi, I have been with Atiku Abubakar, I also knew Bola Tinubu many years ago. I have not seen him in the last 7 to 8 years, that is not the point but he is the best in terms of capability, commitment and knowledge.”

Okupe contends that assessing the Tinubu administration requires a different lens, given the context of inheriting governance after an apparent eight-year hiatus.

He emphasizes that a mere year is insufficient to gauge the current administration’s performance, urging Nigerians to grant Tinubu the opportunity to excel.

When questioned about any perceived betrayal to Peter Obi, whom he vigorously campaigned for, Okupe dismisses the notion.

He clarifies that his support for Obi stemmed from their shared conviction that a Southern candidate should assume the presidency, prompting their departure from the PDP.

Okupe extensively toured the nation alongside Obi, rallying support ahead of the PDP primary.

However, their efforts didn’t yield results within the PDP, leading both men to defect to the Labour Party, where Okupe assumed the role of director-general for Obi’s campaign.

Subsequently, Okupe resigned from his position following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which found him guilty of accepting over N200 million cash from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

In his resignation letter at the time, Okupe underscored the importance of not allowing personal interests to detract from the campaign efforts of Peter Obi and the party, thus explaining his decision to step aside.

Subsequently, in January, he tendered his resignation from the Labour Party, citing irreconcilable ideological disparities.

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Tragic Building Collapse In R/State Leaves One Dead, Several Injured

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A tragic building collapse in Rivers State has left a middle-aged contractor, identified as Udeme, feared dead after a two-storey structure under construction caved in at the Egbelu Mgbaraja area of Ogbogoro Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

This incident comes just one week after a three-storey building collapsed at the Iriebe axis of the same local government, though that incident fortunately recorded no casualties.

READ MORE: Fire Ravages Ajah Market In Lagos, Goods Worth Millions Lost

The latest collapse occurred on Monday, November 4, 2024, around 2 p.m., with construction workers on site when the structure gave way.

According to eyewitness Mr. Jonathan Obey, the building’s second floor suddenly buckled, trapping Udeme beneath the rubble, while another worker managed to escape with serious injuries.

Obey, who attempted to rescue the trapped contractor, suspected negligence, saying, “We couldn’t reach him despite our efforts. An inspection revealed substandard materials had been used, with the foundation only three feet deep for a two-storey building, which is insufficient. The rebar was of poor quality, and essential supports, such as a center beam, were absent.”

The Rivers State Government has since sealed off the property and declared the developer, Vincent Nwoye, wanted for questioning.

Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, visited the site and expressed his dismay, attributing the collapse to gross negligence.

“This tragedy was preventable,” Bipi stated. “The developer failed to obtain an approved building plan and used inferior materials. The government will ensure accountability and take severe action.”

Bipi extended his condolences to the victim’s family and the Ogbogoro Community, affirming that the government will facilitate the family’s recovery of their loved one’s remains. “We sympathize with the bereaved family and the entire community,” he added.

The Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Samuel Anya, also condemned the developer’s actions, highlighting the dangers posed when profit is prioritized over safety. “This loss is a direct consequence of unethical practices,” he said.

The government has committed to a thorough investigation and tighter regulatory enforcement to prevent further tragedies in Rivers State.

 

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JUST IN: Justice Adeyeye, Ekiti State’s CJ Passes On

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The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon Justice Oyewole Adeyeye has passed on.

The news of his passing was leaked by a reliable source under the condition of anonymity.

The sad incident, according to the source, happened in Ado Ekiti in the early hours of Tuesday.

His death is being traced to a sickness which came upon him following the injury he sustained when a section of the Ekiti State High Court Complex, Ado Ekiti wall collapsed in July 12, 2023.

ALSO READ: #EndBadGovernance Protests: Tinubu Orders Release Of Detained Minors

The late Justice Adeyeye was at the office when the building collapse happened and sustained injuries.

While the state and his family were yet to issue statements on his demise, the Ekiti State Chapter of the Association of International Female Lawyers (FIDA) has sent condolences to the family.

The condolences message read: “With deep sorrow in our hearts and in total submission to the will of God, FIDA Ekiti consoles with the family of the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon Justice Oyewole Adeyeye on his call to glory.

“May He find rest with his maker.

“I pray that God grants the family, the Judiciary and the people of Ekiti State, the grace to bear this irreparable loss.

Adieu great one.”

Justice Adeyeye was born 1960 in Araromi Ugbesi in Ekiti East Local Government of Ekiti State and was called to bar in 1986.

He started his career as a State Counsel in the civil service of the then Ondo State before joining the Ekiti State Judiciary Service Commission shortly after the state was created in 1996.

He was promoted to the position of a judge in the state’s high court in 2002 and has served at different occasions in the election petition tribunal.

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BREAKING: Court Drops Charges Against 76 #EndBadGovernance Protesters

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed all charges against 76 individuals accused of participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.

The ruling came after the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, moved to discontinue the case under orders from President Bola Tinubu.

READ MORE: N1.3trn Fraud: EFCC Arrests Ex-Delta Gov, Ifeanyi Okowa

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, presiding over the matter, struck out the charges after hearing a motion from the AGF’s representative, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) Mohammed Abubakar.

Citing Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, the AGF formally took over the case from the Inspector General of Police, then requested to drop all charges against the defendants, many of whom are minors.

The judge granted the AGF’s application without objection from defense counsel, ordering the immediate release of the accused, who were not present in court.

This decision follows a directive issued on Monday by President Tinubu, instructing the AGF to withdraw charges against the protesters.

 

 

 

 

More to follow………. 

 

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