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Just in: “Snub my wife’s distress call I’m very safe in Abuja ” -ExRivers HoS declares
By Gloria Ikibah
Ex-Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, has assured the public that he is safe and lodging at the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja.
His clarifications come on the heels of an outcry by his wife, Florence, late Friday, that she did not know the whereabouts of her husband after he resigned from service.
Nwaeke’s distraught wife told journalists she was afraid for her husband’s life and had no idea where he was.
“When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God’,” she said.
“The next thing I saw this night: people were calling me and saying he granted an interview. I said, ‘What interview? Interview for what?’ Not until I saw things flying on the internet that he granted an interview. What happened? I said, ‘That is not my husband. That is not my husband.’
“So I sent him a message. I said, ‘Are you under duress?’ I sent him a message. I said, ‘Have they kidnapped you? Talk to me now. Why are you not talking to me?’ This is the message I sent to him when I saw his interview online.
“Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. Look at the message I sent to him. See the message I sent to him. I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you talk to me?’ These are the messages I sent to him, but he didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians, help me! Nigerians, help me!”
However, in a recorded video sent in by our correspondent on Saturday morning, Nwaeke said he was in Abuja to turn himself in to authorities.
“Good morning, gentlemen of the press. My name is Francis Nwaeke. I am in Transcorp in Abuja. I came in here this morning to meet with security agencies to report myself and the things happening in the state that are making me feel sick.
“Actually, I was head of service until Monday, and I resigned because of things that are happening. After the press interview I granted, I just saw a video of me trending where they went to hold her and feed her with all kinds of fallacies. Telling her I have been kidnapped.
want to clear this up. I was not kidnapped. I am in Abuja. This is the Transcorp Hotel where I am lodging. They told her I was kidnapped, and she was crying, and they are making her say all sorts of things.
“I want to put this straight. I am [was] the head of service, and I am on oath. My wife does not know anything that happens [happened] in my office. I don’t [didn’t] discuss anything with her. We discuss [discussed] only domestic and social matters.
‘So the script that they wrote for her is null and void. I want to clear the air that I am safe. I am fine. By tomorrow morning, I intend to go to the security agencies to report myself.
“My coming to Abuja was based on the fact that Abuja is where the headquarters of security agencies are housed. I came here, and I think I am safe here to make this report, and they can investigate. I am on oath…. But I am reporting exactly what I know. I said everything from my mind. And I want to reassure that everything I said is true.”
Nwaeke had levelled several allegations against the Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Among other things, he accused the governor of planning to support Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed in the 2027 presidential election and also meeting with and encouraging militants to carry out attacks on oil facilities and other assets.
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara, in response to Nwaeke’s claims, suggested he may have been paid or coerced to have made the “false” claims against him.
“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me,” Fubara said in a statement he issued late Friday.
The governor backed his position with screenshots of chats said to have been between Mr Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Ederson Ehie. [The Witness]
Stakeholders and experts in the Seed Sector of Nigeria have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the recent appointment of a substantive Director General for the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC).
Stakeholders’ concern stemmed from the fact that Hon Fatuhu Mohammed Buhari who was appointed as substantive Director General of the Council did not possess the requisite professional qualification and cognate experience in seed science and technology as provided for in the Act establishing the Council.
In the open letter of appeal to President Tinubu signed on behalf of the Seed Sector by Engineer Olagbaju Akeju, a technical consultant/seed processor, the group cited a breach of Part III, Section 6 of the National Seed Council Act of 2019, which is the regulatory framework to establish food governance and remove quackery from the Nigeria Seed System.
Specifically, Part III, Section 6, states: “The President shall appoint on the recommendation of the Hon. Minister, candidate who possesses professional qualification and cognate experience in Seed Science and Technology.”
The group said that: “This requirement is very fundamental to continue to sustain the gain and international recognition of the Nigerian Agricultural Seed System as African model.”
According to the group, “It is for this purpose that Mr. President’s attention is invited to take another look at the appointment of Hon. Fatuhu Mohammed Buhari as Director General of the Council as earlier announced and confirmed, pending the request for Dr. Ishiaku Othman Khalid to serve as substantive Director-General of the Council for a single term.”
It would be recalled that until a few days ago, before the announcement of Hon. Fatuhu Mohammed Buhari as the Director-General by Mr. President, the Acting Director-General, Dr. Ishiaku Othman Khalid, a seasoned Seed Expert who grew within the system to become a director, was expected to be confirmed as the substantive Director General.
“During his tenure in acting capacity, the Seed Council attained international recognition as testified by the Council of Head of States in Africa Union for Food Security Committee. The Nigeria Seed System has also become remarkable as a model working for Nigeria and should be adopted by other African countries.”
On appointment of core professionals to head the Council, the group noted: “Since its establishment, the leadership of this unique agency has always been selected among the professionals in the relevant seed science and technology for the post of Director-General.
“It appeared that Mr. President was misled to appoint a non-professional as Director-General. This appointment did not only contravene the extant law but also breach Mr. President’s belief to give opportunity for serving officers to reach the pinnacle of their careers.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the Labour Party, after finding out earlier that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.
The apex court held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.
The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious.
It also proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure group of the Labour Party for being unmeritorious.
More shortly…
The political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has resigned.
The former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.
Presidential sources were quoted as saying Dr. Baba-Ahmed did not provide details of the reasons for his decision and only stated that it was on personal grounds.
Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.
Over the past 17 months, he has represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from 28th to 29th January, 2025 in Abuja.
Daily Trust
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