News
Enugu People Couldn’t Have Possibly Voted for You, Oriental Lawyers for Justice Replies New Governor
The leading non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Enugu State, Oriental Lawyers for Justice, has responded to claims by the newly sworn-in state governor, Peter Mbah, that Enugu people voted for the Labour Party in four of the five rounds of votes in the 2023 general election but cast their lot with him and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the gubernatorial one held on March 18.
“There is nothing positively special about you and there is no way our people could have elected to pitch tent with the PDP after 24 years of state capture by the party”, the lawyers declared in a statement today in Enugu signed by its chairman, JohnBosco Aninwede, and the secretary, Mrs Ifeoma Ejike.
The Labour Party won seven out of the eight House of Representatives seats and two out of the three senatorial seats in the National Assembly election conducted on February 25 and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, got 88.7% of the 456,424 votes in the presidential election held the same day.
The party won 14 out of the 24 House of Assembly seats election on March 18 while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) controversially declared PDP’s Mbah the winner of the governorship contest held the same time.
Stated the Oriental Lawyers for Justice: “The last time you were in the news before you joined the governorship race was when the President Goodluck Jonathan’s government accused your Pinnacle Oil and Gas Company Ltd of deep involvement in the oil subsidy scam, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leading the charge.
“The Enugu people were not surprised because you had earlier been slapped with 31 offences by the EFCC following your role as the Chief of Staff and later the Commissioner for Finance under the Dr Chimaraoke Nnamani government from 2002 to 2007.
“You had a running battle with the EFCC for a whole 10 months which ended when Dr Nnamani reached a plea bargain deal with the anti-graft body, but not before several properties, the Cosmo FM station and the Rainbow Net Communications firm, among others worth billions of naira, were forfeited to the Federal Government because they were proceeds of crime”.
Stating that Mbah’s reputation as someone with a history of running battles with the EFCC could not have endeared him to Enugu voters, the NGO asserted that Mbah committed political suicide by relying on two former unpopular governors to deliver him in the governorship.
“Neither Dr Nnamani, who ran for the Enugu East senatorial zone”, said the Oriental Lawyers for Justice, “nor The Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who ran for the Enugu North senatorial seat, could deliver themselves in the 2023 general election, and yet you depended on them entirely.
“Ugwuanyi, the serving governor, was defeated by Barrister Okey Ezeah of the Labour Party right in his polling booth, his polling unit, and in his hometown of Orba as well as in his Udenu Local Government Area, losing finally by 46,948 to 104,492 votes”.
As regards erstwhile Governor Nnamani, who is now an outgoing senator, the lawyers recalled how little-known Kelvin Ugwu defeated him by as many as 69,136 to 48,701 votes in the Enugu East senatorial race on March 18 after the assassination of Sir Kelvin’s elder brother, Barrister Oyibo Chukwu who was the original Labour Party candidate, on February 22, three days before the earlier scheduled senatorial election.
“It is certain that Senator Nnamani would have been defeated with a much larger number of votes if Chief Oyibo Chukwu, a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) chairman, had not been brutally murdered and had remained the LP’s candidate”, said the lawyers.
“After 24 years of Enugu State capture by the PDP, the Enugu people voted overwhelmingly for change, and so cast their lot with the Labour Party in the presidential, Senatorial, House of Representatives, House of Assembly and, of course, governorship elections.
“Mbah and the PDP must respect the people’s will”.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has hinted that there are attempts by lawyers and litigants to influence the money laundering trial of former Attorney General Abubakar Malami scheduled to begin on 17 February.
The judge stated this after granting Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and wife Bashir Asabe, bail in the sum of N500million each.
In a stern warning shortly after delivering the ruling granting Malami and others bail, Justice Nwite said he would not take lightly any lawyer or litigant intent on ‘approaching’ him to influence the case.
He advised parties, to instead, engage the services of quality lawyers to help with their case. He threatens serious consequences for anyone who flouts his directive.
On the terms of bail for Malami and his co-defendants, the trial judge ordered that they present two sureties each who must be owners of properties, with proof, in either Maitama, Gwarimpa or Asokoro.
The defendants are also ordered to deposit their passports with the court registry, adding that travel out of the country must be by the express permission of the court.
Malami and his co-defendants will, meanwhile, remain in prison until they perfect the terms of bail. The trial is scheduled to begin on 17 February.
International
Trump Announces Venezuela to Turn Over Up to 50 Million Barrels of Oil to United States
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that interim authorities in Venezuela will turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality sanctioned oil to the United States, following the recent U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated: “I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 Million Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America.
This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!
“The president added that he has directed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute the plan immediately, with the oil to be transported via storage ships directly to U.S. unloading docks.
The announcement comes amid ongoing developments in Venezuela, where the oil—previously held in storage due to U.S. sanctions—is estimated to be worth up to $2.8 billion at current market prices around $56 per barrel.
Analysts note that this volume represents a modest addition to global supply but could divert exports previously destined for China.U.S. crude futures dipped slightly following the news, closing lower by about 1.3%. Major U.S. oil companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips, are reportedly monitoring the situation, with meetings planned between industry representatives and the administration to discuss future investments in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
The deal marks a significant step in Trump’s stated goal of revitalizing Venezuela’s oil sector, which holds the world’s largest proven reserves but has seen production decline sharply in recent years due to sanctions, underinvestment, and mismanagement.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted a mix of hazy and sunny conditions across most parts of the country from Wednesday, January 8, to Friday, January 10, 2026.
In its weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja, NiMet stated that the northern region will experience sunny and hazy skies throughout the three-day period. By Friday, morning haze is expected to give way to dust haze in the afternoon and evening hours over parts of the North.
The central region is forecasted to remain predominantly hazy with sunny intervals during the period.
For the southern region, cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated, along with chances of isolated thunderstorms. On Wednesday, thunderstorms may occur later in the day over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Imo, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Bayelsa states. Similar isolated thunderstorms with light rains are possible over coastal and inland southern states on subsequent days, including Anambra, Imo, Abia, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
NiMet warned that dust particles are currently in suspension, particularly in the northern areas, advising individuals with asthma and other respiratory issues to take necessary precautions.
The agency also urged motorists to drive cautiously during any rainfall and recommended that airline operators obtain updated airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for safe flight planning.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed by visiting NiMet’s official website at www.nimet.gov.ng for regular updates.
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