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2023 Presidency : I’m competent but not desperate to lead Nigeria – Orji Kalu

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Chief Whip of the Senate and Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has declared ahead of the 2023 general elections that though he is ready for the campaigns and capable to lead the country he is not desperate to become President.

Fielding questions from journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday, a day after he visited President Buhari at the Presidential villa on Tuesday night, the Senate Chief Whip emphasised that the Presidential contest will be the collective decision of Nigerians and the zoning arrangement of the Political parties particularly his party the ruling All Progressive’s Congress.

The former Governor however maintained that the Southeast region was overdue to Produce the next President of the country, he added that there were only two zones yet to produce the President which were the Southeast and Northeast geo Political zones.

Kalu stressed that his visit to President Buhari was a usual one adding that their relationship has spanned for years before he became President. He disclosed that their discussions were centered on national issues with regards to security, electoral laws and the welfare of the country.

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He said “This is not the first time I’m going to see the President. People usually go in the afternoon but I went in the night to avoid the press.

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“I go there regularly.It’s a family affair and I went there to discuss national issues with regards to security, well being of our country and the issue of the electoral law and the discussion was very fruitful.

When asked if he informed the President of his Presidential Ambition.

He responded “Has the party zoned the ticket to the Southeast? It’s only when the party zone is officially to the South. I have said before that there are only two zones that have not been President : the Southeast and the Northeast. Once it’s zoned to the Southeast I have the capacity and the capability I will roll out my campaign and rock like a hurricane”.

“It’s overdue for an Igboman to become a Nigerian President, I believe the Southeast should produce the next President and it’s going to happen ”.

Kalu said those against the Igbos from producing the next president of Nigeria were not being fair to the South-East and North-East geopolitical zones which had never produced the President since 1999.

He said those already pushing are not being fair to the feelings of Nigerians.

“They are not serious. A serious minded person will like to be fair to Nigeria, to be fair to the society and be fair to the atmosphere because this party is not owned by me or by you the press people. It is only APC people that can decide where the party ticket will go,If they zone it to the Southeast I have all it takes to make a good President”.

The Abia North Senator said that he would pursue his Presidential Ambition with other geopolitical zones of the Nation, while stressing that he will commence Nationwide consultation at the right time.

Responding to questions on the APC’s forthcoming February 26th convention Kalu expressed optimism that the exercise will be raucous free saying that the outcome will make Nigerians proud.

When asked about President Buhari’s body language to the contentious electoral act and 2023 Kalu responded saying “He’s body language is where other Nigerians are . His body language is for Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Recall that Kalu’s declaration came barely 24 hours after former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with President Buhari to express his interest in the top job. The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi had also met with Buhari to declare his ambition to take over from him in 2023.

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210 Trillion Scandal:LP Presidential Candidate ,Peter Obi Describes Nigeria as Crime Scene

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Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has described Nigeria as a “crime scene” following revelations of massive financial irregularities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

In a statement on Friday, Obi said the Senate’s recent audit findings on the NNPC between 2017 and 2023 revealed “₦210 trillion in financial irregularities,” including “₦103 trillion in so-called ‘accrued expenses’ and ₦107 trillion in unaccounted ‘receivables.’”

“There is no documentation. No accountability. No consequences,” Obi said.

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He noted that Nigeria’s total national budget within the same period amounted to ₦88.01 trillion, which is less than half of the missing or questionable funds.

His words: “This is not just another scandal, it is a clear and damning confirmation of a nation held hostage by monumental corruption.”

Obi described the development as “a criminal institutionalised betrayal of the Nigerian people” and warned that it poses “a grave threat to the future of the society our children will live in.”

“No responsible nation can continue to function like this without confronting this truth.

“This criminality masquerading as governance must be stopped and dismantled for a better Nigeria,” he added.

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Iran Appoints New Chief Of Intelligence After Israel Killed Two Predecessors

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Iran has appointed a new chief of intelligence at its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, the official Irna news agency says, after his predecessor was killed in an Israeli strike last week.

Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), appointed Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of its intelligence division, Irna says.

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He replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri — in an Israeli strike.

Pakpour had himself been recently appointed after Israel killed his predecessor Hossein Salami in a strike on June 13.

“During the years that our martyred commanders Kazemi and Mohaqeq led the IRGC Intelligence, we witnessed significant growth in all aspects of intelligence within the IRGC,” says Pakpour.

Upon his appointment by Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei Friday, Pakpour threatened to open “the gates of hell” in retaliation for Israel’s attacks.

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Stun Gun Scandal: Pastor Adefarasin Faces Criminal Probe Over Viral Video, Says Lagos CP

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The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has confirmed that televangelist Pastor Paul Adefarasin faces criminal charges after pointing a stun gun at another person, an act he said is punishable under Nigerian law even if the device is non-lethal. Jimoh spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday while providing an update on the ongoing probe.

“Nothing is an offence under the law, except what the law states to be an offence,” Jimoh explained. “Even under the Fire Arms Act, if you fashion out anything that is not metal, like wood, and you make it look like a gun, and you use that guise to take possession of property from another person, you have committed armed robbery. So, pointing a stun gun at another individual and sending that threat and fear to such a person at that particular time constitutes an offence. So, the police are doing everything in line with the law.”

According to Jimoh, the stun gun recovered from Adefarasin qualifies as prohibited riot control equipment under Nigerian statutes. Although the pastor has been released on bail, the commissioner emphasized that the investigation remains active. “He was invited; a letter of invitation was sent to him. In fact, we had prepared our warrant of arrest, in case he refused to comply with the invitation. But he turned himself in and was questioned by a team of investigators who were already on the matter before he turned himself in.”

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The video that sparked the inquiry surfaced earlier this month, showing Adefarasin seated in a Range Rover holding what many believed to be a firearm as he spoke to someone outside the vehicle. The pastor has since taken to his official X account to dispute any wrongdoing: “You might be aware of a video circulating on social media showing me in what some have misunderstood as brandishing a firearm. I want to assure you — that was certainly not a firearm, and at no point did I point such at anyone.”

Jimoh further revealed that the individual allegedly threatened in the clip, a content creator whose address the police have obtained—will be summoned to provide a statement. “It is equally on social media that the person he pointed it to is a content creator and we are taking a statement from him as soon as he equally gets to us because we have got his address and we’re going to get him to make a statement in that regard.”

The commissioner concluded by promising transparency once the inquiry is complete: “The pastor is still under investigation, though he has been granted bail, but we will continue with the investigation and make the outcome of the investigation public for all Nigerians to know.”

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