By 28 March, 2023
VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has urged world leaders to put aside their differences and work toward eliminating terrorism in Africa.Osinbajo made the call in a lecture delivered at King’s College, London where he decried terrorism in the Sahel region of Africa.
Stating that terrorism has escalated the existing problems, the Vice President urged world leaders to recognise that terrorism in any part of the world is a threat to humanity as a whole.
“The more pressing problem today is the encroachment by franchises of global terror groups into Africa; although many African countries have acted vigorously to tackle these terrorist groups,” Osinbajo was quoted as saying in a statement by his media aide, Laolu Akande.
“There is still much more that can be done especially in partnership with the rest of the international community.
“The Sahel appears to be the worst hit; according to the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel has become home to ‘the world’s fastest-growing and most deadly terrorist groups’ and Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 48 percent of global terrorism deaths.
“The Sahel is also said to account for half a million internally displaced persons, 1.8 million people facing food insecurity, and 5.1 million people needing humanitarian assistance.
“Given the scale of the problem and the fact that the threat of terrorism anywhere on earth is a threat to the whole of humanity, I think it is time for the global community to treat the menace of terrorism in the Sahel as a common challenge.
“This is one area in which the great powers and emerging powers can put aside rivalries and work together with ECOWAS and the African Union on an initiative to stamp out terrorism in Africa, especially in the Sahel.”
Ihedioha Withdraws From PDP Gov Primary In Imo
FORMER Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha has withdrawn from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship primary in the South-East state.
The former governor was screened and cleared a few days ago by the PDP to contest the party’s primary ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State.
However, in a letter dated March 27, 2023, Ihedioha informed the PDP leadership of his “personal sacrifice” for a “consensus candidate” by the party.
In January 2020, the Supreme Court sacked Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State after barely seven months in office.
The seven-man panel led by Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad unanimously declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 19, 2019 governorship election in the state.
The appellant, Uzodimma had contended that he scored the highest number of votes in the election but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returned Ihedioha as the governor of the state.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun who delivered the judgment declared that the votes due to Uzodimma were unlawfully excluded from the 318 polling units and should be added to his votes.
The apex court considered the submissions of a principal witness who was on a subpoena to present results and held that the lower court was wrong in its ruling.
Justice Kekere-Ekun subsequently declared Uzodimma as the validly elected governor and the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha was withdrawn by INEC and given to Uzodimma.
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