The Nigerian Xpress was created to fill a niche, says Nwosu

Success Damian:

Nigerian media industry overtime has comparatively flourished doing a yeoman’s job as the fourth Estate of the realm. It has not only succeeded in standing the various administrations in the country on their toes, acting as a watchdog, it has also worked assiduously to contribute its verifiable quota towards nation building and development.

Notwithstanding its huge contributions, the nation’s media industry still faces varied but not insurmountable challenges, the latest being the emergence of social media platforms making it an all comers affair.

In the midst of all these arose a yawning gap needed to be filled no wonder on December 22, 2018, a new paper called The Nigerian Xpress published by The Xpress Publications Limited was born.

The event which held at Colonade Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos attracted crème de la crème not just from the media industry, but also from across the political and economic firmament of Nigeria.

Steve Nwosu, who introduced himself as a Journalist and chief servant of the occasion is the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Nigerian Xpress.

While speaking on the vision driving the new paper, Nwosu maintained that the paper was designed to fill a niche, ”We just feel there is a niche we can fill, that niche is the niche of citizen’s generated copy, citizen’s generated news. Incidentally we came out with dual catch-line, one is news as it breaks and the unwritten one is news as you like it.

“Sometimes sales are dwindling, online is coming up, it might be that there is something the readers want that we are not giving them. So we want them to give us that thing they need, then we put it professionally and then publish, that is one. Then we also want to play strong in politics, and business, that is the edge and we fill there is a space for us to fill in the market; that is why we are coming out and at a time like this too,” Nwosu disclosed.

He went further to reveal other reasons for formation of the paper which include job creation for teeming population, national development, expanding the frontiers of the industry, among other reasons.

Nwosu who assembled an array of seasoned professionals as management of the new paper also disclosed some of the challenges being faced by the media industry. 

He said the media is regarded as the fourth estate of the realm which regrettably has no authority to perform its mandate. “What are the other three estates, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary? All the other arms have budgets allocated to them, but nothing to the media. And yet we are expected to be patriotic and serve this country with the last drop of our blood. They are not even patronizing the media enough to begin with. Adverts are going on now and they are talking of monitoring spending and where everybody has their eyes is the advert runs in the media, they don’t even want pay for anything, they want you to do it free, that is one, major problem is that we are given a responsibility without the necessary funds, without the authority, to carry out those responsibilities, authority in this sense being funds.”

Nwosu averred that reading culture has nosedived abysmally even as the online media is coming up strong, “Online is taking over everywhere. They allow everybody to crash into the industry, then they regard everybody as a journalist, but when there is real problem, they begin to blame the real journalists.”

He decried low investment in the media saying “There has not been any serious investment in the media, nobody is genuinely investing in the media, so we are talking of the problem of declining reading culture, online challenge and low funding of the media. That is why it appears the media is really suffering.”

On the way forward, he said “In the next five years I see us competing favourably with the big national newspapers and may be looking beyond the frontiers of Nigeria.”

On partnership with other individuals he said “We are still looking for partners, what you are seeing is just the sweat of many of us put together and then, you know people don’t like to invest until they see it is on. So we have just done it in a way that we can sustain on our own if they don’t come, but we also have a template for blowing sooner than later, we have a growth pattern charted for ourselves, we are also careful about money bags coming in, but then if it comes we know how to use it, if it doesn’t we know how to move on without it.”

He stated that the platform is going to play strong in online publication, saying “Majority of our reporters are online people, because whether we like it or not it is the way Journalism is going,” Nwosu maintained.

College of Medicine embarks on Health outreach, screens the elderly for healthy ageing

Success Damian:

The Medical team (In the middle are Dr. Ogunyemi and Dr. Olufunlayo) during the Health outreach at Oba Salami PHC, Jibowu Yaba, Lagos, recently

Due to complications arising from old age and the lack of quality health services in Nigeria, the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos has embarked on the screening of people of 60 years and above to ensure quality and healthy ageing.

At Oba Salami Primary Health Centre, Jibowu, Yaba, Lagos, the group in collaboration with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and other concerned health organisations screened over 200 elderly people. The elderly who were at the PHC as early as 9 a.m. underwent eye and dental screening, blood pressures and sugar tests

.

According to Dr. Doyin Ogunyemi, a Public Health Physician, Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos and Coordinator of the Initiative spoke to the Media on the objectives of the outreach. In her words “We are having people in this age bracket (60) and above growing than ever before and it is estimated that we are going to have more exponential growth in this age group, whereas there is little in terms of care for the elderly. So we see them as a vulnerable population, we find out that they have multiple health problems, the need for medication, not able to move around too much, less financing; because they are not working, they are retired.  So we feel if we focus more on them then they would live more quality life,” Ogunyemi stated.

Speaking also on the outreach at the Oba Salami PHC, Ogunyemi said, “Today we are able to offer some services, eye screening, dental screening, blood pressures, blood sugar, we also look out for any cardiac risk. We had health talk that pertains to the elderly and a Physiotherapy session. This is just the beginning with hope we are able to replicate more of this.”

Ogunyemi said that the services were rendered free, even though partnership came from the Oba Salami PHC, Local Council Development Area Medical Health Officer, community mobilizers, SYNLAB, May &Baker, Department of Ophthalmology, Dental and Physiotherapy Departments of LUTH.

On sustainability she said, “We look forward to greater involvement and synergy between the community and the health structures in those communities, so that the health of those elderly will eventually improve; they will have a better quality of life, when the people in the community have better quality of life, then it means that people will be happy, healthier and there will be more productivity. So we see it as a long term thing, we are hoping that next time we will have more people partnering with us so we can render more services to more people,”Ogunyemi stated.

Dr. Tolu Olufunlayo, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community Health and Primary Care, College of Medicine of University of Lagos and an Honorary Consultant to LUTH, spoke on the choice of Yaba for the outreach, “First of all, the head of our department, Prof. Olayinka Abosede, advocated that we be more involved in the surrounding communities which we use as practice areas for our students, both at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.

“So we plan this outreach because our consultant team is working in Yaba LCDA. We work in conjunction with the community health structures, the medical officers, health educators, ward health committee, health staff within Yaba LCDA, they help us to mobilise people to this Primary Health Centre. We found this place a bit suitable to take the crowd that we expected today. We are also here to create awareness about some services that are specifically for the elderly which this community may not be aware of,” Olufunlayo stated.

She said LUTH has a geriatric clinic which serves people who are 60 years and above “It is meant to be for geriatric wellness, primary care and psycho-geriatric, meaning that it is geared towards the elderly’s needs and billed to commence every Thursday, from February, 2019 in Yaba.

Olufunlayo who is also the state chairman of Lagos Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria stated that in addition, the department of community health and primary care also runs an endemic disease clinic at LUTH Community Health Out-patient that runs on Fridays. She reiterated that based on awareness created at the outreach some patients who are probably from Surulere axis can also access that clinic.

The Lords Chosen was born for benefit of mankind, Pastor Muoka

The Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement on December 23, 2018 marked the 16^th Anniversary of the church at the International Headquarters, Ijesha, Lagos, where the General Overseer, Pastor Lazarus Muoka told the people that the church has every reason to celebrate. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports.

Attracting members from all over the world, the 16^th anniversary celebration of the Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry was not just a day for merriment, it was also a day of reviewing the past experiences of the church.

Pastor Lazarus Muoka said the Lords Chosen is a Church established by the Lord, adding that the church is moving from glory to glory.

He added that God’s glory is made manifest in the church because it is His church. Muoka also used the occasion to tell the congregation that better things are ahead.

“Wherever Christ is, there shall be power and glory.

No wonder there was tribulations and persecutions when the Lords Chosen was born, but today, the stone which the builders have rejected has become the chief corner stone.”

While maintaining that the church will continue to ride on the victory of Jesus Christ, Muoka stated that the Lords Chosen would continue to triumph and prevail until the 10 billion soul mission mandate of the church is accomplished. “It has been victory all the way in the past 16 years. The Lord has advanced us.”

Muoka reeled out reasons why the church should celebrate saying “The Lords Chosen was born in a manger at 16, Odunaike Street, Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos in a kiosk just like Jesus who was in a manger.

“Today December, 23 the ministry was born. After The Lords Chosen was born, Harold heard about it and was troubled and he became uncomfortable that a king was born. It was the same thing when Jesus Christ was born.”

The renowned pastor said there was a conspiracy to silence the church. “People poured us water, throw broken bottle at us and shot gun to disperse the worshippers who were coming for night vigil. Even among church leaders there were plans to destroy the Lords Chosen. General Overseas, pastors, evangelists of churches, all manner of people, many claimed they invested in the church and they went to the media both traditional and social media, they did cassettes so that unbelievers would be swayed but God gave us victory.”

The man of God also stated that many of the landlords who locked their gates against the church at inception are now tenants of the church.

He said “All the persecution could be likened to the experience of the Israelites in the land of Egypt, the more they fight us, the more we flourish,” Muoka said.

The revered man of God admitted that 2013 was a challenging year for the Church. “2013 was a challenging year for the Church when a lady and her co-travellers invented tales which she recorded in both audio and video and distributed to the public. Many came claiming to have invested in the church, all in a bid to frustrate and close the Chosen Church.”

He said God established The Lords Chosen Revival Ministry for the benefit of mankind and marshalled out reasons why the church should celebrate. “We can see the great transformation in the church and there is every reason to celebrate. We must appreciate God.”

Muoka maintained that whereas people are dying in warfront, the Chosen of the lord were saved. Through the church the dead came back to life through the power of God. 

“In this church we have hosted ministers, presidents, governors in the past 16 years.”

He said today the Lords Chosen is in all the villages, local governments and states in Nigeria, Asia, America and Europe. “We have thousands of pastors and multitude of worshipper. This international headquarters was a waterlogged area, but today it is an edifice,” Muoka disclosed.

SMS Class of 1998, Ogun State University marks 20yrs/Reunion with pomp

President Adekunle  Adebambo, (middle) cutting the anniversary cake with him are Mr Soji Kolawole,Dr Sade Ayoola, Tunde Odetola, Isaac Majolaybe,  Bukky Fakeye, Oluwatoyin Balogun, and other members during the 20^th Anniversary and Reunion of Class of 1998 Faculty of Social and Management Sciences Ogun State University Ago –Iwoye held at  Colonades Hotels and Resorts Limited in Lagos on 22/12/2018. 

It was pomp and pageantry when on December 22, 2018 at Colanade Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, members, Class of 1998, Faculty of Social &Management Sciences (SMS) of Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago Iwoyi, Ogun State gathered to mark the 20^th Anniversary of their graduation from the esteemed institution. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports.

With an array of members exceedingly doing well in their chosen fields of human endeavor, members of Faculty of Social & Management Sciences comprising seven departments, Accounting, Banking and Finance, Sociology, Business Administration, Economics, Political Science, Geography and Regional Planning departments, decided to come together to collaborate, empower and build a mutual relationship among themselves.

Kunle Adebanbo, a Chartered Accountant and a Banker who graduated from the Economics Department, is also the Coordinator of the group. He said the meeting which was the maiden edition, was designed to bring together SMS 1998 set both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

“This is a global reunion of all of us from that university in 1998, as I speak to you many of us came from different parts of the globe,” Adebanbo said.

Speaking on the reasons for formation of the group he said “There is need to assist ourselves, how can we have positive impact on the school, how can we have impact in the society. To do all this we make sure we network among ourselves, with networking we can bring something from area where there is surplus to where there is need,” Adebanbo stated.

Speaking further he said “We have a responsibility to our school, we can organize lectures, symposia on matters of contemporary interest to the school, we are even planning scholarship for people that finished from the school and want to do their masters broad. The meeting also helps us to be able to meet periodically. It will equally foster legitimate and creative business relationship among our members. More so it brings unity and bonding.

Adebanbo who stated that Technology and social media have contributed a lot in bringing their members together, disclosed that the reunion was intended to be beneficial even to their future generations “We believe this relationship will extend to our children and great-grandchildren, so that they can benefit from this relationship, and also to the society, to provide support to the less-privileged in the society. We also intend to raise fund and have impact on this economy.”

He said education standard is falling, and added that it was part of the reason for the formation of the association in order to add value and improve education standard of their alma-Mata.

Dele Bolade, a graduated of Banking and Finance Department of the institution, and co-coordinator of the association, maintained that many members of their set has grown carrier-wise and reasoned that there is need for collaboration,

According to him “This is the first reunion after graduation in 1998, part of the reason for coming together is that some of our colleagues have been able to grow in their chosen professions, and we realize that in this age there is need for us to bond and to network, nobody is an island. We also realized that many people far from us are the ones benefitting from our mates, so we decided to create a platform in order to add value to ourselves and also impact our society.”

He also stated that the group is working on endowment because that was the only way to bring relief to the school and the undergraduates.

Idegwu Day Celebration holds on December 31, President Buhari Expected

 Success Damian:

The people of Achina Town in Aguata Local Government of Anambra State are set to host the Achina Idegwu Day Celebration, the triennial festivity of Achina community.

In a press release signed and issued to the media by Chief Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina), Chairman of Idegwu Day Celebration and Mr Sylvester Umenduka, Secretary, the event which is looking forward to receiving President Muhammadu Buhari, will hold on December 31, 2018.

According to Chief Umenzekwe, “The event is designed for Achina citizens all over the world to celebrate their forefathers and cultural heritage. Development issues are also championed during the event and people of note in the town and beyond are rewarded by the community based on their contributions to social and human development.”

The occasion which will be chaired by Rotr. High Chief (Dr) Johnbosco Onunkwo (Akaekpuchionwa Umuchu) and assisted by Prince Greg Ezechukwu, will be a celebration to remember.

Among dignitaries expected to make the occasion thick include, His Excellency President Muhammed Buhari, Commander-in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria as Chief Special Guest of Honour; His Excellency Cdre Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe, Special Guest of Honour.

Distinguished Guest of Honour will be His Excellency, Chief Willy M. Obiano (Akpokuedike Global), the Executive Governor of Anambra State; Chief Guest of Honour is His Excellency Sen. Chris Ngige, the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, while the Chief Host will be Sir Barr. Chito Ezeani (Omenuko) President General Achina Town Union.

Among other special guests expected at the occasion include His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashiola, Hon. Minister of Power, Works and Housing; Senator (Dr.) Emmanuel Andy Uba, Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District and Rt. Hon. Eucharia Azodo, Aguata Federal Constituency 1.

Genesis Global holds Harvest of Massive Mercy as Ogundipe says 2019 will be peaceful

It was gathering of the best in Christian religious hierarchy when on December 16, 2018 Genesis Global Church, Alakuko, Lagos held her Annual Thanksgiving Service titled ‘Harvest of Massive Mercy.  Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe took time to x-ray the political firmament of the nation and passed a verdict that 2019 General Election will be generally peaceful. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports.

The service which commenced on a spiritually charged note had Reverend Mother Esther Abimbola Ayayi, Founder, Love of Christ Generation Church, mounting the altar and dishing undiluted word of God.

In an interaction with the media, Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe speaking on the theme of the year’s thanksgiving Harvest of Massive Mercy, said without massive mercy in one’s life one’s message cannot be appreciated and celebrated. “If you don’t have mercy in your life you end up in mess. Nobody is perfect in life, but the bible says I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. When God has mercy on you, he would make you his choice.

“Not all those that are married are married. But those who receive mercy are enjoying their marriages, when you are married and you receive mercy, you enjoy your marriage. When you have children and you have mercy you will enjoy your children, when you do anything and you have mercy you will enjoy it. Mercy is the heavenly perfume that can quench earthly odour. Where I am today, I am enjoying the glory of God and the mercy of God. I did not go to school; I did not go to the University, no polytechnic, but I went to university of adversity, faculty of problem, department of trouble.

“However, I read a lot and I study a lot also, so it is not about school, it is about the transformational mentality about your life, you don’t want to stay where your father stayed, or end where your father ended. And to the glory of God I have been to America, Europe, and have preached there to the glory of God, in some Pentecostal churches and white Garment Churches. I just want the whole world to know that Nigeria just needs the mercy of God. The people needs the mercy of God, the politicians need the mercy of God,” Ogundipe stated.

Commenting of the coming 2019, Ogundipe stated that God is going to be involved, “I have seen so many predictions, 2019 is going to be perfect, I know table is gonna turn because some people that are cabals in Nigeria, they know how they are going to do it. All I pray for is whoever gets there as head should favour us.”

Speaking on the condition in the land Ogundpe said “Even when Shagari was there some people enjoyed, When Muritala was there some people enjoyed, the same with the time of Goodluck Jonathan, some people enjoyed and some suffered. And now that Buhari came in, some people are suffering and some are enjoying. But as long as you’re a carrier of God’s mercy, whoever that comes in, God knows how to set you in,” the young but energetic prophet stated.

Ogundipe also advised politicians saying “My advice to people is, don’t sell your right, don’t sell your conscience, don’t sell your vote and don’t sell the future of your children. Don’t be used as political thugs.

“The politicians should be honest, it should not be a do or die thing, if God says you are going to be there, you will be there, if he says you are not going to be there, you are not going to be there,” he stated.

He also disclosed that Nigeria should have no fear about separation saying “There will be no trouble, we are not going to separate, God is going to step in and there will be peace.”

Ogundipe said God is taking Nigeria through a transformational period, “It may be rough but it is going to be better. God is raising up takeover generation from handing over generation, some people will hand over whether they like it or not, they will grow old, and later they would die.

Ogundipe who advised people against polygamy and domestic violence, saying couples may disagree but should not resort to physical combat. "Anybody that beats his wife is like an unrepentant animal. If a woman come to you she supposed to be a blessing to you. The woman needs to be cultivated, she needs to be motivated, elevated and celebrated. She has gone a lot with her parents, she should not come to your house and begin to suffer,"

He spoke glowingly about the 11 years old church saying, “The church is going places. I went through a lot in life, but if God want to prepare you, he will use people to prepare you, he will use trouble, because until you have challenges you would not know who are surrounding you. God has been the God of again and again and again. He is moving us from one glory to another, it is not about church growth; it is about how many life I am going to affect. I really want God to use me to affect many people.

“Most times there are people in your life to make you, there are some in your life to destroy you, some to bless you and some to debar you from going to the next level.”

He spoke glowingly about the white garment church saying “It is not about church, it is about heaven. It is going to be the biggest and highest abomination to believe that your denomination will determine your transformation; it is not about the church you go, it is about the God you know.

“This is the only Celestial Church that believes so much in transition, no going to river to wash your head, it is about the word of God. I have been able to write seven books, the eighth one is about to come out,” Ogundipe stated.

On the youth population in his church he said, “Any church that does not celebrate the youth has no future, the same thing with a country that does not celebrate her youth. What our leaders need to do is to bring in the youth, bring in their ideas, bring them in and listen to them.”

Prophet Ogundipe who empowered many with hundreds of thousands of Naira during the service said he appreciates people more than money.

“My is to flash back and when I see what I have gone through before, I have gone through a lot in my life, on 24^th of this year, we are sharing about 2000 bags of rice, I don’t care if you are Moslem or Christian. I am enjoying the grace of God and I want to extend it to people because I do not deserve it.”

He said people are not where they supposed to be because they allow others to interrupt their destination and therefore challenged many to perceiver even the situation is rough. 

Allegations of extortion against Enweruzo are false - Directors

Success Damian:

Hon.(Dr) Enweruzo addressing Leaders including Directors and Assistant Directors of Unit2Unit in Lagos recently
Comrade Ernest Sokwue, the Director, Oshodi/Isolo in the former Lagos Atikulated Agenda 2019, and now Director, Unit2Unit Initiative, Oshodi/Isolo LCDA has debunked allegation being made by some of leaders of the Atikulated Agenda 2019 that the Hon. Victor David Enweruzo, the Coordinator, were extorting money from members.

Comrade Sokwue, who spoke to the Unit2Unit Media Team in Lagos, said the allegation was not only unfortunate, but false in its entirety.

He wondered why some misguided elements should make such allegation against Hon. Enwuruzo, who he stressed, had been on the streets day and night with his executive members, mobilising people for the defunct Lagos Atikulated Agenda.

Sokwue maintained that Enweruzo, had risked his life for the Atikulated Agenda, and inspired a multitude of people to embrace the group in Lagos because of his desire to help enthrone good governance under Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate.

He said: “We, who have been working with Dr. Enweruzo, can never believe that credible Nigerians can lay such allegation against such a man of God. Such a thing never happened.

“It was a strange story and it was fraudulent. We cannot accept it because we know the man we are working with. We know Dr. Enweruzo, who has been the driving force of what we have been doing,

“So, I see it as the hand of the devil. They are distracters because they themselves are not real. They are just finding ways to disperse the crowd that are following Enweruzo. Fortunately, we cannot accept such allegation in modern Nigeria.”

Sokwue advised the coordinator to see the allegation from the point of view of a clergyman, without paying evil with evil, but to take it as a child of God.

He added: “That allegation, to many of us, was intended to disorganise what we have achieved all these period.”

He said: “The members have taken a position. The directors have taken a position. If we do not believe in our coordinator, we would not have moved away with him from the collapsed Lagos Atikulated Agenda 2019, to Unit2Unit Initiative.

“If he cannot be trusted, the entire house, the entire 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs would not have moved from Atikulated to Unit2Unit. That single movement is a very big statement that this is a man that can be trusted, and we are looking forward to Nigerians like him.”

Alhaja Jaiye Ola, Woman Leader/Assistant Director, former the defunct Lagos Atikulated Agenda 2019 in Ijaiye/Ojokoro LCDA, now Director, Unit2Unit Initiative for Ijaiye/Ojokoro, said the allegation of extortion against the coordinator was false and quite saddening.

She said: “The allegation of extortion against our coordinator was a white lie. There was nothing like that. Although I am a devoted Muslim and not a Christian, Enweruzo is my mentor.

“When I came to join the defunct Lagos Atikulated Agenda, he was the one I saw. He motivated me. He worked day and night, inaugurating chapters everywhere. He did not collect 10 kobo from anyone, not even a sachet of pure water. No money was given to him.

For somebody to come out with this kind of malicious allegation is so saddening.”

“During the discussion I had with the former Director General, I see him as a scammer. He called me for almost five different times and I had everything recorded. He is a liar. He did not give a dime to the Lagos Atikulated Agenda 2019 through Enweruzo.

“On the day the DG visited Lagos during the rally at the PDP Secretariat, I single handedly bought everything on the high table with my money, including the bottled water, fruit juice and soft drinks.

“Dr Enweruzo, our coordinator is a transparent man. I have never seen someone as transparent as this man. He is making me to have interest in some Christians.’

In conclusion, she urged the members to stay firmly with Dr Enweruzo under the new platform, Unit2Unit Initiative, in the popular move to enthrone Atiku Abubakar.

As PRP candidate I came to Unit2Unit to seek support, Hon. Abdulsalam

Hon. Igagwu Abdulsalam, the Senatorial candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District under the platform of People’s Redemption Party (PRP) was at the Local Government/LCDA Leaders Meeting of Unit2Unit Initiative at Iba, Lagos State on Saturday to seek support for his political aspiration. He spoke to Success Damian. Excerpts:

Sir, why your choice of PRP?

Other political parties have no vacancies for people that have interest of the masses at heart; that is why I am running under PRP. And PRP is the last surviving political party as far as the history of Nigeria is concern; this is a party that has integrity, fear of God and that is why I join them.

Your political antecedent, background

In terms of my political background, I am a follower of all good political candidates. What I do is if I see any credible candidate I vote for him.

Sir where is your inspiration to run for senatorial seat coming from?

There is no organization or country that can survive without a proper law, and if there is no law, the country would be shaking. That is why I took the decision to come as a senator so that I will be able to table bills that will favour the citizens of this great country.

Your manifesto sir

If voted into power I will focus on the youth and women, by making a provision for job create. I will create the enabling environment for job opportunities.

What necessitated your decision to visit Unit2Unit for support, being a pressure group devoted to campaigning for vote for Atiku?

PRP is a God fearing party, and I believe quite well that pressure groups are out to rescue the masses from the current situation in the country now. Without the pressure group, you will not be able to assess the people’s feeling; you will not be able to gather your population, because most of the people in this country have joined the pressure group and they express their feeling that is disturbing them, that is the reason I join them to get their support and also pursue their feeling.

How long have you been in Lagos State?

I have been in Lagos for over 20 years plus.

Do you thing coming from Kogi and living in Lagos, you have a chance of making it politically?

You see the land belongs to God almighty, anywhere you belong to, it is your home. If I am in Lagos and the people know me very well and they have seen my record, they will be able to support me, and I will be able to have fear of God to rescue them from the current situation.

How do you see Lagos under APC for the past 15 years?

The situation of the APC regime, it is a political party that depends on godfather. They are not after the masses, if I should tell you the case of okada riders, okada people voted for the people in power, under the platform of APC, but they gained power and stopped okada not to ply the roads. And when they stopped okada, it is my duty now if elected as a senator, I should be able to ask the sitting governor, who is trying to stop okada riders that are doing their normal business, what is the alternative you are going to give them as you are stopping them?

But because this is APC as a governor, this is APC as a head of state, this is APC as a senator or House of Representative, no body to challenge them. That is why I come under the platform of PRP to counter whatever they are doing to suppress other people in the society.

How do you see the infrastructure claim of Ambode’s Administration?

On infrastructure, none can come out to tell us physically what they have done. All what they are doing is political tactics, trying to deceive the people.

How do you see the APC government at the centre?

There are some areas I will give them credit, but in the area of senate and House of Representatives, they are not given proper representation. If they are giving proper representation I will not force myself to come out for senate seat, because a president cannot be closer to the people, who is your president are the senators and the House of Representatives. But those people are not representing the masses; that is why I came out to ensure we are closer to the grassroots.

What are your campaign strategy considering the enormous fund required for campaigns in Nigeria?

Isha Allah, by the grace of God my campaign strategy is house to house campaign, because I don’t have the financial capacity to share money for people. I tell people if somebody comes to you and give you N10, 000, whatever the person does would not concern you because he has bought your heart. I advise people not to collect, but if you must collect, vote for the right person. I advise people not to vote for the party but personality.

Do you support Restructuring?

Very well, I support restructuring, because Nigeria is too large to be controlled by one person. Since Nigeria is too large, even when the representatives are misbehaving the president may not be able to know; that is why restructuring will be very good to bring the federal government closer to the people.

Any other thing you want to say?

I wish to appeal to the good people of Lagos West Senatorial District to vote me in as a candidate of PRP. PRP is the long surviving party in this country. This is the party that has good reputation, ift they vote me in by God’s will I will not disappoint them. I will ensure all their dues I will fulfill it.

  

Atiku Is Most Qualified To Rule Nigeria Now - Anyigor

Success Damian:

Dr Vincent Anyigor is the National Coordinator, Unit2Unit Initiative, a grassroots-oriented support group for Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the 2019 election. He spoke to Newworldnewsng on the vision of the organisaiton and why it is rooting for Atiku, among other issues. Excerpt:

What informed the formation of the Unit2Unit Initiative?

What informed our decision to form the platform was that in 2015 elections were held in 119,972 poling units and out of those number, we discovered that in  thousands of polling units, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored zero votes. Probing into that, we now discovered that it happened essentially because we did not have enough foot soldiers to protect our votes. So, what we decided was that we are going to come up with something that enables us not just to vote, but protect our votes. That was how Unit2Unit Initiative was formed.

Now, as I speak with you, in all the polling units across Nigeria, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, has said that there is another plan to increase the number of polling units from 119,972 to 180,000. But, the truth is that even if it is 180,000, we will have representatives in all the polling units.

Before now, we had a total of 4.3 million members, and what we encourage our people to do is when you want to nominate a representative at the poling unit level, you nominate a married person. That does not mean we are segregating against the singles. But, the essence is that chances are that 99.9% of them would be able to convince their spouses to vote where they vote.

Like when I was talking with the Jigawa State coordinator, he said, ‘Sir, you are talking about two votes. In my household, we have 47 votes’. And I asked him how, and he explained that he has four wives, and they have children and three of his children have three wives each. And when we calculated it, it was actually about 47 votes.

But then, we are not looking at that; 4.3 million votes multiply by two, that is about 8.6 million. And that is about 63% of the votes PDP scored in the last election.

So, Unit2Unit Initiative, before the recent partnership with former Lagos Atikulated Agenda, and that was also before the partnership with Market Traders Associations in Lagos, has the capacity to produce a minimum of 10 million votes for Atiku. Unit2Unit is not just the most robust group, but the most grassroots-oriented support group backing Atiku.

Would you say that Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President, has the capacity to govern this country?

Atiku Abubakar has the capacity to govern this country, because over time he has proven himself. He is a businessman per excellence. He is a politician of repute. He has integrity, not the type of integrity we are seeing today. Moreover, he is a Nigerian and Nigerians need a Nigerian president. That is why we are supporting Atiku. Atiku has the capacity because he has shown capacity in his business community. And coming on board now, just like the last time we were inaugurating Unit2Unit Lagos chapter, somebody said, that the only reason he is supporting Atiku is because Atiku is a trader. I told him that Atiku has never been a trader. He said, ‘a Customs officer is a trader. And now, Peter Obi still has shops in some of the markets in Lagos, which means two traders are coming to rule Nigeria. Now, when they come, they will understand what it takes to clear containers at the ports.’ That was a personal experience. So, Atiku has the capacity because he has been tested and proven. Atiku is most qualified among the presidential candidates to rule Nigeria now.

Would you say Nigerians are willing to support Atiku Abubakar to victory come the 2019 presidential election?

Nigerians are willing to support Atiku Abubakar. Are you also aware that three weeks ago we launched what is called ‘5million people by N200 for Atiku’? Nigerians are saying, ‘We don’t want to be another praise singers. We want to be part of what is happening. We want to commit our resources.’ People are ready to contribute as much as N1,000 and N3,000. And we said no, it is not about money. It is also about the support base. That is why we brought down to N200 x 5 million people.

How do you see the arrest of some politicians by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)?

The only strategy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is rigging. It will not work this time around. Nigerian people have rejected the current government. They have rejected President Muhammadu Buhari. The only thing they think they can do to whittle the power of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to begin to go after their big shots. This is not going to work. Every single thing they have done, since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on campaigns has been in favour of PDP. If you arrest somebody, you are campaigning for PDP.

Talking about going after the PDP’s big shots, what is your take on the reported freezing of Peter Obi’s account  by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)?

Now why would they wait until now before freezing the account of Peter Obi? What happened to Godswill Akpabio? Godwill Akpabio was one of the most sought after by the EFCC. But, the moment he crossed over to APC, he became a saint. What happened to Oshiomhole? Have they accounted for how their state treasuries wrre emptied? In one of my interview, I told the world that Buhari cannot effectively fight corruption because he is the highest beneficiary of corruption as far as Nigeria is concerned.

I said before the last election, Buhari knew that he had 300 cows. How much is 300 cows? The people who funded his election, where did they get the money from? Of course, they stole it from their various state treasuries. So, if they stole it from their state treasuries, and you do not have the moral standing to come after them, how can you now convince me that you can fight corruption? It is not possible.  They have been stage-managing their fight against corruption. But, we are no longer interested. What we want to do now is to vote them out because that is not the kind of government that will take Nigerian to the promise land,

How do you see the crisis between Adam Oshiomhole, the APC chairman and some of the party’s governors and chieftains?

I don’t see it that way. I see it as God using your enemy to deliver you. God brought Oshiomhole on board because He wants Oshiomhole to work for the PDP. He came and every single thing he has been working is in favour of the PDP. The truth of the matter is that APC is a house divided against itself, and it can never be one. They in APC have the penchant for weakening the strong to strengthen the weak. Meanwhile, this is the first election they are conducting. PDP has been there in the last 20 years. They have not been able to manage there so-called success. The truth is that going forward, they will continue to have this kind of crisis.

Do you think that the PDP can defeat APC in Lagos?

PDP is taking Lagos. Forget the APC propaganda. PDP narrowly missed Lagos in 2015. Let me tell you something. I have said it before that Lagos State has fallen. PDP is taking it this time, no matter how you look at it. Forget what they are telling us, the propaganda they are carrying out now. When the chips are down, you will see that nobody from Epe division will vote for APC, because their son was badly humiliated. And the difference, the margin of defeat in the last election is so small that if Epe division decides to turn their back on APC, PDP will carry the day. Don’t also forget that in the last election, they promised the traders a lot of things, and they never kept any of them. It has proven that Tinubu does not like the Igbos in Lagos State and to that extent, the Igbos are coming together for the very first time to speak in one voice. 2019 is not just another election year. It is about the survival. It is about the soul of Nigeria. What becomes of Nigeria will depend largely on the outcome of 2019. So, no matter how you look at it, the truth is that Lagos State must fall and DP will take over Lagos.

How do you see the claim by the APC that PDP has been experiencing paucity of funds to prosecute the 2019 elections?

Do you mean 14 state governors cannot fund their elections. And if they are funding their elections, are they not funding Atiku’s election? People say all manner of things. When they went to search Atiku’s plane, what were they looking for? They were looking for funds. And why were they looking for funds? Because, they think it is possible the man has money somewhere. But, the man has money somewhere because the man is rich, just like Peter Obi. When information came that EFCC froze Peter Obi’s account and they said they found N400 million, Peter Obi said it is not true. He said:, ‘I doubt that information, because, if they actually went through my account and found anything less than one billion naira, that means someone stole from me’.

So, the truth is there is nothing we needed to do that we have not done. We have over 10,000 support groups supporting Atiku and each of those support groups wants to be funded. Now, the Campaign Council has said it is not going to be business as usual. We fund you based on your strength, like all the support groups, you have seen, at zonal rallies, they are people doing things on their own. The Atiku Presidential Council has not funded any group.

What is your reaction to the issue of Electoral Act Amendment Bill and the controversy over President Buhari’s refusal to give assent to it? Why do you think Buhari does not want to sign the bill?

Before the 2015 presidential election, three days to that election, Goodluck Jonathan signed Electoral Bill into law. Now, the reason for the refusal to sign the bill is just simple. APC and Buhari know that Nigerians have rejected them. And signing this document into law means they have just dug their own grave. Whether they like it or not, they are still going to lose. But, it will be more disastrous if he signs that bill into law. So, what they are actually trying to do is to try and buy time. He said he will sign it, but that it will take effect from next election. Why does it have to take effect from next election if he is not afraid? I remember three times he contested election, he said that our electoral system is false, and needs to be sanitised, that one of the first things he would do if he became the president was to sanitise the electoral system. He came in and three and half years down the line, he has not done that. So, the truth is that he has performed so badly and knows that the only strategy he has is to rig the election, and he will not be able to rig if he sighs the bill into law.

Do you think the National Assembly can override the President’s veto and pass the bill into law?

That would have been an ideal thing for them to do. But, as things stand now, that may be difficult. This is because, the National Assembly, as it stands now, may not easily get the two third votes in both chambers to override the presidential veto, unless the lawmakers will show patriotism.