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Ihedioha Denies Making Statement Against Igbo, Peter Obi
A former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has denied talking down on the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Some reports had on Monday claimed that Ihedioha had called Obi ‘crafty’, and had asked Igbos to wait till 2031 for Presidency.
However, a statement by Ihedioha’s media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, had asked the public to disregard the statement, adding that it was fake news.
The statement dated August 8, 2022 was titled, ‘RE – 2023: Igbos Should Wait Till 2031, Peter Obi is Crafty’.
It read, “Our attention has been drawn to another fake news, with the above caption, circulated in some social media platforms.
“This is one of the many orchestrated efforts by political opponents of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON and their collaborators who are afraid of squaring up against him in the coming elections.
“It is noteworthy that His Excellency did not grant any interview in Abuja or elsewhere as claimed.
“His Excellency is known to acquit himself in the most civil, decent and respectful manner and therefore could not have employed such uncouth words.
“We are aware that the purveyors of these unfounded reports are unrelenting in their desperation to impugn His Excellency’s integrity and reputation.
“The public, therefore, is alerted and indeed advised to kindly ignore and disregard the fake news.”
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, has issued a restraining order against human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi, prohibiting him from further publishing, selling, distributing, or advertising his controversial book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Peter Kekemeke following an ex-parte application brought by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm.
The court’s order extends to Farotimi’s agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, or anyone else involved in the dissemination of the book, whether in hard copy, digital formats, or through electronic or social media channels.
The injunction will remain in effect pending the determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction, filed on December 6, 2024.
Justice Kekemeke also directed the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and other security agencies to seize all physical copies of the book wherever found.
These agencies are required to submit an affidavit of compliance within 72 hours of receiving the order.
In a related case, the Oyo State High Court granted a similar interim injunction against Farotimi, barring him or any associates from further printing or distributing the book.
Justice Mufutau Adegbola issued the order after hearing an ex-parte application filed on December 9, 2024, by Adebayo Adenipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Afe Babalola’s firm.
The Oyo court directed Farotimi’s lawyers to be notified of the motion, which has been adjourned for hearing on January 7, 2025.
An Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT, on Wednesday, skidded off Runway 22 of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, prompting a temporary shutdown of the airport.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the incident, which occurred at 10:05am, adding that five people were on board the aircraft. All passengers were safely evacuated without injury.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, said: “The Airport Emergency Response Team is on the scene along with accident investigators.
“The runway is being cleared and is expected to reopen for operations as soon as possible. We would like to thank the aviation community and the general public for their understanding and patience. We also request that all speculation be put on hold until the preliminary report is released by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).”
The evacuees were taken to the FAAN clinic for medical checks as a precautionary measure. The incident has drawn the attention of aviation stakeholders, while efforts are underway to restore normal airport operations.
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged landlords and property owners not to raise rents and property prices following the inauguration of key infrastructure projects in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area.
While commissioning the Abiola-Ajayi-Ogba and Obawole-Iju-Ishaga road projects on Monday, Sanwo-Olu emphasised that these developments aim to provide relief to residents rather than add to their burdens.
“I appeal to landlords and landowners: do not increase your rents and property prices. The essence of the infrastructure built is to bring relief to the people and not burden residents,” he stated.
The newly inaugurated 643-meter road, featuring a bridge and slip roads, connects areas that were previously accessible only via makeshift wooden bridges requiring a crossing fee.
“I am committed to addressing the long-standing problems of communities, including flooding and commuting. These projects symbolise our dedication to improving Lagosians’ daily lives,” Sanwo-Olu added.
