The Spokesperson of the Thirdforce, Dr Yunusa Tanko has described the reported rift between Professor Pat Utomi and the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) His Excellency, Peter Obi over campaign fund as the handwork of the opposition.

Dr Tanko noted that the story was deliberately planted by those who were jittery over the daily rise in the popularity of the Labour Party flag bearer across the country.

According Tanko, “we know it was the handwork of the opposition who are merely looking for ways to break the ranks of the Obidient Movement. As far as l know, no campaign funds account has been opened anywhere.

“If you notice, our opponents don’t talk about what they want to offer to Nigerians, rather what they do is to attack our candidate everyday on social media platforms, electronic and print media.

“They say we are noise makers, we don’t have structures yet they are afraid of the Obidient Movement. But the good news is that the more they attack us the more our supporters grow”.

Thirdforce spokesman stressed that “Obi/Datti Movement is one family united by the patriotic force of determination to take back our country from those who had over the years hijacked the country”.

Dr Tanko further added that the claims that allies of the Presidential Candidate of the Party, Mr. Peter Obi, had sidelined the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure, and Professor Pat Utomi, who were earlier listed as signatories to the Labour Party’s campaign donation account, were unfounded.

He disclosed that FUND40MB that was referred to in the said story had existed even before Peter Obi contemplated joining the Labour party and therefore didn’t have anything to do with Obi/Datti campaign funds.

He also stated that “there are several levels of support groups for Peter Obi and they are all eager to donate materials and funds but we are taking time to harmonise the groups before opening campaign funds/donation accounts to ensure transparency”.

The lawmaker representing Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency of Enugu State in the House of Representatives, Honourable Nnolim Nnaji has raised alarm over the spate of kidnapping and general insecurity in his Constituency.

He stated that the situation has grounded businesses in the area adding that even farming activities have also been affected as his constituents could no longer move freely to carry out their routine activities.

Honourable Nnaji called for urgent intervention from the Federal Government and the Heads of Security Agencies to arrest the ugly development from further escalation.

He specifically singled Agbani community as the worst hit by the marauders stating that, ” the danger is that Agbani houses the campuses of the Nigerian Law School and the Enugu State University of Technology, (ESUT) plus the Airforce School”.

The lawmaker who chairs the Aviation Committee in the House of Representatives observed that, ” in the last one week an average of two persons are abducted daily and just yesterday, two Law School students were kidnapped. My fear is that the increasing insecurity in the community might likely lead to the closure of the institutions domiciled in Agbani if the ugly trend persists”.

The kidnapping according to him has continued unchallenged by the security agencies adding, “the lack of responses from the police and any other security agencies have further emboldened the hoodlums and made them more daring “

Honourable Nnaji however called for immediate deployment of combined team of military and police forces to his Constituency to complement what the Governor of Enugu state is doing to restore normalcy and to also avoid imminent collapse of law and order.

Nigeria’s ’s Professor of political Economy, Pat Utomi has declared that the country was going through the most challenging times at the moment.

Professor Utomi stated this in Abuja on Thursday in his Keynote address at the presentation and launch of a book authored by Elder Ejodame Emmanuel.

He noted that the book titled, “A Handbook for Changing the unpleasant narratives of our National Life” reminded him of the popular track in one of the Late Sunny Okosun’s Music, “which way Nigeria”.

Professor Utomi who is the Chairman of the Thirdforce, the group that is solidly collaborating with the Labour Party to ensure the success of Peter Obi Presidential Campaign, stressed that it was baffling to observe the lamentations in the music released about forty years ago manifesting in the country today.

He said that the forthcoming Presidential election of 2023 would provide apple opportunity for a national rebirth, adding that if Nigerians failed to choose the right leaders this time around, the country might not survive as a country.

He regretted that despite adequate pre- warnings about the prevailing security challenges the leaderships did not do anything to checkmate the signals.

Professor Utomi, ” asked how did we get here, how did we take this Path?”. He said “in sixties there was much prosperity in northern Nigeria with rich agricultural produce especially the ground pyramid”.

. He described religious, tribal and ethnic cleavages as the cardinal roots of the nation’s problems stressing that those were weapons being used by the elites to perpetuate their selfish agenda.

He canvassed for a new set of leaderships that would promote strong institutions that would reshape the country.

The gathering was attended by quite a number of personalities like, Dr Yunusa Tanko, the spokesman of the Thirdforce and Peter Obi Campaign Organisation Sarah Jubrin, one time Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and Barrister Godswill lyohs Iyoke, the book reviewer among others.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has charged Benue youths to utilize social media as a platform to evolve solutions to problems rather than using it to destroy personalities and institutions.

Governor Ortom gave the charge Wednesday, August 17th, 2022 when he interacted with the National Union of Benue State Students, NUBESS and Benue State Youth Parliament who jointly paid him a courtesy call at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.

The Governor told the youth groups that social media is a veritable platform in the 21st century, emphasising that “We can advance it to positively contribute in bringing solutions to some of the challenges confronting the society.”

According to the state statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur made available to Peionews, Governor Ortom also challenged the Benue State Youth Parliament to evolve creative ideas to contribute to governance in the state.

“As you brainstorm in your parliament sessions, bring forth any creative ideas and channel them through the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development so add value to our governance,” he stated.

The Governor eulogized the resilience, mature and orderly conduct of Benue youths even in the face of challenges they were passing through, pointing out that he was impressed with the manner youths in the state conducted themselves, particularly during the #EndSARS protest across the country.

He stated that it was the culmination of the protest with no single incident of destruction recorded in the State that his administration convened the Benue Youth Summit, stressing that the resolutions from the summit were being implemented to support youth agitations and development in general.

On NUBESS’ appeal to the Governor to intervene in the prolonged national strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Ortom acknowledged that the industrial impasse had become a national embarrassment.

The Governor stated that he plans to soon interface with the Benue State University branch of ASUU on how they could discontinue the sympathy strike to enable students to return to school.

Governor Ortom said he was impressed with the student’s idea to convene the Students Entrepreneurship Summit, stressing that it was a welcome initiative that would positively engage the students.

He encouraged the youths to lead exemplary lives, stressing that they must be of good conduct and shun crime and social vices, which he noted could be inimical to their progress in life.

Earlier, the President, National Union of Benue State Students, NUBESS, Comr. Gaius Injorovkaa and the Speaker, Benue State Youth Parliament, Ms. Rachael Tyona had in their separate speeches passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Governor Samuel Ortom for his youth development and security initiatives in governing the state.

The NUBESS President particularly acknowledged Governor Ortom’s education-friendly policies, citing the attention the administration has given to the Benue State University, payment of students’ bursary allowances as well as revamping of primary and secondary schools in the State.

Also speaking, the State Youth Parliament Speaker, Ms. Tyona affirmed the premium Governor Ortom has placed on youth development initiatives in the state, stating that it was the reason the parliament deliberated and passed a vote of confidence on the Governor for his youth-friendly initiatives.

The two groups jointly pledged to stand by Governor Ortom in his unrelenting efforts at ensuring the security of lives and property, urging the Governor not to succumb to intimidation and even threats on his life.

The Obi/Datti ticket has become a phenomenon and there is no doubt that it will double the 15 million votes of Buhari/Osibanjo’s of 2019.

This was the assertion of Dr Yunusa Tanko, the National Chairman of the National Conscience Party, (NCP) and the spokesperson of the Thirdforce .

Dr Tanko who spoke late Sunday night at a webinar organised by Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy for Obi/Datti Presidency project emphatically stated that the Labour Party, (LP) was well galvanised to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) come 2023.

In a vivid analysis, Dr Tanko said, “with the fifteen support groups and the
Labour Party’s projections, Buhari’s fifteen million vites in 2019 will be doubled with little or no stress”

He said, “the past fifteen months have brought tremendous revolution in the party to compensate for its over three decades of democratic struggle”

The Thirdforce image maker gave kudos to the current leadership of the party led by Comrade Jius Abure and the Nigerian youths for their drive and sacrifices in the fight to wrestle Nigeria from its enemies.

He described as amazing the increasing number of Nigerians resgistering online to become members of the party on a daily basis in the last couple of months.

Dr Tanko who mocked at those describing Obidient Movement as social media based said they would be shocked by what would happen in the next year’s general elections.

for the started but had been in the struggle for over three decades right from the days of Dan Nwanyanwu down to the present chairman, Comrade Julius Abure and our Hon Secretary, Umar Farouk.

The spokesperson for the Thirdforce Dr Yunusa Tanko has acknowledged the emerging force in the labour movement under Obi/Datti ticket saying, “this is the first time that the labour movement is well coordinated towards a common purpose and common interest”.

Dr Tanko made the declaration in his presentation during a virtual discuss organised by the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy last Sunday night in favour of Obi/Datti Presidency.

He said his just concluded sensitisation tour of the Northwest geopolitical zone with the Labour Party’s (LP’s) Chairman, Comrade Julius Abure and the Secretary, Honourable Umar Farouk was revealing and encouraging.

“Our findings in the seat of the caliphate, Sokoto including Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Kebbi were astonishing as we discovered that the supports for Obii/Datti Presidency cuts across the core northern states of Nigeria”. Dr Tanko stressed adding the party leadership had done incredibly well in grassroots mobilisation of workers.

He explained that “when we got to Sokoto the only standing gigantic billboard was that of Obi/Datti while some were destroyed signifying acceptance of the Obi/datti candidacy.

“By the time we finished the sensitisation programme in Sokoto, a physically challenged lady, by name Aisha wept uncontrollably saying am going to support the Obi/Datti ticket with my vote.”.

De Tanko praised a particular Sokoto resident who he described as Comrade Ikenna Ikeagwu, a Pharmacist who according to him has deployed his energy and resources in mobilising supports for Obi/Datti.

The Thirdforce spokesman further observed that the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC and all the trade unions across country were well galvanised for Obi/Datti project adding that, “there is an urgent need for proper coordination and infusion of these unions into the Obidient family which comprised of fifteen support groups ” .

The 150 support groups across Nigeria according to him, “consist of different groups across various endeavours.
We have the intellectuals, financials and volunteer central groups working day and night to ensure victory is attainable next year.”

On 2023 projections:

“The 2023 elections is close by and we have the youths behind us and the figures are looking up towards as the recently released figures of newly registered voters in 2022 are 12million with youths having 71percent which represents 8.7m youths between the age of 18 – 34 years.

“Out of 2022 registration, in Kano had 569,000, Lagos 585,639, Rivers 473,974.

“These are verifiable figures in the public domain that can be cross checked by anybody.

“The catch here is that we can’t match the money bags money for money, intimidation for intimidation but we can match them with a procedure that I can’t disclose here for security reasons.

“There’s an urgent need to arrange the various volunteer groups into a central body for proper coordination to achieve greater results.

“The NLC, TUC, the various critical stakeholders, now is the time to collapse all into a central group because we all have a home now.

“So far so good we have the cleanest campaign approach strategy and this we must maintain and by God’s grace victory will be ours in 2023.

Other participants at the webinar and speakers include Professor Eddie Oparaji, a former NADECO chieftain and convener of Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy… Obi/Datti Presidency, Moderators: Chijike Ndukwu and Dr Jude Iheoma.