GROUP DEMANDS DECLARATION OF ABA NORTH ASSEMBLY SEAT VACANT, THREATENS PROTEST. (PHOTO).

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 Group demands declaration of Aba North Assembly seat vacant, threatens protest A group known as the Coalition of Aba North Ethnic Youth Groups has mandated the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emereuwa to declare the Aba North seat vacant in seven days. The Aba North seat has been a subject of controversy since November 27, 2023, when the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos sacked Destiny Nwagwu of LP and declared Aaron Uzodike of the PDP, the duly elected member to represent Aba North. However, the seat has remained unoccupied since November 2023, as Uzodike of PDP has not been inaugurated by the Speaker, despite his several appeals. A fresh controversy erupted Friday, as the Coalition of Aba North Ethnic Youths Groups, asked the Speaker to declare the seat vacant within seven days or expect a city-wide protest in Aba. A protest letter signed by the leader of the group, Uka Matthew and some other members in Aba, said they have been without a representative in the Abia S

ANGOLAN TIKTOKER JAILED FOR TWO YEARS FOR INSULTING THE PRESIDENT. (PHOTO).




 Angolan TikToker jailed for two years for insulting the president


A social media influencer in Angola, Ana da Silva Miguel, has had her prison sentence increased to two years by the country’s court for “insulting” President João Lourenço on TikTok, BBC reports.


The popular TikToker, known as Neth Nahara, was initially sentenced by a court to six months in August.


However, an appeals court ruled that the sentence was too lenient and raised it to two years.


Ms Miguel accused the president on her TikTok account with the username @nethnahara.yaya of “anarchy and disorganization, local media reported.


She also blamed the president for lacking schools, housing, and employment in the oil-rich southern African state.


President Lourenço was re-elected for a second term in August last year in a closely fought election that extended the ruling MPLA party’s decades-long dominance.


It has been in power since independence in 1975 and is accused of leading a repressive regime.


The appeals court in the capital, Luanda, said that Ms Miguel had used offensive words against the president, and the fact that she could influence public opinion made her conduct “more objectionable”.


She had pleaded for leniency because she was a first-time offender and a mother of young children and regretted her remarks.


Judge Salomão Raimundo Kulanda described the president as “sovereign” and said the TikToker was aware of this.


Ms Miguel has over 230,000 followers on TikTok, and her videos attract thousands of views.


Her lawyer told Portuguese news outlet Lusa that this was the first time a person had been convicted in Angola for something they had posted on TikTok.


The lawyer added that the ruling was final. An appeal to the Supreme Court could not be made for a sentence that was less than three years.


The state prosecutor had asked for a harsher punishment, saying the initial six-month sentence was too “benevolent” and that Ms Miguel would likely put similar social media posts again.


Angola is one of Africa’s biggest oil exporters, but most of its people live in poverty.


It has recently been hit by a wave of protests over the rising cost of living.

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