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Organ procurement: Enugu bishop testifies for Ekweremadu *He’s of worthy character
For former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, words came from his home on Thursday, with even the clergy testifying to his good character, even as he had a heated exchange with the prosecutor at his ongoing Old Bailey “conspiracy to facilitate travel with the aim of exploitation “trial, while being cross-examined.
Ekweremadu, who’s on trial with Beatrice, his wife, Sonia, their daughter and Dr Obinna Obeta, vehemently denied that he was paying and offering reward in exchange for a kidney donation for his daughter.
Bombarded with series of questions from his defence statement and also from the available evidence, the Senator replied with “no, that’s not true, that’s true “to some, but went into detailed explanation on others.
At a point in the cross-examination, the Crown’s Hugh Davies, KC, said, “what you were doing was criminal” in that Sonia was registered without her surname while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Abuja. The Senator told the prosecutor, “I reject that.” Seconds later, Davies said, “you were running for election as a Governor and you didn’t want to be seen doing this” sort of things. Ekweremadu reiterated his earlier position, saying: “I reject that.”
When told that he had falsely written a supporting letter for David Nwamini’s visa application, Ekweremadu said it was based on the advice that they had been given to “establish a level of relationship “with the potential donor.
Thursday’s sitting started with character references via live video link from Nigeria by the Archbishop of Enugu and Ebonyi states, Most Reverend Emmanuel Olisa Chukwuma and Cindy Egwu, a former executive director of the Senator’s foundation.
Led in evidence by Gavin Owen, one of his lawyers, Chukwuma told the court that he had known Ekweremadu for “not less than 29 years.”
Asked by Owen to explain the characteristics of the holder of the title of “Knighthood of Good Shepherd,” which Senator holds, Chukwuma said: ”That person must be somebody who’s not corrupt, at peace with his wife,” among others. He described Ekweremadu as being someone whose “character is very worthy of the post and of emulation.”
Davies used this testimony as a cross-examination tool when he later had the floor. He said: ”We heard from the Archbishop that he did good in the people of his Enugu West Senatorial community, and so why didn’t he advertise for an altruistic donor from that community?” Ekweremadu responded by explaining that he did not want everyone knowing his daughter’s medical condition.
When Davies went ahead and alleged that the Senator was paying for a donor, Ekweremadu replied and said: “That’s not true, that’s not true. I wasn’t doing anything illegal. I was protecting my daughter.”
When Davies later had the floor, he too asked if Nwamini was aware that something had been put aside for him from the Ekweremadus for agreeing to donate his kidney to which he replied: “l didn’t tell him anything.”
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi says he is aware of some evil designs against himself and his supporters in the coming months.
The former Anambra State governor disclosed this in a statement released on his verified Twitter handle on Monday, May 29, 2023.
The release of the statement coincided with the inauguration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s President at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 28, 2023
See full statement:
For all Nigerians, this is a time for deep reflection. It is also a time to re-examine our assumptions, even as we reaffirm our hopes. Let us calmly review our aspirations, in order to recalibrate our expectations and pin down the causes of our missed opportunities and disappointments.
We stand at that critical moment in time when, as a people, we must collectively come to grips with the reality of our injured destiny as well as the reasons for that injury. It is for us to reassess our plight as a young democracy and identify clear pathways to a better and greater future for us all. As we await the verdict of the election tribunal, I urge all Nigerians to use this opportunity to renew their commitment to the Nigerian ideal. That ideal remains noble and worth every sacrifice we can make.
Nigeria remains our only patrimony and it is a patrimony we must protect, rather than violate. We have no other nation but this, so let us remain committed to rescuing and rebuilding it.
The judiciary is part of the democratic enterprise and a critical governance tool for determining the propriety of the decisions and actions of every citizen and every institution of state. To that extent, and for that reason, I urge everyone to treat it with the respect and dignity it deserves.
We expect that the Nigerian judiciary will use the election cases now before it to reaffirm its independence and integrity. It has to do so, for all our sakes and for itself.
Nigerians must, therefore, remain peaceful and law abiding. No matter the depth of anyone’s reservations about what is going on in the polity today, no matter the real and imagined provocations, and no matter the disagreement out there, we should remember that this will not last forever.
I remain committed, and untiring, in my determination to work with like-minded fellow Nigerians to end the curse of missed opportunities and squandered hope that has become our lot here.
I will never shrink from that original commitment, because I firmly believe that we must change from the present politics of criminality, and corruption, in order to make a new Nigeria possible.
I call on fellow Nigerians, especially the youths to remain steadfast, calm, patient, and peaceful. Our journey may be long and difficult but it is worth it in every way. Victory is assured.
We have to work together to move our beautiful country from corruption and criminality to a center of productivity rather than aimless consumption.
I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.
These schemes will aim at degrading our support base and confusing the public. But, no evil campaign will alter the substance of my character; nor diminish my patriotic commitment to a better Nigeria. It is about the future of our youths. it is about ending the Years of Locust.
In all of this, I thank Nigerians, our great party (LP) and the media. The latter, as the Fourth Estate of the realm, has remained a trusted ally.
This Estate must continue to guide our people on the immense promise of a future in a new Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria and protect the troops keeping us safe in this season of vaulting insecurity.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. –PO
Channels
James Faleke, lawmaker and Secretary of the now defunct All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), has revealed that President Bola Tinubu would unveil members of his cabinet within 60 days.
Channels Television, which quoted him as saying on Monday, at the inauguration of of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as president and vice-president of Nigeria was underway at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said the President, would , unveil his cabinet as soon as possible.
Faleke, who promised that the new President would bring a different approach to power, was quoted as saying: “Of course, within 60 days, that’s what the law says. He can announce anytime but I just know he must do it within 60 days.”
Eradication of terrorism, waging war against corruption and battling the crippling poverty in Nigeria, would form the fulcrum of a new Nigeria President Bola Tinubu, says he would strive to put in place as his new government began hours ago after assuming the reins of power as the 16th President, after Muhammadu Buhari handed over to him at an elaborate ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on Monday.
Vowing to defend Nigeria from all forms of terror, as well as end extreme poverty in the country, Tinubu, told Nigerians: “I will do that through job creation and food security and end to extreme poverty. I will ensure that corruption is tacked by strenghtening anti-corruption agencies.”
He also promised that his administration would discourage corruption through the introduction of a credit culture, stating: “Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.”
It was also on a day the President, who had during his presidential campaigns, promised Nigerians that he would remove subsidy on petroleum products, made good his words by announcing suspension on them, adding that the era of payments on fuel was gone, as the 2023 Budget made no provision for fuel subsidy “and more so, subsidy payment is no longer justifiable.”
Obi to Nigerians: Don’t be despaired, your mandate won’t be lost
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Tinubu: My stand on corruption, insecurity *How I’ll banish poverty in Nigeria
In the military, INEC boss and his team would be executed – Bode George *Why put Tinubu’s boy in charge of IT?
I’ve paid a price for joining Obi to rescue Nigeria – Datti-Ahmed *Weeps on TV
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