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Looming Protest: Stop Your Children From Causing Chaos, APC Warns Parents

July 25, 2024

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned parents to ensure that their children don’t take part in the upcoming protest on August 1.

The protest has been planned by some angry Nigerians to press home their demands from the federal government to address the current economic hardship in the country.

The protest, the magazine reported will span 10 days, according to the organisers who have released their demands to the federal government, amongst which is the scrapping of the 1999 Constitution and the sack of the Senate, Nigeria’s legislative arm.

The ruling party is not well disposed to the protest, saying it will cause the breakdown of law and order in the country.

Bashiru who addressed journalists after after the party’s 153rd National Working Committee, NWC, meeting, on Wednesday urged the protesters to have a change of heart as the Tinubu administration is already addressing their concern.

Parents, he said, should monitor the movement of their wards to ensure that they don’t take part in the protest, which he described as ‘political’.

President Tinubu, according to him has started laying the foundation for the prosperity of the country, the APC scribe said, adding that his party’s programmes will bring ‘reliefs to the citizens.

he said, “We, therefore, urge all those planning the protests to have confidence in Mr President’s unrelentless efforts at repositioning the economy, while assuring Nigerians that the challenges will sooner or later come to pass.

“The meeting urged parents and well-meaning Nigerians to monitor the movement of their children/wards so that they will not be used in causing chaos in the country.”

Not a few Nigerians have blamed the administration for bringing untold hardship to the country through various austerity measures it has introduced, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the deregulation of the foreign exchange market.

The Tinubu administration has pleaded for time to address the problems.

“Say No To Protests” Deputy Speaker Tells Ndigbo After Tinubu Signed South East Dev Bill

Tosin Olatokunbo

July 25, 2024

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has urged the people of south east of Nigeria not to join the protest organised by some angry Nigerians comig up next month.

Kalu spoke after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the South East Development Bill, SEDC bill into law on Wednesday, saying the administration has done well for Ndigbo.

The Deputy Speaker is the sponsor of the development bill meant to develop the region following the devastation of the Nigerian Civil war.

The protest scheduled to take place between August 1-10, the organisers say is necessary to call government’s attention to the current economic harship and sufferings of Nigerians.

Not a few Nigerians palanning to take part in the protest have blamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu adminstration for the suffering which they insist came as a result of the austerity mesures introduced by his government.

Some prominent Nigerians have called on the protesters to shun the protest.

Adressing a world press conference on yesreday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the lawamker from Abia state said President Tinubu has done well for the region, saying it would not be fair to reward him by taking part in the planned protest.

He urged his people, and Nigerians to shun the protest in the interest of peace, pleading for dialogue rather than confrontation.

To his fellow south easterners, he said, “I implore you not to join the planned looming anti-government protest,” adding “I implore Nigerians from all walks of life and the entirety of the country to not heed the calls for protests”

“Instead, let us view the signing of the South East Development Commission bill into law as a testament to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s resolve to heal the wounds of the past, bury the rumors of the marginalization of the southeast geopolitical zone and renew the hope of the nation towards equitable economic growth and socio-cultural renewal,” he said.

According to him, “This is a time for unity. This is a time for progress. This is a time for peace, not division, not unrest. Unrest and division will divide us further and will under-develop us further. But in an atmosphere of peace and unity, the progress promised by our forefathers will be achieved.

“I also implore Nigerians from all walks of life and the entirety of the country to not heed the calls for protests, but instead continue to trust in the process. Say no to protests. Say yes to the process, which involves policy formulations from government that is people centered, which the parliament have insisted on, that all policies of government must have the people at its center, believe in this process, not the protests, and we will be able to get the profit that this government has promised.

“The reforms of this current administration will take time, no doubt, but it will soon start to suffice, including a reversal of inflation, stabilization of the economy and ensuing multiplier effect in a massive employment boom as a result of industrialization and the outcomes of the work organizations like the SEDC, which is the South East Development Commission, will engineer in the coming days.

“With South East Development Commission, we will leverage to improve agriculture. Entrepreneurial skills will enable industrialization of the region and our innovative mindedness will leverage the opportunities in the digital economy.

“Our creativity will birth a greater cultural and entertainment platform, such as the Igbowood. Our youth and women demography will play a major role in the energy of our development. It is time to put our huge gap deposit in the region to use for industrial parks.

“The gas in our zone will aid these industrial parts that will bring value to the nation. Most of the radicalized youths in our region who have been crying because of the seeming rumors of marginalization and alienation from the center will now have jobs to engage them productively, among others.

“It is no more time to carry arms. It is now time to take up skills that will be stimulated by the South East Development Commission. This is a foundation for peace and security in the southeast. There is no better foundation than this.

“On behalf of the great people of the Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria, the beating heart of the nation, the land of enterprise and entrepreneurship, let me express my deep gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the Southeast Development Commission SEDC bill into law yesterday,” Kalu said.

The SEDC bill is the latest among the regional developmental bills to come into effect, others are the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, North East Development Commission, NEDC and North West Development Commission, NWDC.

Alleged NNPC, World Bank Scam: Media Group Write President Tinubu, Calls For Judicial Enquiry

Akinwale Kasali

July 24, 2024

Bola Ahmed Tinubu - President — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

By Akinwale Kasali

Foremost Media Group, Journalists For Democratic Rights, JODER, has called on President Bola Tinubu to set up an independent Judicial Panel of Enquiry into the allegations of high level corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd, NNPCL, and the World Bank operations in Nigeria.

The pro-democracy group said the Judicial Panel of Enquiry to be set up by the President should include legal luminaries like Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Prof Jibrin Ibrahim, and other credible Nigerians.

JODER in a statement signed by its Secretary, Akinwale Olayinka, said Nigerians need not just a Panel of Enquiry, but the one that would command public respect.

The group said corruption is at the heart of Nigeria’s underdevelopment and the root cause of violence and extremism that have taken foothold in many parts of the country.

In a letter sent to the President on Wednesday, JODER, asked the President to appreciate the weight of the illicit practices linked to the NNPC and the World Bank operations in Nigeria which further dips Nigeria’s image into the soak-away of global disrepute under the President’s watch.

The democratic rights group asked the President to give hope to local and international observers of the ugly trend by setting up a Judicial Enquiry that would investigate the series of criminal practices associated with the World Bank officials and the NNPC.

It stressed that the Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye had revealed that Nigerian World Bank officials take 40% from all loans obtained by Nigeria.

She also revealed that some members of the National Assembly do demand and receive bribe from loans collected on behalf of 200 million Nigerians while Minister(s) are entitled to 5% of the loan.

JODER said the World bank officials are both Nigerians and their European rogue cartels whose main motive is to keep Nigeria as a satellite state that will never develop, hiding under the pretences of false assistance and development partnership.

“On the scandal in the oil and gas sector, the Chairman, Dangote Refinery said some NNPC officials have set up refineries in Malta with a plot that would automatically stifle the prospect of oil and gas production and destroy indigenous growth of the industry at the homefront. The media group described the two revelations on the World Bank and the NNPC as the ‘biggest scam in African recent history.

“The first action we expect from President Tinubu is to suspend NNPC officials whose names have been associated with the scam. The NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed should be suspended immediately. The Federal Government should also demand immediate suspension of the World Bank representative in Nigeria pending the outcome of the investigation”.

The group said the revelations by the Minister and Dangote have brutally shaken the faith of Nigerians beyond measure raising the fear that redemption is impossible.

“The President needs to give hope to a despairing population that seems to have resigned to hopelessness and frustration. These two issues of high level corruption must never be swept under the carpet. A probe is what is necessary for Nigeria to regain a bit of her totally lost reputation on the global map”, JODER said.

The Group further added that with these revelations, it shows clearly that World Bank loan is a big scam, a conscious plot to stunt Nigeria’s search for economic freedom.

“It shows the loans largely go into private pockets. Little wonder Nigerian Government Officials are desperate to seek loans all the time, which the National Assembly is always anxious to approve, but not for development but to largely oil the pockets of private individuals”.

JODER described the developments as ‘a human tragedy of unprecedented proportion.’

Oyo Govt Tasks Traditional Rulers On Activities Of Illegal Miners

Ayodele Oni

July 24, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

Oyo State Government is set to protect communities in the State where mineral resources abound through legislation against illegal activities of miners

Government emphasized that the time has come to address the menace of illegal mining in the State, as these unlawful activities have gone unchecked for long.

It added that illegal mining has caused untold damage to the environment and has jeopardized the health and livelihoods of its people.

The remark was made in Ibadan on Wednesday, by the Director General, Oyo State Mineral Development Agency (OYSMIDA), Abiodun Oni, during a stakeholders’ sensitization and consultative forum.

According to him, “this administration will no longer tolerate any form of illegal mining in the State and today’s consultative forum will focus on the Executive Order 001/2023, which majors on the protection of mining communities in Oyo State.

“Illegal mining results in millions being siphoned from the state, while the State and Federal Governments do not benefit from this act.

“Therefore, it is imperative for the Government to take responsibility and for Kings and Baales to be involved by signing consent letters.”

Oni pointed out that the State Government will be involved in all activities within the communities, including the Community Development Agreement (CDA) to ensure that any investor’s activities are regularized, benefiting the State, Federal Government, Local Government, and the community.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, Anthony Ogunsola, pointed out that many of the current challenges are due to the infiltration of unknown individuals into communities, leading to insecurity, kidnapping, robbery, killings, and other social vices.

He urged the Kings and Baales to assist the government in curbing these issues, noting that Governor Seyi Makinde’s signing of Executive Order 001/2023 has brought relief to the communities.

Ogunsola also appealed to the citizens of Oyo State to continue supporting the current administration to enjoy further benefits of democracy.

In his goodwill message, the Commandant, NSCDC, Oyo State Command, Padonu Augustine, pledged committment to maintaining safe and secure communities where minerals abound which will boost the economy and create opportunities for investors.

Mr. Augustine added that the Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, had recently adopted a proactive approach, in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals, by training some corps personnel as mines marshals to tackle illegal mining in the State.

Why FG Opposes Nationwide Protest – Information Minister

Ayodele Oni

July 24, 2024

Mohammed Idris - Minister of Information and National Orientation

By Ayodele Oni

The Federal Government has explained that the fear of possible hijack of the planned nation wide protest by miscreants is reason why it is oppose to it.

Some Nigerians under #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria# have threatened to embark on protest over the prevailing economic realities in the country from August 1 to 10, 2024.

Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, said the government was aware of the plan by some people to hijack the protest to cause trouble.

The minister, however, said Nigerians had the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest.

Idris spoke when he received the Charismatic Bishop Conference on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration acknowledged the rights of every Nigerian to engage in protests.

A statement by his spokesperson, Rabiu Ibrahim, quoted the minister to have said: “You see, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in everyone’s freedom within the laws to do what he thinks is right for him.

“Therefore, the President is not an opponent of protest of any kind but the President is an opponent of violence and anything that will negatively hamper the wellbeing of Nigerians.

“He believes and he has always been saying that within the tenets of democracy, you have every right to do whatever you want to do provided that right does not infringe on another person’s right.

“Why everybody is very cautious and very weary of this national protest is because we have seen what has happened around the world. We know that it’s almost impossible to hold this protest and then have peace at the end of the day.

“We cannot do that because some people are waiting to take the laws into their own hands.”

Borno Indigenes Storm NASS Complex, Demand Ndume’s Reinstatement As Chief Whip

Akinwale Kasali

July 24, 2024

By Akinwale Kasali

Borno State indigenes stormed the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Tuesday, to push for the reinstatement of Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Ninth Assembly.

Last week, Ndume was unceremoniously removed as the Chief Whip For criticising the President Bola Tinubu’s Government, and subsequently replaced him with Senator Mohammed Monguno, who is from Borno North Senatorial District.

The aggrieved protesters carried placards with various inscriptions like, “We reject removal of Senator Ndume as Whip of the Senate; “Ndume’s utterances are for the good of the country; “Senate should correct injustice meted to Senator Ndume” amongst others.

Expressing their displeasure over the Senate’s action, the Borno group under the aegis of the Southern Borno Development Association led by one Muhammad Biu, said the injustice meted out to Ndume must be redress.

The leader of the group in a letter titled: “Appeal over the removal of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as Senate Whip for expressing views on burning National Issues,” read to journalists, called for the reversal of the decision.

The letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, reads in part, “On behalf of the good people of Southern Borno Senatorial District of Borno State, we humbly wish to appeal to the Distinguished Senate under your able leadership to passionately reconsider the APC Senate Caucus decision that removed Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as the Senate Chief Whip and also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation based on the letter written to the Senate by the National Chairman of All Progressive Congress.

“We wish to state with the deepest sense of responsibility that Senator Ndume’s comments on the food insecurity issue appear to have been misunderstood as they were not intended to disparage the administration of President Bola Tinubu. On the contrary, it should be understood in the context of our collective effort to find solutions to our current food insecurity which the Government is fully aware.”

It added, “It is a well-known fact that Nigeria is currently facing a severe food crisis, with widespread hunger threatening the well-being of Nigerians. Senator Ndume, driven by a sense of responsibility and patriotism only called the attention of government to these pressing issues, hoping that prompt and effective action would be taken to address them.

“It is also on record that other prominent APC Senators had expressed similar views on the floor of the Senate and equally called on President Tinubu to take urgent measures to avert the seeming imminent food crisis.

“It is also on record that Senator Ndume is a dedicated APC member who laboured tirelessly from its formative stage to its present position and has never done anything that undermined the success of the party or its leadership, but rather offered constructive advice on good governance for the wellbeing of Nigerians.”

The letter further noted: “The Senate could have done better by deploying its internal democratic mechanism of resolving issues affecting its members. We pray that the Senate will not throw away the bath water with the baby over an issue that could amicably be resolved.

“In light of these facts and the need to give our Senatorial District its due position in the leadership of the Senate, we humbly appeal to the Senate to reconsider its position on the measures taken against Senator Ndume in the interest of fairness, justice, and equity and reinstate him accordingly.

“Additionally, we urge President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, the leader of our great party, a true democrat who upholds the tenets of democracy to passionately intervene.”

SouthEast Governors Are Opposed To The Planned Nationwide Protest – Gov Uzodinma

Suleiman Anyalewechi

July 24, 2024

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Presents former Senate President/SGF, Pius Anyim, a new decamped from PDP to APC, to President Bola Tinubu

The Governor of Imo state and Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has said that the region is opposed to the planned nationwide protest .

He insisted that the protest being organized for Nigerians to register their displeasure with the harsh economic situation by some groups will be counterproductive.

Governor Uzodinma spoke on Wednesday July 24, 2024 at the Presidential Villa ,after leading his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru and the recently decamped former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim to a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

The Imo State Governor noted that the planned protest will only succeed in over-heating the polity ,which is already fragile ,as well as subject the people to further hardship.

“In my view, I think there is no need to overheat our environment, and put our people in a position where the hardship that is occasioned by economic recession all over the world is further worsened. So, I advise against the protest” he stated

He expressed palpable fears that given the timing of the protest, hoodlums might hijack the process just as it happened during the #EndSARS protest.

The Source reports that the organizers of the protest, who have so far remained unknown, have scheduled August 1 ,2024 to kick start it .

According to Governor Uzodinma, the Southeast Governors have shown concern about the protest affecting the fragile polity, as well as the possibilities of it being hijacked by some forces to visit mayhem on innocent people.

He has, therefore, urged the organizers to engage the Government on the possibilities of sorting issues out without endangering the peace and stability of the country.

While acknowledging the inalienable rights of the people to express their feelings, he, however, cautioned that protests should have a clear cut objectives and reasonable conception.

The Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum questioned the real motives behind the planned protest when the progenitors have continued to hide their identities and their reasons.

“Democracy is about the opinion of the people and protests are allowed in a democratic setting. Every protest must be reasonably conceived to be able to make political sense.

“I think it is too early in the day in the life of this Government for anybody to come out and say he wants to protest .

“First of all ,there has not been any engagement where those who are sponsoring the protest were able to tell us the reasons for the protest .

“Secondly, given the global economic situation today and the insecurity in the country, we have a fragile political environment that if not managed and protected very well may collapse the entire country,” Governor Uzodinma noted.

Protest: Oba Of Benin Urges Tinubu To Tackle Security, Economic Problems

Tosin Olatokunbo

July 24, 2024

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has urged the federal government to fast tract action in tackling the problems of insecurity and hardship in the country to avert protest in the country.

Oba Ewuare II’s made the appeal after the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, held in Abuja, the nation’s capital, according to a statement released in Benin City, by his Chief Press Secretary, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, on Wednesday.

The traditional ruler made the remark ahead the planned protest scheduled for August 1-10 by dome angry Nigerians.

The planned protest has divided the country as some prominent Nigerians have called for restraint, even as the federal government insists that it’s already addressing the problems facing the country.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume alongside the ministers met on Wednesday where they appealed to the leadesrhip of the proposed protest to give the federal government time to address their demands.

Oba Ewuare II has joined other prominent Nigerians appealing to the protesters not to go ahead with their plan, stressing that the government should be given time to tackle the current security and economic challenges bedeviling the country.

The statement said, “Following the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, the Omo N’Oba wishes to appeal to the general public to give the Federal Government sufficient time to implement its economic policies aimed at alleviating the present hardship experienced by Nigerians,

“The Omo N’Oba appeals to those planning the August 1st nationwide protest to shelve the plan. The Omo N’Oba also urges the Federal Government to intensify efforts in the implementation of its economic and security policies.”

The protesters, according to checks by the magazine have released their charter of request, which include the scrapping of the 1999 C0onstitution and the upper chamber of the National Assembly, The Senate.

The General secretary of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ajibola Bashiru has dismissed the demands as unrealistic, saying the protesters are only trying to destablise the country.

Kebbi Sacks Interim Local Council Administrators

Suleiman Anyalewechi

July 24, 2024

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Less than five months after their appointments, the Sole Administrators of the 21 Local Councils of Kebbi State, have been asked to step down.

The Council Officials were constituted on March 6, 2024, after the expiry on February 5, of the tenure of elected Chairmen.

The dissolution of the Interim Local Council Executive was contained in a circular from the Acting Permanent Secretary Ministry for Local Government Affairs, Aliyu Hassan Kalgo, on Wednesday July 24 2024.

The Administrators subsequently have been directed to hand over all Local Council Affairs and properties in their possession to the Directors of Administration in their various Local Governments.

The hand over formalities, according to the circular, should be concluded on or before Thursday July 25, 2024.

The Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, while appreciating the contributions of the outgone Administrators, wished them well in their future endeavours.

Although no reason was adduced for cutting short the services of the interim officials who were supposed to hold out for an initial six months, many, however, believe that it might not be unconnected with the Supreme Court ruling on the autonomy status of the Local Councils.

The Source reports that the County’s Apex Court had, on Thursday, June 20 2024, in a verdict affirmed the financial independence of the Third Tier of Government.

The Justice Emmanuel Agim- led panel of Judges also ruled to stop the remission of the Federal Allocation to Local Councils that operate with appointed officials.

The Court held that all funds due the Councils should be remitted directly to their accounts, as against the prevailing situation where State Governments receive same through the Joint Allocation Account JAAC.

State Governments, since the ruling have been jostling to organize elections to fill the Local Government positions so as not to deny them the receipt of their funds.

Ondo Group Rejects Nominee For Public Complaints Commission

Ayodele Oni

July 24, 2024

By Ayodele Oni

The Concerned Ondo Citizens (COC) has rejected the State’s nominee as Commissioner in the Public Complaint Commission, (PCC).

The group accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of playing politics with the people of the Ondo State on the appointment of Oladeinde Abolarin as Ondo Commissioner in PCC.

The group claimed that Abolarin had earlier been appointed as a nominee, representing Kogi State in the previous Board of PCC.

It expressed dismay that the same person was picked as a Commissioner representing Ondo State in the new appointment.

The group’s President, Charles Akinwon, in a statement, described the appointment of a non indigene by the Senate as gross injustice since Ondo has numerous qualified individuals to occupy the seat.

“If Akpabio wants to play such politics, he should consider Abolarin for Akwa-Ibom State.

“We had protested against the last Commissioner, Adeyemi Oni, that he is not from Ondo State, but the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representative imposed him on us and at the end, he failed to contribute meaningfully to the development of the commission in Ondo State.”

The group charged the 12 Ondo State caucus members, comprising three Senators and nine Reps members to reject the appointment and present an Ondo person for immediate replacement.

“It will be shameful for them if Abolarin is inaugurated against their kinsman, he will not be allowed to resume in Ondo State, except he shows proof of his family house location, ward, LGA, certificate of origin and evidence of his contribution to the development of Ondo state.

“This type of situation should not be allowed to stand in Public Complaints Commission that Serves as Nigerian Ombudsman to defend the rights of citizens and ensure constitution of Nigeria are followed in the scheme of all appointments into Federal Service.”

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