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The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has donated N100 million to flood victims in Kano State.

He announced the largesse during a dinner party organised in his honour by the business community.

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He explained that the donation was intended to alleviate the sufferings of victims in the affected local government areas.

Tinubu called for prayers to end flood in the state and the nation in general.

Meanwhile, in continuation of his solidarity visits and humanitarian outreaches to states affected by flooding, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has visited Asaba, Delta State, to assess the extent of the damage caused by the floods and to commiserate with the victims.

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Obi had, the previous day, visited the flooded areas in Bayelsa State; the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Ogbaru, Anambra State; the Industrial Harbour in Onitsha and the IDP camps in Anambra East, to reach out to those affected by flooding and encourage them.

Speaking at Asaba during his tour of the flooded areas around the Bridge Head, Obi said he felt sad for the huge economic losses brought upon the people by the floods, but above all, by the lives lost to the disaster. He revealed that from his interaction with business owners within the area, billions of naira worth of investment have been washed away by the floods.

“I can imagine the pains and difficulties the flood victims are going through. I feel bad about the lives and property lost to the floods. Take a look at Tourist Garden Hotel, Asaba, which is worth over N2 billion and see how it is submerged under water.

I have spoken to the owner of the hotel to encourage him. Even the manufacturing arm of his Company, at the industrial harbour, is badly affected. These are very challenging times for Nigerians.”

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He appreciated the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, for his efforts in giving succour, hope and encouragement to the flood victims, while encouraging the people to remain hopeful and optimistic.

“We pray that a disaster like this never befalls us again. We continue to appeal to relevant governmental and non-governmental organisations to continue to reach out to the people displaced by floods and continue to help them through these difficult times,” he said.

SERAP gives Buhari 7 days to probe ecological funds spendings

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly and thoroughly investigate the spending of ecological fund from 2001 till date by federal, states and local government councils.

In the open letter dated October 22, 2022 by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation claimed trillions of naira in ecological funds have allegedly gone down the drain. Its allegation was against the backdrop of reports that ravaging flooding in some parts of the country had resulted in the loss of over 600 lives, displacement of more than a million persons, and destruction of properties worth billions. The most affected states being Anambra, Delta, Kogi, Rivers, Benue, Yobe, Cross River and Bayelsa.

“Suspected perpetrators of corruption and mismanagement should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing public funds should be fully recovered. The resulting human costs directly threaten human rights – rights to life and to a place to live – rights that your government has an obligation to protect…

“Irrespective of the cause of a threat to human rights, your government still has positive obligations to use all the means within its disposal to uphold the human rights of those affected.”

(Sun)