The New Generation Leadership, NGL, has again cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to compromise the electoral process but allow the will of Nigerians to prevail in choosing their Governors and House of Assembly members across the Country.

The caution which was contained in a statement released by the Secretary of the group, Adedayo Adegbayibi while speaking on the forthcoming election, this Saturday, encouraged Nigerians to come out en-masse to perform their civic responsibility.

"No one should be intimidated to sit at home during the voting exercise. If we want a better society, we must all come out to vote and ensure we protect our votes".

The New Generation Leadership condemned the violence and various electoral malpractices that marred the presidential and National Assembly poll saying, "it is a minus for Nigeria's democracy".

The youth group said it was sad that the exercise was fraught with many complaints, an indication that the wishes of the people were not respected.

NGL expressed its determination to continue to enhance good governance, vibrant leadership and credible candidates warning INEC to ensure the election reflect the wishes of the people.

According to the statement “democracy must be allowed to thrive in the country by allowing a natural internal seamless change of government without any let or hindrance, when desired by the electorates, in a free and fair election.

" And this is what must be encouraged in Nigeria. A situation where a candidate has to force himself on the people he wants to serve is not healthy".

NGL which has been supporting credible youth contesting on any political party in any part of Nigeria and genuine candidates, who have virile developmental programmes for the youth, had endorsed the All progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate in Lagos, Jide Sanwoolu and his Sokoto counterpart,
Ahmad Aliyu as well as his Deputy, Farouk Mallami Yabo.

Others include Olumide Ojerinde APC, Freedom Jollof AAC, Oloye Akin Alabi APC, Tunde Aleshinloye-Williams PDP and Olumuyiwa Owadara RMD, PDP who are contesting for various political positions in the Country.

The group advised Youth in the country to rise up to take responsibilities as the strength of the Nation and stop being used as political thugs.

It also advised that the 2019 elections should not be about political parties, but about personalities who are competent, credible and committed to a new Nigeria that will work for all”.

Over 500 residents of Bariga Area of Lagos State, have benefitted from the Free Medical Check-up and treatment services, provided by the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Babatunde Aleshinloye-Williams, who is vying to represent Somolu Constituency ll at the Lagos State House of Assembly, in the 2019 elections.

The social support programme was a collaborative efforts sponsored by Aleshinloye- Williams and another PDP Candidate, Oluwaseyi Olowu, who is contesting to represent Somolu Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives.

The programme which came up under the auspices of the Christ Convenant Liberation Prayer Ministries, was in partnership with the Adorable Foundation International, to create sensitisation and relieve for those suffering from one ailment or the other.

Free Medical Check-ups which include Sugar/blood test, high blood pressure and eye test were done, with drugs and counselling provided by medical experts.

Babatunde Aleshinloye-Williams, said, "he has been providing such support services before his political ambition, noting that times are hard for people to eat, not to talk of going for medical check-ups".

In his words, "our people are really suffering, today an average Nigerian finds it so difficult to eat three square meals, due to the prevailing economic hardship. It is so sad, that the government is not doing enough to ensure that our people can access free medical services as at when due".

"We must put our people first in whatever we do if we truly want a good society where everyone can thrive without any hindrance".

The PDP house of Assembly Candidate said, he would ensure adequate legislation to cater for medical programmes and policies that would be easily accessed by every Lagosian, if given the opportunity to represent Somolu Constituency ll and serve at the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The Chief Host and Founder of the Adorable Foundation International, Princess Ada Okeke-Amam and the Host, Lt Col Ifunanya Innocent both expressed their appreciation , stressing that, "Nigeria would be a better place, when we think of others".

Women have been enjoined to support fellow women in politics, as this is one of the ways by which they can be heard by the society.

The gubernatorial candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in Ogun State, Princess Eniola Otasanya-Martins gave this advice while speaking on the challenges and roles of women in the society.

She said, "women as a strong pillar in the home-front is pivotal to the Nation's development, thus they must be supported to be able to play their roles well, as wives and mothers".

According to her, "women go through a lot in taking care of their children and husband, while they still need to work and fulfill other responsibilities. It is then necessary for the menfolk and government to specially protect women towards bringing out the best in them".

Princess Otasanya-Martins, described mothers as the first doctor in the homes and the best teacher to train better kids and youth.

She said, as a mother she understands the importance of good health, security, quality education and other needs of Ogun State people, thus her interest to serve on the platform of a new and radical political party, the AAC, to bring about the needed changes in the State.

Princess Otasanya- Martins who called on women to always be ready to support their counterparts in politics advised them to participate fully in the electoral processes as the 2019 elections draw near.

She admonished them to shun money politics and vote on the basis of credibility in the 2019 polls, if they want a better society.

Three things in life are the sweetest – Power, Sex and Liberty. Nothing stirs desperation more than the hunger for these things. In all these, the third to me is the finest, as it is earned only by men driven by a selfless desire to change the narrative for a people. In the strife for liberty; heroes, legends, Martyrs are born. Men whose names remain eternally grafted in the rock of time. Little wonder, that Patrick Henry in his speech stressed the need for liberty during the 1775 congress at Virginia before their colonial masters in the following words:

“It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!”

Six days ago, like many other countries, Nigeria celebrated the greatest day of her existence as an independent entity. A day which marked the beginning of nationhood, and the end of imperialism. On this day, Nigerians, Instead of the Union Jack, dared to venerate the coat of arm. For the British flag, proudly, they projected the green and white far into the sky to meet the east and west wind, flapping in a fit of wild excitement.

Six days ago in Abuja, Aso Rock and Eagle Square were agog with celebration. Stadiums across every local government in Nigeria were filled to capacity with men, women and children from various institutions and civil society arrayed in sparkling colours, marching, dancing; reveling Nigeria in a euphoria untold. As I type, I relieve my childhood in tears. I remember marching along the street of Obudu with throngs of school mates, adorned in our white uniforms like white hens, singing zealously as the words:
Oh freedom,
Oh freedom,
Oh freedom,
Freedom everywhere…
…tore the young October air from GOSCO, opposite Itek Hotel, through the Sacred Heart Hospital, through St. Charles, all the way to the Obudu Township Stadium. Freedom, oh freedom… nothing else mattered! Nothing else still matters!

As I metamorphosed into adulthood, I make bold to say that I have seen celebrations. I have seen people dine and wine to mark this day. I have seen churches sing in white and green T-shirts and mufflers distributing free booklets, all for this day. I have seen clubs filled to capacity for the same reason. Without thinking twice, I can tell how much we love Nigeria, how much we love freedom. But none of these forms of merriment comes near to the way the Okwa people celebrate Independence.

A community in Eastern- Boki, Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, Okwa resides by the very edge of the country sharing borderlines with the Cameroun Republic. Unlike her sister communities, it is the only Anyang speaking tribe in Boki, and Nigeria respectively, as the rest of the Anyang speaking communities share about one-fourth, if not one-third of the entire southeast province of the Cameroons. Locked in the very center of a vast virgin forest of over fourty kilometers through all coordinates, and endless numbers of large rivers and streams, it is one community in this country, whose soil has never felt the touch of rolling wheels from inception of creation. That is a story for another time.

With a population of over three thousand people, and still rapidly growing, they have their culture and tradition, so specifically unique to them, cutting across mode of greetings, mode of worship, special meals, special deities, ancestral beliefs and some very unique rules and regulation governing them. They also have their unique festivities like the new yam festival, new cassava, Christmas, new year, Easter, and yes, first October – the very crown of all festivities.

I was so young, as a matter of fact, too new to the community when I first witnessed Independence Day in Okwa. It was back in nineteen-ninety-two. Father just retired from the military as a sergeant, a very lofty office in that environment at the time. He would be returning home after escaping the fatalities of wars and other horrible operations soldiers must engage in, neither incurring a cut, a stray bullet or any form of deformation. His was nothing short of a success story. The accompanying celebration from siblings and well-wishers was a testimony to that feat. All I knew about first October celebration in Lagos where I was born and bred till my sixth year was the march-pass in the stadium and the public holiday as well. Being a remote community, there was no stadium, or an event center to mark first October in Okwa. So I gave up, expecting nothing but a boring Thursday without school.

And I was disappointed.

It was about 5am, in the early morning of October first. I was relishing the cold moment and the sweet dreams you experience at the verge of dawn, when I heard noises of men and women singing and jubilating… I could remember the steel-melting voice of one Mbuako-anento, a very gifted old bloke who could have gone farther than Osadebe, Prince Nico, or Oliver de Coque, if he ever came anywhere close to limelight. As he pierced his enthralling tone through the gray- dark glow of dawn, through every crevice of closed doors and windows, down through my ear drums, helplessly, I found myself sitting face to face with him, beating the drum while he sang:
Independent Nigeria obeh beh… or so I heard.
Then I woke up. Gosh, it was a dream! But I came out of the house to find out that Mbuako-anento just left my compound with the very song in his mouth. At another glance, I saw fire hearths in every kitchen burning viciously underneath large pots of cocoyam. Again I heard the sound of pestles in mortars hitting in musical harmony from distant houses. In every compound, men and women gathered in groups sharing tumblers of overnight palm wine. Young ladies sat before trails of okazi, slashing their knives through thick folds of the leathery leaves with exceptional zeal. Intermittently, they scrubbed the serrated edge of their knives against the edges of their trails, producing teeth weakening sounds. In an hour or so, I saw kids of about my age strolling with already bloated tummies in new clothing. Same with young men and women. I heard sound of generators – the type you call I better pass my neigbour, grinding from one house to another, music colliding with music.
With head full with questions, I turned to my house, calling out:

“Daddy!” Instead, I saw mum coming out of our bed room with a parcel of beautiful stock jeans shirt and trousers, along with the most fascinating brand of canvass I have never owned.
“Go have your bath, Walter” she said in her usually soft nature, handing the clothes to me. “In a short while, we will all be in the village square to watch cultural dances”. Until dusk, we all assembled around the village square catching cultural vibes – okumanko, makpo ukei, obiamkpor, ntomandei and the likes, thrilled the crowd. We returned home, brimming with excitement.

Over the years, more activities were added to the celebration such that spilled over to other days: football tournaments, beauty pageantry, long and short distance races, fishing competitions, eating competitions, dancing competitions, music competition, etc. In addition, a town hall meeting is held, where the story of Nigerian independence is retold, demonstrated with traditional facts. Libations are poured by the priest of the community deity for a prosperous Nigeria, while Christians also go to church, praying to God for the same reason. For one week, every individual activity within the community, receives a pause button until the celebration is satisfactorily and exhaustively achieved. Even as I write, I do so in hurry to catch up with the semi- final match in the football field between Azikiwe FC and Belewa FC. I feel so distracted now, as the sound of trumpets and metallic gongs tends to jerk my buttocks from this stool. The spectators are compared to half the number of a presidential campaign crowd as every neigbouring community around Okwa are present to witness the October celebration in a grand style.

As a young man, I have realized that the saddest feeling in life is to love and not to be loved in return. I have had the experience and it hurts to the bone. This is what the people demonstrate. They don’t just love their country. They adore her. With their hard earned resources, they celebrate her. They give in their best, their all to show they are Nigerians, to earn a sense of belonging from their dear country. It is not just independent for them; it is a traditional festivity – a yearly addiction. Take this day away from them, and you have taken their soul away. They so love Nigeria. So helplessly, they do.

But sadly, the very country they so love and adore does not even take notice of these patriots. Perhaps they know they exist. Perhaps they don’t. And if they do, what is there to show? I make bold to say that of all villages in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Okwa is the only community that has never felt government presence. Not even through the establishment of a primary school, a dispensary, a road, talk more of jobs for her teeming graduates, or a scholarship or a grant of any sort. Kudos to a very few politicians in the neighbourhood who have been by them sometimes.

Beyond just the October celebration, Okwa (as a community) holds the largest percentage of rainforest (I mean natural virgin forest) which makes up the Cross River National Park after Akamkpa (as a Local Government). What this means is; following the National Park stringent laws, Okwa is duty bound to protect the forest and the wild life in them. They have little or no place left to farm and completely restricted from hunting, being their only occupation. A couple of persons who have tried to break that rule for the sake of survival have suffered squarely for it. Humbly, Okwa has jealously protected this forest and by extension has protected the Cross River State and the nation at large from various hazards, arising from Climate Change without an alternative means of survival. Indeed, the very reason the Ministry of Climate Change is established in Cross River State for instance, is not without the understanding that there is such vast body of forest situated somewhere around there. This Ministry no doubt has attracted quite some income for the state. Even the carbon credits earned by the state are still some compensation enjoyed for keeping the forest hitherto (I stand to be corrected). But the big question is this; what has the Okwa people earned for slaving for the state or the country?

It is shameful to say this, but suffice me do. The distance from Okwa to an accessible community is at least 40 kilometers through thick virgin forest. To this moment I am writing, the people still trek on foot through this distance, crossing tempestuous rivers for at least nine hours to get to an accessible community. The people have lost so much enduring this terror year after year. I will give only one instance.

Sometime in 2008, my kid (half) sister, Sandra just delivered twins after a ten months long pregnancy. Two girls they were, strong and bouncy. Well-wishers had just celebrated the birth, washed the girls and their mother leading them to the bed to be breast fed. Suddenly, Sandra began to choke in her own breathe. What is the matter? Everyone was asking. But no one had answer to give. She was speedily losing the battle. There was no health center in the community. No health giver either. We were left with just one option – carry her to the hospital. Of course everything had to be manual. Hastily into the bush, we brought live sticks with which we made a local stretcher. Damn, time was running out! Lifting her into the stretcher, we carried her on our shoulders (one person in front and one person behind) matching hastily to an accessible point from where she could be taken to the hospital. This was going to take at least nine hours.

To cut the long story short, we managed her through to the hospital, only to be told it was an ectopic pregnancy. She died moments later. Like Sandra, lots of women have died of very curable diseases. There are so many, so many preventable deaths in the course of delivery. Babies have died in the womb of mothers who cannot put to birth through natural means. The best we can do is attribute the catastrophe to a curse or an offence committed by the deceased, all to manage our grief and stay alive for the better. But deep inside, we know that if we have close access to the hospital, we can escape some of these circumstances. Many other persons have drowned in rivers trying to access a motorable place. The disaster has not stopped.

The only secondary school in Okwa was initiated and built by the people. The only primary school was established in the late fifties by the Catholic Missionaries who came preaching the good news of Jesus to them. The school building raised by the Missionaries was the only one there, until it was pulled down sometime in 2010. You may want to ask who pulled it down.

The Border Commission at the time were flying through all border communities in the enclaves to inspect borderlines. In one of these trips, they landed with their helicopter in Okwa Mukwanda, just in front of the primary school building. The strength of the helicopter fan blew open the roof of the building, pulling down the entire structure. They left afterwards. Not without the promise of returning to fix the building they have blown down. But as I type, there is no trace of their return. Series of letters have been written to them, even to the state government, and it’s been all silence. Pupils have to sit under trees and in shades to learn. These are supposed to be leaders of tomorrow. How many of our leaders have ever learnt under such unkind condition? Which of their kids still study in Nigeria, talk more of learning in circumstance as deplorable?

There is the National park Service in Nigeria, as a body saddled with the responsibility of protecting the forest, the wildlife and its people. But the forest is well protected. Of course it is imposed on us to do so. But we are abandoned and despised. The National Park offices are occupied by Igbos, Yorubas, Hausa’s, Efiks, Ejaghams, and some people whose environments has nothing connected to the rainforest or wildlife. The men in power employ only their brothers, despising the very people who are natural owners of the forest. There are a lot of graduates from this community wandering in the streets of Nigeria in search of jobs, while others, strangers to say, are eating fat from the resources they are dying to protect. Up to now, not up to one percent of Okwa people work in a Government establishment. Nobody works in a political office. But we also cast our votes to elect leaders for the same Nigeria. This is the lot of an Okwa man. This is the lot of a people enslaved in freedom. This is a country whose freedom we give our all to celebrate. This is a country we die every day to be identified with.

All the same, we are Nigerians, and Nigerians we shall remain. We love this country and will proudly celebrate it year in and year out. We will protect and preserve our natural gift whether or not it yields a thing for us. We have been suffering. We are still suffering. We shall continue to cry until our voices dry out, hoping that before then, we may be heard. I have dared to put this on papers. I am not afraid who might read about it, even as crude as it is written.

Long live, The Federal Republic of Nigeria!

A Youth Group, known as the New Generation Leadership, NGL, has expressed fears on what the 2019 General Elections in Nigeria would look like, describing Thursday's Governorship re-run Election in Osun State, as a minus to democracy, a subversion of the will of the people and a route to tyranny and anarchy.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary of the group, Adedayo Adegbayibi while speaking on the conduct of the supplementary elections, between Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in four local government areas of the State which were inconclusive.

The New Generation Leadership, said it was disheartening that the President Muhammadu Buhari-APC led Federal Government which could not protect the lives of it's citizens, who are daily killed by herdsmen in some parts of the Country can militarise Osun State during the election period.

It stated that the Federal Government which ought to provide a level playing ground for all the political parties, especially with its anti-corruption stance, was allegedly at the forefront of intimidation and brutalisation that occurred during the election, warning that such acts should not be allowed to stand in modern day Nigeria".

According to the statement "the beauty of democracy lies in Its natural internal seamless change of government without any let or hindrance, when desired by the electorates, in a free and fair election. And this is what must be encouraged in Nigeria."

" It is so sad that the Osun State Election was fraught with indiscriminate arrest of opposition members, harassment and brutalisation of voters, giving tacit support to thugs imported into the State to snatch ballot boxes and create confusion, open inducement of voters and buying of votes, INEC failure to act as a neutral umpire, as well as other malpractices.

“The police and army prevented agents from watching the polling booths while thugs threatened and beat voters".

“Journalists and election observers were prevented from monitoring and covering the process. Many of them were manhandled and beaten up".

"It was regrettable that the Independent national Electoral Commission and the security agencies could be used to short-change the people of the state."

"If what has played out in Osun State is the APC template for the 2019 general elections, there is great need for concern by all lovers of genuine democracy.

The New Generation Leadership is saddened by the fact that our nascent democracy which we all fought to establish in 1999 is being threatened and about to collapse.

“This is not about APC or PDP, our concern is to prevent the destruction of all democratic norms and values in Nigeria. To avoid anarchy, the 2019 elections must be well conducted in a free and fair setting”.

We hereby call on all well meaning Nigerians to rise up against this injustice and dictatorship tendencies of the ruling Party, while the international communities are urged to lend their voices against the actions of the Federal Government, INEC and Security agents and compel them to do the right thing.

Legislators have been advised to make laws that would protect and develop the youth as one of their major roles in ensuring a better society.

The Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant vying to represent Somolu Constituency ll, on the platform of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Tunde Aleshinloye-Williams, gave this advice in Lagos while addressing some party members.

Mr Aleshinloye-Williams who stated that the Youth age category is the backbone of any Nation said "it is time, a special attention is given to develop the youth of the Nation and give them opportunities to thrive, if we are ready to move forward".

He said, "it is sad that some Nigerian youths are greatly using their talents abroad, to develop other people's Countries, while back home they were frustrated and rejected before traveling out to search for better opportunities, thus causing brain drain in the Country.

Mr Aleshinloye-Williams charged the youth to take their destinies in their hands by participating fully in the electoral process and ensure credible people are elected into political offices to represent them, saying "they are the leaders of today and their future is now".

According to him, "the youth must not sit on the fence, they must participate in politics. They should not sell their votes to the highest bidder, but elect credible people with capacity to serve and make things change for the better".

"The PDP is youth friendly, and that is why I'm there. When given the opportunity to serve, I would not only lobby to protect the youth but the aged, children, female and all, by lobbying for Shomolu constituency ll to develop and create an enabling environment for people to thrive.

The confusion over the reelection bid of Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, failed to clear off on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress national leadership could not secure a firm commitment from its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on governor’s second term ambition.

The APC leaders, led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the party’s National  Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who were said to be acting on the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, met with Tinubu again to prevail on him to “forgive” Ambode his alleged infractions and back the governor to secure a second term.

A source close to the national secretariat of the party, however, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the effort of the leaders could not be said to have resolved the situation as Tinubu did not give Osinbajo and Oshiomhole any specific promise of supporting Ambode for a second term.

The source stated, “The President asked the vice-president and the national chairman to resolve the crisis amicably so that the governor could get a second term. Osinbajo met Tinubu twice in Abuja on Friday on Ambode’s matter, where he relayed the President’s message and the need to keep Lagos for the APC.

He also told Asiwaju the President would not want the crisis to affect the party in the 2019 general elections.

“The National Leader however maintained that there would be wider consultations back home before he would be able to accede to the request. He said the governor’s matter is beyond him alone.

“It is difficult to say what happened during the second meeting with Osinbajo but it appeared the vice-president and Tinubu were able to arrive at a meeting point, which is difficult to clarify.”

It was gathered that Buhari’s foremost concern was that the crisis in Lagos State, which boasts of the highest number of registered voters, if not well-managed, could affect his political calculations for his second term bid.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that as the APC leaders battled to save the embattled governor’s second term ambition, Ambode landed in Tinubu’s house in Abuja, where the governor appealed to the former Lagos State governor to forgive him his alleged offences.

Another very reliable party source said, “Yes, it was part of the efforts we are making from this end to save the party from crisis in the state and the nation. The governor came to beg Tinubu in his residence in Abuja to forgive him. I think the appeal helped to reduce the tension and soften the ground for the governor. It is, however, difficult to say if that had ended the crisis.

“Some governors have also called the national leader, pleading with him to save their ‘poster boy’ the humiliation of not getting a second term. Their fears are that such development in Lagos, which is the economic nerve centre of the country, could have negative effect on the fortunes of the party in other states.”

A source in the camp of the Lagos ex-governor, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, confirmed the meeting between Tinubu and his political godson in Abuja.

“Yes, the meeting held. He (Ambode) saw Asiwaju in Abuja but I cannot give you any detail,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu, Tinubu’s loyalists hold Lagos declaration rally today

It was learnt that Tinubu returned to Lagos on Saturday as preparations for the rally and formal declaration of an APC governorship aspirant in the state, Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, were being concluded.

The organisers of the rally, billed for City Hall, Lagos Island, on Sunday, had concluded that 1,000 supporters be mobilised from each of the local government areas in the state for the rally.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that after the return of Tinubu from Abuja, the chairmen of the local governments held another crucial meeting at Watercress Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on “new development” concerning the Sunday event.

A source at the meeting, who is an aide of one of the council chairmen, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the chairmen were informed that while the rally for Sanwo-Olu would still go ahead on Sunday, the chairmen should no longer “mobilise” 1,000 supporters from their local governments.

“No, the rally has not been called off. The chairmen are in the meeting, but the latest information is that they should no longer mobilise 1,000 people from the councils. Those to attend the rally are the leaders from the ward to the state level; the state and federal legislators and party chiefs,” he said.

One of the aides of Tinubu told one of our correspondents that the rally would still go ahead as planned on Sunday.

“That’s the grand declaration. It’s going ahead; nothing has changed,” he said.

Another source, a former member of the state House of Assembly, however, said the reduction in the number of those to attend the rally was a crowd control strategy at the venue.

“You know the way our people behave. Even the supporters, who are meant to attend, will get to the venue before the organisers,” he stated.

The former lawmaker, however, said the latest information on the battle to save Ambode’s job was that nothing had changed from the resolve of party stakeholders in the state to see off the Epe-born technocrat.

“As of this afternoon, what we heard was that Asiwaju has not agreed (to back Ambode). I don’t know what happened in the evening o; things might have changed,” he said.

A lawmaker, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, argued that while the embattled governor had not shown enough political sagacity in handling the affairs of the party leaders in the state, it would be in the interest of the APC to resolve its festering crisis amicably.

He added, “It was the same crisis we faced in the day of (Babatunde) Fashola until we were able to block the funneling of money to the Labour Party by one of our leaders.

“Don’t forget that we lost some seats to the PDP in the last elections. We knew what we had to do to bring some of them back to the APC.

“So, it is in the interest of the party to resolve this crisis to prevent such crack again.”

Epe Christians, Muslims, others organise prayers to save son’s job

Meanwhile, it was learnt that some segments of Epe, the hometown of Ambode, had embarked on prayers to save the head of their son, whom they believed had positively contributed to the modernisation of the ancient town.

The prayers, it was learnt, cut across Muslims, Christians and traditional worshippers.

The Olu-Epe of Epe town, Oba Sefiu Olatunji Adewale, attended a special Islamic vigil organised by the Muslim Community at the Epe Central Mosque, on Friday night and lasted till the early hours on Sunday.

The prayer session is an annual programme meant to pray for the general well-being of all Epe indigenes.

A resident of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told SUNDAY PUNCH that notable indigenes of the town, especially Muslims, attended the prayer session.

Asked if special prayers were offered for the governor, the source said, “Definitely, he (Ambode) would be the special focus of such prayers at this time.

“Everybody in the town wants him to return for a second term and we are not happy with his current predicament.”

“The Christians and traditional worshippers have also joined in the prayers. If we miss this opportunity, only God knows when Epe will have the same opportunity again.

“In this place, everybody is for Ambode; no division. That is why you don’t see any of the chairmen from this area in the meetings that had been held on this crisis. The seven Epe chairmen were not at the Watercress Hotel meeting on Saturday either.

“If anyone is believed to be against Ambode, the person could go missing, either now or later.”

Punch 

Sen.David Mark , has arrived Minna, capital of Niger State to hold a private meeting with the former military President Ibrahim Babangida. The meeting lasted for two hours at the Hilltop residence of the former military ruler.

NAN reports that Sen.David Mark arrived at about 1.30pm in company of Sen. Zainab Kure, Sen. Tunde Ogbeha and Sen.Suleman Adokwe, current chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.

The 70 year-old Mark, who has been in the senate since 1999, obviously came to discuss his presidential ambition with Babangida, who had hosted several other aspirants. Among them were the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Attahiru Bafarawa, Sule Lamido and Ahmed Makarfi, all contesting under the Peoples Democratic Party platform.

Said one of Mark’s aides who didn’t want his name mentioned: ” Yes my boss is discussing with IBB. First to brief him and seek his prayers and support for the task ahead”.

Sen. Zainab Kure, who is the director general David Mark Presidential Campaign Organisation told NAN that Mark is a good material needed to reposition the country for optimal growth.

“He was a former military Governor, communications Minister and senate president of the Federal Republic. So he possesses all the required political acumen to lead our country “,she said.

Zainab also hoped that the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) would conduct a free, fair and credible election.

” I am appealing to all eligible Nigerians to support the electoral processes to enable the commission discharge its constitutional mandate “, she said.She said that the task to ensure a peaceful conduct of the 2019 election is the joint responsibility of all stakeholders especially the politicians

European International Boxing Federation champion, Larry Ekundayo has vowed to continue putting Nigeria in good light in the boxing world by winning more laurels.

The boxer, who defeating John Thain in London in a fight that lasted 12 rounds to win the European International Boxing Federation title on 13 July this year, is presently on a six-day tour of Nigeria.

“I don’t just believe; I know I will still go very far, if there is someone like Bernard Hopkins, who at almost 50 was beating young prospects, then I can do better,” he said while speaking in Lagos on arrival.

Ekundayo shot into the limelight when he won the African Boxing Union Welterweight, ABU title in 2015 but he recounted that it was a tough period in his life and needed to dig deep to become a Champion.

“I remember trying to go to the Olympics back then for Nigeria but it didn’t work out. As a pro, I am making up for all the disappointments as an amateur,” he said.

The 36-year-old boxer stressed that: “I think I was out of action for like two years but I came back strong to do what I have to do. That is my message for the youth that they should not be deterred by any situation they find themselves but make the champion in them come out.”

The Lagos-born boxer said he already has his plans at helping the glory days of boxing return to Nigeria. Ekundayo disclosed that he will set up boxing academies in Nigeria and London where he can groom fighters to fight across the world.

Thisday