A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okoi Obono-Obla, has described Calabar as one of the safest cities in Nigeria, dismissing recent allegations of insecurity by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as claims based on gossip rather than facts.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Obono-Obla made the remarks during an interview with a national television station.

He praised Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu for what he described as effective security measures, insisting that the administration had significantly improved the safety of residents.

According to the APC chieftain, “Calabar is one of the safest cities anybody would want to live in Nigeria.”

He recalled that before Otu assumed office, kidnappings involving university lecturers and medical doctors were frequent occurrences in the state.

However, he said the governor took steps to address the situation shortly after assuming office, including appointing a retired Major General as his security adviser.

Obono-Obla also highlighted the governor’s provision of security support and resources to government security personnel and other relevant agencies.

He subsequently criticised Atiku for his comments on the security situation in Calabar, describing them as petty and suggesting that the former Vice President had relied on unverified information.

In his words, “It is very petty for somebody who was a former Vice President of this country to descend to that level and begin talking about security in Calabar.”

The APC chieftain also commented on the incident involving the campaign convoy of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which was reportedly attacked with stones.

He argued that incidents of stone-throwing during political campaigns were not peculiar to Nigeria, claiming that similar occurrences had been recorded in established democracies such as the United States.

Describing the incident as isolated, Obono-Obla also questioned whether internal disagreements within Obi’s party could have contributed to the development.

The celebrations surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday were disrupted by a road accident that left several women supporters injured.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The women were reportedly travelling to Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo aboard an Akwa Ibom Transport Corporation bus to join Governor Umo Eno in welcoming the President when their vehicle collided with a security Hilux van along Oron Road.

The collision left both vehicles badly damaged, with several occupants requiring emergency medical attention.

A video of the accident scene shared online by Nsikakabasi Akpan showed bystanders and emergency responders working to rescue injured passengers trapped in the wreckage.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Akwa Ibom State confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, Paul James, who disclosed that a rescue team had been deployed to the scene.

However, James said the command was yet to establish the number of casualties or determine the circumstances that led to the crash.

Although there were concerns that the accident might have resulted in fatalities, no deaths had been officially confirmed as of the time this report was filed.

Meanwhile, Tinubu, accompanied by his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was later received at the Uyo airport by Governor Eno and other prominent dignitaries.

During the visit, the President inaugurated the airport’s newly constructed terminal building, a development expected to pave the way for the commencement of international flight operations in Akwa Ibom State.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has distanced himself from the Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN) title reportedly awarded to him by the Nigerian Law Society (NLS).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The former Minister of Aviation maintained that he neither authorised nor approved the acceptance of the designation.

In a statement issued on Friday through his Special Assistant on Media, Lizzy Okoji, Fani-Kayode explained that representatives from his office attended the society’s event following an invitation extended to him.

He, however, clarified that he was not personally involved in the decision to accept the title and had no intention of giving the impression that he endorsed the designation.

The statement read, “His Excellency wishes to categorically state that he did not personally authorize or approve the acceptance of the said designation and hereby formally disassociates himself from the purported conferment.

“The circumstances surrounding the representation and subsequent communication of acceptance were regrettable and arose from an unfortunate administrative misjudgment, without any intention whatsoever to misrepresent His Excellency’s personal position or professional convictions.

“As a legal practitioner of over 41 years standing, His Excellency would be the last person to knowingly engage in any act that violates the law, undermines the integrity of the legal profession, or brings the profession into disrepute.”