The Labour Party (LP) said the kidnap and assassination of Hon. Justice Azuka, a lawmaker in Anambra State, shows that the State Governor, Dr Chukwuma Soludo has lost the will to enforce law and sanity in the state.

The national leadership of the Labour Party stated this while reacting to the assassination of Azuka, a lawmaker representing Onitsha 1 North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, on the Labour Party platform.

The lawmaker was abducted on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 by gunmen while returning home on Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha.

However, his decomposing body was found around the 2nd Niger Bridge on Wednesday.

Reacting to the discovery of the Azuka’s corpse, national publicity secretary of Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, said under Soludo’s watch, Anambra has become a war state where life has suddenly become nasty, brutish and short.

He added that the present leadership has completely lost the will-power to enforce law and sanity.

The party spokesman also said the Labour Party candidate in the last governorship election in Anambra State, Obiora Agbasimelo was recently abducted while campaigning and that his whereabouts remains unknown.

Ifoh said, “We are presently traumatized by this death and that of other deaths that have become a daily occurrence in Anambra State, a state that is gradually assuming a hobbesian status under the administration of Prof. Charles Soludo. Anambra has fully assumed the state of war, where life has suddenly become nasty, brutish and short because the present leadership has completely lost the will-power to enforce law and sanity.

“We are pained because not long ago, the Labour Party candidate in the last governorship election in Anambra State, Obiora Agbasimelo was abducted while campaigning and as we speak, his whereabout is still unknown. Neither the security agencies nor the government could account for his disappearance and his family is left traumatized.”

Ifoh said the whole essence of a government is to provide security and well-being for the people; that constitutional provision is lacking in Anambra State at present.

He added that it is unbelievable and unspeakable that a personality as high as a legislator could be abducted for over a month and the government was incapable of rescuing him.

“Though, information has it that the police has made arrests of some suspects, we are however calling for a proper and deeper investigation to unravel the real culprits. We are not by anyway suggesting political motive.

“That would be left for the security agencies to determine, however, we are not unmindful of the circumstances that led to his regaining his mandate after a court ruling ousted the previous winner, from another party who was initially declared the winner of the 2023 election.

“We are therefore calling on all our party members in Anambra State to maintain peace and allow the security agencies to diligently carry out their duties. We also encourage them not to be dampened by this unfortunate incident but rather remain focused on the activities ahead.

“On behalf of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, National Executive Committee and the state executive committee, we pray that the Almighty God will grant the deceased eternal rest. We also condole the immediate family and pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.

When you intend to travel out of the country either to study or stay for some time, your host country needs to be sure you can sponsor yourself for the trip and also fend for yourself when you get there. Documents you need as proof of financial stability for a visa application are like a certification to ascertain that you have all the money you claim. That is, there must be evidence that shows that you have the money to meet your expenses whether to study, relocate, or for any other reason.

One notable thing is that if your family is involved; maybe your wife and or your children, definitely your financial capability must be high.

1. Bank statement

The most essential document you must tender to any country’s embassy is your bank statement. It is a record that contains all your financial transactions over a specific period. The account must bear your name and the details should be older than six months. Most banks include the following information:

• Transaction description.

• Transaction date.

• The deposits made into the account (credits).

• The sum taken out of the account (debits).

• Account balance.

2. Not having enough funds

It is possible not to have enough funds (it depends on the country) that can make you eligible to apply for a visa. There are other ways you can solicit help such as spouse sponsorship, employer sponsorship, moneylenders, or family and friends.

3. Employer sponsorship

Employer sponsorship is another document that can serve as proof of your financial stability. You have to provide an employment letter from the company that hired you, your account that has details of how you’re paid, and a sponsorship letter from your company. All these credentials can help you secure a visa.

4. Spouse sponsorship

Any document that can prove your relationship with your spouse is what you would tender at the embassy. Spouse sponsorship apart from employer sponsorship is one of the most common ways of getting help for a visa application.

5. Family and Friends

Your family and friends can be of great help to you by lending you money.

6. Moneylenders

There are different money lending fintech companies in Nigeria now. What they need from you is your phone number, Bank Verification Number, and guarantors’ details. But this kind of fund comes with a lot of interest.

Leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta North senatorial district yesterday resolved to commence legal processes to retrieve the party’s senatorial mandate from Senator Ned Nwoko who recently defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party leaders stated this at a meeting summoned and presided over by the Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme.

Nwoko, who represents the senatorial district, formally left PDP on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, citing crisis within his former party. He has since joined the APC.

Nwoko’s defection comes amid the State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s denial of defection plans to the APC.

However, the motion for the retrieval of the mandate from Nwoko was moved at the meeting by the member representing Ika federal constituency at the House of Representatives and seconded by the Majority Leader of the Delta State House of Assembly, (DSHA), Hon. Emeka Nwobi.

The motion was put to a voice vote by the deputy governor and it was adopted by the people.

Addressing the party leaders, the deputy governor, Onyeme, said all elected and appointed officials of the state government are PDP ambassadors.

Onyeme urged the leaders to be in touch with the grassroots and ensure members are not dissuaded by the opposition parties.

He said their political offices are platforms to serve humanity, the PDP and Delta State, noting that Delta North is the party’s bride which should jealously guard to maintain its dominance.

He told the PDP leaders to embark on various forms of empowerment programmes and directed the PDP senatorial and local government chairmen to ensure that they attended party activities and meetings.

Onyeme emphasised the need for elected and appointed officials to always go to the wards and council areas and asked council chairmen to jettison the habit of staying in Asaba.

“Delta North should remain PDP dominant Senatorial District. We must consolidate our position as the main determinant for all elections in Delta state.

As the debate continues to heat up around the alleged misappropriation of funds by the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, another group has come out to charge the anti-graft agency to do its job by arresting him.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday and signed by Barr Gideon Jato and Bro Sunday Adoka, President and Secretary, respectively, of Northern Christians Accord (NCA), the group reiterated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was long overdue to arrest Mallam El-Rufai.

The group wondered why the EFCC was yet to act, even after a series of petitions were submitted at the national headquarters after the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted El-Rufai and some key officials of his government of embezzling N423bn.

The Kaduna State Assembly ad-hoc committee probing the financial dealings of former Governor El-Rufai‘s eight-year administration in June 2024 indicted him and some key members of his cabinet for alleged corruption in the awards of contracts and management of both domestic and foreign loans obtained by his government.

In the report submitted to the House by the chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Henry Danjuma, it said that there was evidence of several cases of corruption in the running of the affairs of the Government, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in Kaduna State from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023.

After adopting the report, the House recommended, amongst other things, that the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service withdraw the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Account domiciled at Zenith Bank as Security for N20,000,000,000.00 guaranteed in 2023 forthwith and request the bank to refund all monies deducted on account of the purported illegal guarantee together with the accrued interest thereof.

The House also recommended that all the Commissioners of Finance and the Accountants General of the State from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023 be referred to the appropriate Law Enforcement Agencies for thorough investigation.

Subsequently, in July 2024, a group under the auspices of Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance (KCWGG) filed petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Mallam El-Rufai and his men over an alleged N423 billion fraud.

Seven months after the indictment by the Parliament and the attendant petitions to the anti-graft agencies, no action has been taken to arrest or probe the former Governor.

„We perceive this as an affront and total disregard to the rule of law and a great insult to the sensibility of the people of Kaduna State, especially the institution of the State House of Assembly.

„For the EFCC and ICPC to have closed their eyes and shut their ears against the indictments, petitions and cries of Kaduna people only means they support corruption in Nigeria and, as such, shielding El-Rufai.

“It is very glaring that the law in Nigeria is centrifugally positioned to favour some people and witch-hunt others. We remember how the EFCC was battling day and night a few months ago, looking for the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over a petition from a group in the state.

“But the same EFCC has brazenly become blind, deaf and dumb over the El-Rufai issue, despite the indictment by the House of Assembly and having received a series of petitions from various groups. In the case of Kogi State, the Assembly did not indict the former governor, but the EFCC went for him, arrested him, and arraigned him. However, Kaduna is a special case that cannot be handled because El-Rufai is untouchable.

“The man alleged to have stolen N80bn is already standing trial. Why is it taking EFCC and others years to prosecute a man indicted for almost N500bn?

“The Northern Christians Accord is giving the EFCC and other agencies responsible for the arrest, prosecution and recovery of the N423 billion confirmed by the Assembly to have been embezzled by El-Rufai to do the needful and save themselves and the nation of this monumental embarrassment.

“Failure to do so, we shall not hesitate to create awareness about the complacency of the agencies, both within Nigeria and to the international community. We shall also mobilise our members across the 19 northern states to march to the headquarters of EFCC and National Assembly“, the group added.