Flood Kills 44, Destroys 500 Houses in Katsina Scores missing, 260 livestock dead Francis Sardauna in Katsina No fewer than 44 persons were feared dead and scores missing as flood wreaked havoc in 10
communities in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday night. Some of the communities badly affected by the flood
were Kwata, Dantudu, Sabuwar, Tukare, Tsohuwar Tukare and Ungwar Mai Kwari. According to the District
Head of Jibia, Alhaji Rabe Rabi'u, who confirmed the development to THISDAY yesterday in a telephone interview, while on an
assessment tour of the affected areas, said the incident was “highly devastating.” “As I speak to you, we discovered the corpses of 25
persons, including mothers and children and many are missing. Over 260 cows, sheep Continued on page 6
IMF Raises Nigeria’s 2019 Growth Forecast to 2.3%… Page 8 Tuesday 17 July, 2018 Vol 23. No 8489. Price: N250
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Ortom Quits APC, Akume Eyes Senate Presidency APC settles for direct primary for Osun State guber contest Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Omololu Ogunmade, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and James Emejo in Abuja Governor Samuel Ortom of
Benue State yesterday said he had left the All Progressives Congress (APC), following what he described as “a red card” given to him by some powerful forces within
the party. The governor’s exit, THISDAY gathered yesterday, was part of an elaborate political intrigue, shaping the future of the ruling party as its
leaders, particularly in Benue State, position for the spoils of anticipated victory of the APC at the impending 2019 presidential election. At the root of Ortom’s
ordeal, it was learnt, was his erstwhile godfather, Senator George Akume’s, ambition to clinch the Senate Presidency in the event of the incumbent, Senator Bukola Saraki’s, exit
from the party. Saraki along with House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara are believed Continued on page 6
Southern Leaders’ Flight Denied Landing Permit, Nwodo Warns Nigeria Sliding into Dictatorship Middle-Belt leaders insist on restructuring Deji Elumoye in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, frontline Igbo Socio-cultural group, Chief John Nwodo, yesterday warned that some recent actions of the federal government showed that the country was sliding into dictatorship. Nwodo spoke at a news conference in Abuja, where he said that a chartered flight that was to take some Southern leaders to Makurdi for a rally was refused landing permit at the Benue State capital. With him at the news conference, were, First Republic Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark; former Governor of Anambra State,
Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife; and Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo. The leaders were billed to attend the Middle Belt Forum’s rally on restructuring in Makurdi. Nevertheless, the rally held with the Forum’s leaders restating their belief in the total restructuring of Nigeria. "We were told at the airport that our chartered flight has no permit to land in Makurdi,” he said, adding that upon inquiry, they were told that the directive not to allow their plane to land in Makurdi was from above. According to him, "We were at the airport in Abuja as early as possible to get a Continued on page 6
Crude Oil Price Drops to $73 amid Tight Supply, Outages... Page 6
AFRICA’S BEST DIGITAL BANK... L-R: Managing Director, Euromoney, Mr. John Orchard; General Manager, Energy Bank, Mr. Ebele Ogbue; Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; and a member of England’s 1966 World Cup winning team, Sir Geoff Hurst, at the Euromoney Award for Excellence, where UBA Group was conferred with Africa’s Best Digital Bank award, in London…recently