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re-write this story for publication: The Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev Dr Bulus Yohanna, on Sunday, conducted a mass wedding for 30 couples in the Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Joining the couples in holy matrimony at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Agwara, Bishop Yohanna disclosed that, until a couple is joined together in marriage legally, both traditionally by paying a bride price and being blessed in the church, it is wrong for them to cohabit.
He was speaking against a long traditional practice in the community which allows a man to cohabit with more than one woman without paying their bride price. He encouraged them to establish a family on a foundation that complies with religious and legal provisions.
The Parish Priest, Rev Fr Emmanuel Okoro, while disclosing that the 30 couples completed their marriage traditional rites, especially paying their bride prices, said they were subjected to three months’ marriage counselling which qualified them to be joined as husband and wife in the church.
Among the newlyweds were Shuaibu Bisallah and his wife, who expressed joy, saying they had cohabited for several years and birthed four children.
They however added that “we are happy now that we are officially married and I thank the Bishop for helping us realise the need to do the right thing”.
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In a momentous ceremony held at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Agwara, the Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev Dr Bulus Yohanna, officiated a mass wedding for 30 couples in the Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State on Sunday.
Addressing the congregation, Bishop Yohanna emphasized the sanctity of marriage, asserting that a union is incomplete until it is legally formalized, coupled with traditional rites such as paying a bride price and receiving the church’s blessing. He sternly denounced the prevailing local custom allowing men to cohabit with multiple women without fulfilling these essential requirements, urging the community to embrace a marital foundation that aligns with both religious principles and legal standards.
The Parish Priest, Rev Fr Emmanuel Okoro, revealed that the 30 couples had diligently completed their traditional marriage rites, including the payment of bride prices. He further highlighted that the couples underwent three months of rigorous marriage counseling, a prerequisite that qualified them to be united in holy matrimony within the church.
Among the newlyweds were Shuaibu Bisallah and his wife, who conveyed their joy at the occasion. Having cohabited for several years and raising four children together, they expressed gratitude for the official recognition of their union. They credited Bishop Yohanna for enlightening them on the significance of adhering to the proper procedures and formalizing their commitment.
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re write this too: The Abia State Government has denied spending over N900 million on the feeding and welfare of Governor Alex Otti from July to September 2023.
Earlier, reports emerged that a budget performance report indicated that the government spent N927 million within three months on refreshments and meals, allowance, settlement of honorarium and welfare packages.
It was alleged that the Otti-led government spent N223,389,889.84 on refreshments and meals while N305,400,000.00 was spent on honorarium and sitting allowances for government officials in July and September 2023.
As a result, some Nigerians took to social media, wondering how such amounts of money could have been spent in the space of three months, in view of current economic realities.
However, in a statement on Monday, the media aides to the governor, Ferdinand Ekeoma and Kazie Uko, described the reports as false.
“The total amount spent so far by the entire government of Abia State for Refreshments and Meals for the period is N223,389,889.84,” the statement read.
“The figure above is as captured in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government. Please, note that this figure is for the entire state and not for the Office of the Governor, as being erroneously portrayed.
“The stated figure covers expenses for special events, such as retreats, conferences, and related events. For welfare, the Abia State Government has so far spent the sum of N397,520,734.84.
“The Welfare expenditure is in line with the State Fiscal, Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Programme (SFTAS); an initiative of the Federal Government.
“Also note that the Welfare Expenditure covers all the Ministries’ Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and not just the Governor’s Office, as wrongly alleged.
“Expenses under Welfare deal with issues of Health, Rehabilitation and Public Emergencies. The Abia State Government, under the leadership of Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, will continue to uphold transparency in governance, as has been demonstrated in the publication of the budget performance report for two consecutive quarters.”
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The Abia State Government has refuted claims of allocating over N900 million for the sustenance and well-being of Governor Alex Otti between July and September 2023.
Initial reports suggested that a budget performance report indicated an expenditure of N927 million during the specified three-month period, covering areas such as refreshments and meals, allowances, settlement of honorarium, and welfare packages.
It was alleged that a significant portion, N223,389,889.84, was earmarked for refreshments and meals, with an additional N305,400,000.00 allocated for honorarium and sitting allowances for government officials within the Otti-led administration.
In response, media aides to the governor, Ferdinand Ekeoma and Kazie Uko, issued a statement on Monday categorically denying the veracity of these reports.
“The total amount spent so far by the entire government of Abia State for Refreshments and Meals for the period is N223,389,889.84,” the statement clarified. “This figure encompasses all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the government. Please note that this sum pertains to the entire state and is not solely for the Office of the Governor, as incorrectly portrayed.”
The statement continued, “The stated figure covers expenses for special events, such as retreats, conferences, and related activities. For welfare, the Abia State Government has expended the sum of N397,520,734.84.”
Highlighting the adherence to the State Fiscal, Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability Programme (SFTAS) initiated by the Federal Government, the statement emphasized that the welfare expenditure extends to all MDAs, not exclusively the Governor’s Office.
“Expenses under Welfare address matters of Health, Rehabilitation, and Public Emergencies,” the statement clarified, concluding with a commitment to maintaining transparency in governance under the leadership of Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR.
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Please re-write: Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State says he is ready for the rerun election ordered by the Court of Appeal in a recent ruling, stressing that the opposition is envious of the developments he has brought to the state within his first five months in office.
Addressing his supporters on Monday at the secretariat of the party in Gusau, Lawal declared that God had chosen him as the governor, adding that he would remain in office no matter the level of “hypocrisy” by the opposition.
The Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, former Governor Bello Matawalle, cancelling the governorship election in Zamfara state and ordering a rerun in three local governments: Maradun, Birnin-Magaji, and Bukkuyum.
But Lawal insisted that the opposition would not deter him from bringing more developments to the state.
The governor appealed to supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to remain calm and law-abiding, expressing optimism that he would still emerge victorious at the rerun election.
He expressed appreciation to supporters of the PDP for their support and encouragement through their prayers which he said had given him more zeal to pilot the affairs of the state.
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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has affirmed his readiness for the upcoming rerun election mandated by the Court of Appeal in a recent verdict. Emphasizing that the opposition is envious of the progress he has ushered into the state during his initial five months in office, Lawal addressed his supporters at the party secretariat in Gusau on Monday.
Declaring that he views his governorship as a divine mandate, Lawal asserted that he is destined to remain in office despite any level of “hypocrisy” displayed by the opposition. The Court of Appeal had ruled in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, former Governor Bello Matawalle, annulling the governorship election in Zamfara state and ordering a rerun specifically in Maradun, Birnin-Magaji, and Bukkuyum local governments.
Undeterred by the legal developments, Governor Lawal maintained his commitment to advancing the state’s development and urged supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remain calm and law-abiding. He expressed confidence that he would emerge victorious in the rerun election.
The governor extended his gratitude to PDP supporters for their unwavering support and encouragement, citing their prayers as a source of motivation to lead the state effectively.
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kindly rewrite:President Bola Tinubu’s administration says he is not undermining the judiciary and planning to foist a one-party state on Nigeria.
The Presidency, on Monday, was responding to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s questions over the integrity of the judiciary, following recent court judgments that sacked some governors of opposition parties in some states.
In a statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, insisted that Tinubu remained committed to upholding judicial independence and Nigeria’s democratic values.
Onanuga added that the allegations arose in the context of the PDP’s “poor performance” in recent appeal court rulings regarding the election of some of its governors.
“President Tinubu is a democrat to the core. We make bold to say that as president, he has not interfered with the judgment of the judiciary,” the statement said.
“The PDP and former Vice President and his spokesman have become overtly desperate to hang their woes on President Tinubu and the judiciary.
“We had witnessed how, under his watch, the PDP governor in Osun defeated the APC at the Supreme Court. Similarly, the PDP Governor in Bauchi also won his case in the Appeal court, beating the APC.
“President Tinubu is also not planning to impose a one-party state as Atiku has serially alleged and his party and spokesman have now parroted.
“Unlike Atiku Abubakar, President Tinubu’s record as a democrat par excellence and a strong advocate of the rule of law has been globally acknowledged.
“His record of service as governor, which witnessed giant strides in various facets of the state, was responsible for the dominance of his political structure in Lagos and not by any undemocratic conduct, as Atiku Abubakar wants the public to believe.
“While Atiku and PDP are now crying wolf over the Appeal Court rulings on governorship polls in Plateau, Zamfara and Nasarawa States, we hasten to ask the former Vice President where he was in 2019 when the court ruled against All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State. The court then awarded all the positions won by the APC to PDP.
“We once again implore Atiku and PDP to stop their campaign of calumny and blackmail against the judiciary and the honourable judges and justices.
“Judgments are based on law and evidence. In election petition cases, they are based on the Electoral Act and the Constitution, not on sentiments and emotions.”
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The administration of President Bola Tinubu has firmly refuted allegations of undermining the judiciary and harboring intentions to establish a one-party state in Nigeria. The response came on Monday in reaction to inquiries raised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, regarding the perceived integrity of the judiciary, particularly in light of recent court decisions that led to the removal of some governors affiliated with opposition parties.
In a statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphatically stated that Tinubu is dedicated to upholding judicial independence and the democratic values of Nigeria. Onanuga dismissed the allegations as arising from the PDP’s dissatisfaction with recent appeal court rulings on the election of some of its governors.
“President Tinubu is a committed democrat. We assert that, as president, he has not interfered with the judiciary’s judgments,” the statement affirmed. “The PDP and former Vice President, along with his spokesperson, are seemingly desperate to attribute their challenges to President Tinubu and the judiciary.”
The statement continued, highlighting Tinubu’s democratic principles and his track record as a strong advocate for the rule of law. It countered Atiku’s assertions of plans to impose a one-party state, emphasizing that Tinubu’s reputation as a democrat has been globally recognized.
The statement drew attention to instances where the judiciary ruled against the APC, under Tinubu’s watch, in states like Osun and Bauchi. It refuted claims of undemocratic conduct leading to the dominance of Tinubu’s political structure in Lagos, attributing it instead to his exemplary service as governor.
Regarding recent PDP complaints about appeal court rulings in Plateau, Zamfara, and Nasarawa States, the statement questioned Atiku’s silence in 2019 when the court ruled against the APC in Zamfara, awarding all positions won by the party to the PDP.
The statement concluded by urging Atiku and the PDP to refrain from their “campaign of calumny and blackmail against the judiciary,” emphasizing that judicial decisions are based on law, evidence, and the Electoral Act and Constitution, not sentiments or emotions.
