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Addressing the Misconceptions Surrounding the Proposed New 200-Bed Imo Mariot Hotel:

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Addressing the Misconceptions Surrounding the Proposed New 200-Bed Imo Mariot Hotel:

—5 Facts to Note

By Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, May 4, 2024

Since the news of the proposed 200-bed Imo Mariot Hotel broke, many people have expressed concerns, largely stemming from sincere misconceptions. Here are five facts about the proposed hotel project that should be noted:

1. The Imo State Government, led by Governor Hope Uzodimma, is not building a hotel. Instead, the government is an equity partner in the proposed hotel project, meaning it is not making any financial commitments to fund the construction.

2. Regardless of whether the Imo State Government invested in the equity of the proposed hotel or not, the developers would have still built the hotel. However, the state government recognized the potential of tourism as a lucrative venture and chose to partner in the project to share in its financial rewards for the benefit of the state’s people.

3. The proposed 200-bed Imo Mariot Hotel will be built by Hassan Allam Holding and Punz Limited, with financial backing from Afrexim Bank and Fidelity Bank Plc. The state government serves as an equity partner by retaining ownership of the land and using it to secure a stake in the project’s equity, ensuring continuous financial returns for the state.

4. Imo State is renowned as the tourist capital of the southeast. By embracing this initiative to develop the state’s tourist infrastructure, the government is making a deliberate effort to expand the hospitality industry, which will have a catalytic effect on the state’s economic fortunes.

5. Those who argue that the state government should have focused on reviving Concord Hotel are right, but should that have precluded the government from exploring other opportunities to expand the state’s hospitality base? While the government is already exploring ways to restore Concord Hotel to its former glory, this should not preclude the state from pursuing other opportunities that may arise.

Politics

South Sudan’s Government has postponed the 2024 election by two years until 2026.

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The country has not held national elections since it gained independence in 2011.

President Salva Kiir has ruled the country since 2011.

He has five Vice Presidents.

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Flood: Tinubu leaves Abuja for Borno

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President Bola Tinubu
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President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja to Borno State to express condolences and evaluate the impact of the recent floods in Maiduguri.

Recall that the president had directed his vice, Shettima to visit the Northern state while he was away in China.

Residents fled their homes following the devastating flood in the state capital.

The Alau Dam, which has been at full capacity for the past week, reportedly collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday.

The areas most affected include Fori, Galtimari, Gwange, and Bulabulin.

Wild animals, including snakes, crocodiles and ostriches, were flooded out of their enclosures at the state zoo and into the streets.

Usman Tar, the state commissioner for information and internal security, issued a flooding alert, urging the immediate evacuation of those living along the riverbanks.

NAN reports that the last time the dam collapsed was in 1994, which led to unprecedented flooding in Maiduguri, with nearly half of the town submerged.

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Ribadu threatens to sue PDP chair over election rigging allegation

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Ribadu
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The National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has demanded retraction of the false and malicious allegation levelled against him by the Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anthony Aziegbemi, that he was plotting to rig the upcoming governorship election in the state.

The party chairman had, in a statement widely circulated on Saturday, accused the federal government of scheming to rig the election. He also alleged that the NSA released $2 million to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as part of the plot.

But in a letter addressed to the party chieftain dated September 15, 2024, the NSA demanded retraction of what the “totally false” allegation.

His lawyer, Marian Aigbedion of Charles Musa & Co, said the “malicious and libelous statement has brought our client into public disdain and odium.

“Your portrayal of our client as a corruption enabler and his office as an appendage of a political party willing to cause chaos in Edo State is entirely false and damaging to his reputation.

“As a renowned career police officer and pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), our client has consistently demonstrated integrity and a commitment to fighting corruption. It is inconceivable that he would be involved in such odious acts.”

Ribadu, therefore, asked Mr Aziegbemi to publicly apologise to him and retract the publication in its entirety.

He also demanded that the retraction statement should be published as “a full-page advertorial in at least five nationwide newspapers, ten reputable and well-read online news sites, seven national and international television stations and ten radio channels with national and international reach”.

The NSA also demanded the payment of N10 billion “as damages for reputational and other injuries.”

The lawyers informed the party chairman that failure to comply with the demands within seven days might compel them to take further steps, which could include legal action to enforce Ribadu’s rights.

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