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LEADERSHIP Journalists’ Arrest, Signs Of Things To Come – ACN

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has strongly and unreservedly condemned the arrest of four LEADERSHIP newspaper journalists by the police, apparently acting on orders from above, for no reason other than for carryingout their constitutionally-assigned role.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said
the arrest, over a story the government has refuted, is the worst attack against press freedom under the Jonathan
Administration, and a sign of the seemingly-inevitable descent into dictatorship by an increasingly-desperate presidency.
 
It said the arrest is also a sign of things to come, warning that the Administration will increasingly seek to tamper with
press freedom as it pushes its do-or-die plan to stay in power, with or without the people's votes.
 
ACN said the alleged vow by the police not to allow the detained journalists to leave until they have revealed the
source of their story has shown that the Leadership's story - on the plan by the presidency to scuttle the merger of
progressives and target key leaders of the emerging All Progressives' Congress (APC) - is indeed true.
 
''Why will the police, and by extension those who are playing thepuppeteers in this case, be interested in the source of a
story that the government has described as fake? This confirms thesaying that anywhere one sees a 'no thoroughfare sign', there is indeed a road!
 
The party also criticized the police for pushing the detained journalists to act against the ethics of their profession by
disclosing the source of their story, and hailed the journalists for rejecting such request and the newspaper's management for standing by its story and refusing to be cowed.
 
''We demand an immediate and unconditional release of the detained journalists and the tendering of an unreserved apology to them. And if the police is convinced that the journalists have broken any law, it should charge them to court. After all, the police cannot be the accuser and the judge at the same time.
 
''To the Jonathan Administration, we say no government, whether elected or not and irrespective of its level of brutality, has
ever won any battle against the media, and this administration will not be the first!'' ACN warned.

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Ekiti Govt Will Immortalise Late Deputy Gov, Says ACN Chairman

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) controlled Ekiti government will name an important structure after the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, who died on Saturday, April 6.

Chief Jide Awe, the Chairman of the state chapter of the party, made the remark while briefing newsmen in Ado Ekiti on ``The Stand of ACN on the late deputy governor's death".
 
Awe described late Olayinka as a strong pillar of support for the party and government.
He said Olayinka had already immortalised herself by raising the standard of politics in the state to an enviable height.
“There will be one or more monuments that will be named after late Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka by the Ekiti State Government for her numerous contributions and supports to politics."
 
Awe debunked the rumour making the rounds that the deputy governor's death was spiritual, saying that she died of cancer.
When asked to comment on the nature of Olayinka’s death, Awe said, ``for us in the ACN, we all know, she battled with cancer but could not survive it."
 
He described her death as a ``big blow to Ekiti ACN and Nigeria as a whole, adding ``this is indeed a sad moment in the history of Ekiti’’.
 
“We want to tell you that we will miss her for a very long time to come," the party chairman said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, has described Olayinka’s death as ``devastating''.
 
In a statement, the lawmaker expressed shock and disbelief over the sudden death of the deputy governor.
“Her death is very devastating and sad. In fact, I am short of words,’’ she said.
 
The lawmaker said the late deputy governor was a loyal and hardworking deputy to her governor as well as to the people of Ekiti.
 
She said Olayinka’s death at a time the state was witnessing tremendous growth and development was very sad.
Dabiri-Erewa said the late deputy governor would be remembered for her humility and reservation as well as emancipation of women.
 
“I condole with her husband, family, government and people of Ekiti over her demise,’’ she prayed. (NAN)
 

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No Amount Of Blackmail Will Stop OPC From Resuscitating UPN – Fasehun

The President, Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun, says no amount of blackmail will stop the congress from resuscitating the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

Fasehun said this on Monday in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos.
He also urged politicians not to make comments which are capable of heating up the South-West geo-political zone.
Fasehun lamented the recent comments credited to a political party on the resuscitation of UPN founded by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
 
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fasehun was the Chairman of the Committee for the Resuscitation of UPN.
 
In his statement however, Fasehun said the ``UPN is an idea whose time has come. And no amount of blackmail will stop it.
“Those resuscitating UPN are committed to the legendary ideals of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which always made the human person the centre piece of government policy. Like Awo, they are committed to the delivery of free, qualitative and affordable education and healthcare. We know how far they can go.''
 
Fasehun debunked insinuations that OPC had bagged a monthly N2.4 billion pipeline protection contract.
He said he had earlier addressed the press on the intention of OPC to stem pipeline vandalisation in the South West.
“OPC was only toeing the line of private security agencies formed by militants in the Niger-Delta who secured pipeline-protection contracts in their area. Equity and Federal Character dictate we should get a similar contract.
 
“And unlike the billions of Naira rampantly stolen from state allocations by politicians in authority in this part of the world, the pipeline contract will feed tens of thousands of families.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Government is yet to reply to our proposal, although we have been to Abuja to defend our proposal at several interviews,’’ Fasehun explained.
 
He said the congress had in October 2010 furnished the Federal Government with a comprehensive proposal to provide security for petroleum pipelines in the South-West.
 
The OPC president said this was in the wake of various incidents of pipeline vandalisation and oil theft.
“Nigeria loses a significant chunk of its revenue to pipeline vandals, apart from the social dislocation and loss of lives and properties resulting from vandalised pipelines. Everyone knows that OPC has the network, commitment and discipline to render this legitimate and patriotic service to protect pipelines.
 
“Not only will it provide jobs for about 30,000 Nigerians, it will satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians that oil be produced and pumped through local refineries and pipelines in order to guarantee a reasonable pump price,’’ he said.(NAN)
 

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Oshiomhole Lie To Nigerians Over Date Of Birth – Edo PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo has accused Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of lying over his actual date of birth.

Chief Dan Orbih, State Chairman of PDP, made the accusation at a press briefing on Monday in Benin.

Orbih was reacting to the recent celebration of the governor's 60th birthday, which Orbih said should have been 61th birthday as the governor's official birthday was April 4, 1952.

According to Orbih, Oshiomhole has consistently claimed 1953 as the year of his birth

“But sometimes in May, 2012, Oshiomhole deposed to an affidavit in an Edo High Court that he was born on April 4, 1952.

"In the history of the world, no one was born two times. But this is happening in Edo State.

``This, to us is perjury. This to us is unacceptable. This to us is labour rascality. You can never deepen democracy on falsehood or by telling lies to the people,'' he said.

Orbih stressed the need for Bishop Matthew Kukah  to conduct a confession mass for Oshiomhole.

``The documents we have in our possession are enough to send Oshiomhole to prison," Orbih said.

According to him, former Speaker of House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari and late Senate President, Chief Evans Enwerem were duly sanctioned for  a similar offence.

The PDP chairman called on Oshiomhole to resign in honour and hand over to the Deputy Governor in light of the alleged inconsistencies in his year of birth.

Orbih further said that in view of this alleged deceit, Oshiomhole could never be seen as deepening democracy for public welfare.

Reacting to the allegation, the Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Mr Kassim Afegbua, said that this is the first time Oshiomhole was marking his birthday.

“Actually when Oshiomhole saw 60 years celebration on printed documents, he was disappointed saying he was 61 not 60 years.

``The error was from the printers. Governor Oshiomhole is 61 years old. It is difficult to amend the invitation cards and other documents which were already distributed.

``He had never claimed 60 years, he corrected the mistakes in some of the daily newspapers like The Sun,'' Afegbua said.

He said the PDP in Edo was capitalising on the error to seek public attention.

 

 

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