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“Abuja Peace Accord, An Insult To Ijaw” – Edwin Clark, Says “We Will Resist It, Prepared To Face Any Consequences”

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By Ayodele Oni

Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark, has announced the rejection of the peace deal between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesome Wike. He  described it as an attempt to make a sitting Governor a stooge.

Chief Clarke addressed a press conference on Tuesday where he declared: “We are prepared to face any consequences that may result in the political crisis in Rivers State.

“We will resist any attempt subtle, subterranean, convert, overt, to make an elected Ijaw son, Siminialayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State, a servant, a stooge to Nyesom Wike who had boasted that any attempt by the Governor to touch his so-called ‘Wike’s structure’, with the connivance and support of President Bola Tinubu, will be resisted by us.

“We will go to go court to resist this oppressive action using all available constitutional and legal means. It is on this note I wish to appeal to the youths who are aggrieved, to remain calm, as we will use legal means to dethrone this hydra-headed monster, called oppression.”

Chief Clark, speaking on behalf of the Ijaws, pointed out that “The terms of settlement as contained in the Communique issued at the end of the reconciliatory meeting is what is baffling, appalling and unacceptable to the people, especially, the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

“From the terms of settlement, it is obvious that President Tinubu sees his role as a mediator, to once again, show gratitude to the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for “delivering” Rivers State to him during the past Presidential elections, having first of gratified him by making him the Minister of FCT.

“The eight resolutions reached, are the most unconstitutional, absurd and obnoxious resolutions at settling feuding parties that I have ever witnessed in my life.

“As a matter of fact, some media captured it very well when they described it as Directives. And for the fact that such thing was done at the Villa, the seat of the Federal Government of Nigeria, is sacrilegious, because any place housing or is a custodian of symbol of authority, ought to be sacred.

“It is obvious that Governor Siminialayi Fubara was ambushed and intimidated into submission. By President Tinubu’s actions and directives, he has overruled the Constitution of the country; he has shaken the foundation of the country’s democracy.

“People lost their lives fighting for democracy in this country. Today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has made of no effect the blood of the freedom fighters shed to salvage this country.

“He has thrown the country’s democracy fifty years backwards; this is unacceptable. Rather than building a strong system and society, we are building strong, invidious characters, with our national patrimony through corruption and avarice.

“By the actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he has really shown his dislike and disdain for the Ijaw people. and confirms his hatred for them. And as the leader of the Ijaws, we will resist it.

“Nyesom Wike is not an emperor. For the eight years he was in power as Governor of the Rivers State, he ruled with an iron fist. As Governor, he will not accept such treatment from anyone, as he is spear heading to be meted out to the current Governor of the State, Siminialayi Fubara.”

Armed Robbery Scare In Ekiti: Police Say No Cause For Alarm

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By Ayodele Oni

Still scared over last week’s robbery incident in Ekiti State during which a bank at Ikere was attacked, there was apprehension in Ado the State Capital on Tuesday.

An online message had gone viral that some banks in the state capital were being robbed and that people should watch their movement.

The situation caused tension as shops along the ever busy bank road were hurriedly lock up and people took cover, to escape being hit by stray bullets.

Three persons, reportedly hit by stray bullets, died during the Ikere incident as the robbers were shooting sporadically.

In a swift reaction, the state police command said that it was unaware of such incident in any part of the state capital where its officers were on ground.

The command spokesman, Sunday Abutu  in a statement stated that “The attention of the Ekiti State Police Command has been drawn to a fabricated story circulating across the State especially through the social media that a Bank in Ado-Ekiti and/or Ikere-Ekiti was under attack by a group of armed robbers today being 19/12/2023.

“The Command wishes to State clearly that the trending news was just a mere imagination of some fake news peddlers and enemies of the State who derive joy in causing unnecessary apprehension in the society.

“The Command therefore, enjoins members of the public to disregard the disinformation and go about their lawful businesses.

“The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Ogundare Dare psc(+), fiips,* has however, ordered the deployment of more tactical and intelligence teams across the State especially around banking areas to ensure there is no attack or breach of peace anywhere in the State while warning all fake news promoters to repent or face the full wrath of the law soon.”

“I’ve Dumped Collar, Now Ready To Serve People In Another Capacity” –  Soun Of Ogbomosho

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By Ayodele Oni

The Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, has announced that his priesthood has ended and now ready to serve the people in another capacity.

Speaking on Tuesday after receiving instrument of office from Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde, Oba Olaoye announced that he has a plan spanning 25 years which would turn around the ancient city of Ogbomosho.

In his acceptance speech, Oba Olaoye said his vision for the town is that of a prosperous and peaceful Ogbomosho land which rests on a detailed 25-year plan.

The monarch stated that he has stopped being a church pastor and has now become a shepherd of the people urging other contestants to join hands with him to move the town forward.

“My service is premised on a clear vision. I am very aware of the words that the wisest of Kings recorded for us in the book of Proverbs that without a vision, the people perish.

“My vision for a prosperous and peaceful Ogbomosho land rests on a detailed 25-year plan, to be unveiled in the coming months.

“I promise to serve this vision with all I have, the relationships I have built over the years here in Nigeria and abroad, the experience I have garnered from running several successful businesses, and the skills garnered from more than 30 years of pastoring churches and other pastors.

“As I have said on several occasions, I have stopped being a church pastor and now become a shepherd of a people.”

Governor Makinde while presenting the Instrument of Office and Staff of Office to the new Oba, said, “I will now hand over the Instrument of Office and Staff of Office to Oba Ghandi Olaoye, Orumogege III.”

Recall that Makinde had approved the selection of Oba Olaoye from Olaoye Ruling House, on September 2, 2023.

The kingmakers in the ancient town led by the Areago of Ogbomoso, High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin, installed Olaoye as the new Soun of Ogbomoso land on September 8.

We Lost 27 Members Due To Non Payment Of Our Entitlements – Fmr Oyo ALGON Chairman

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By Ayodele Oni

Former chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON) in Oyo state, Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, has described the decision to freeze the state government account over refusal to comply with court judgement as embarrassing and justified.

Oyo state government’s accounts have been put on hold over the unpaid N3.5 billion entitlements of sacked council chairmen.

Justice A.O. Ebong of an Abuja Federal High Court had, on Dec. 15, issued an order attaching the accounts of the state government in 10 commercial banks in the country.

Ebong gave the order while ruling on a garnishee proceeding initiated by the local government chairmen sacked on May 29, 2019 by Governor Seyi Makinde.

The former council chairmen and councillors had, in 2021, got a N4,874,889,425 judgment against Makinde and other officials/agencies of the state.

Reacting to the judgment, Abass-Aleshinloye said in Ibadan that it was unfortunate that 27 out of their members, who took the government to court had died in the course of pursuing their entitlements.

He attributed their death to lack of money to take care of their health challenges, adding that their passing away was avoidable.

“We got a judgment that the state government should pay us our entitlements, but they refused to pay at that time and were just wasting our time.

“The lesson from this judgment is that government must always allow the rule of law to thrive; there should be less of arrogance on the part of the executives, especially when it comes to legal issues.”

Abass-Aleshinloye, who was Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Council, expressed sadness over situations where Supreme Court judgments were being disobeyed with impunity.

“We got a judgment at the supreme court, only for it not to be obeyed. It is very unfortunate that we have to go to court to freeze government accounts.”

The former ALGON chairman called on other state governments to learn from this development and shun the habit of sacking democratically-elected council chairmen and councillors in order to avoid this type of development.

CDS Musa Pleads With Nigerians Not To Demoralize Army Over Kaduna Bombing

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By Akinwale Kasali

General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff has appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and be mindful of their utterances in order not demoralize the troops of Nigeria Army who have been working tirelessly for the peace and security of the country.

The Military Chief made the  call on Tuesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

He maintained that the recent bombing by the Nigerian Army in the Tundun Biri community in Kaduna State was accidental, urging Nigerians to understand that the incident was not deliberate.

He said, “We understand that generally everybody feels bad. We actually feel bad also. Anytime we have mistakes, we take ownership and we feel extremely bad about it, especially when we lose our own troops in the war.

“We just want Nigerians to understand that the incident was never deliberate, we will never deliberately target our citizens. Our mandate is to protect innocent Nigerians, and we’ll continue to do that.

“It is unfortunate that out of the 99% successes that we’ve had, this one that we had has given us a lot of negative responses. But we know Nigerians want success, we are succeeding.

“The Federal Government has set up a committee that will look into it, we know at the end of it the truth will come out and everybody will really understand that it was definitely a mistake.”

He assured Nigerians that justice will surely take it cause, as anyone found culpable after the committee has made its findings will be severely punished and face the full wrath of the law.

He said, “We should not by our actions, inactions, utterances demoralise our troops. These guys stay awake so that we can sleep.

“I see a lot of people talking, it is easier for you to say that ‘they made a mistake’, ‘they are not doing well’, but what is the option, if they pull out from these locations, what happens? We will not even have a country.

“So for them to have stayed, slept in the darkness, in the sun, rainfall, dust, and everything, just to ensure that me and you are able to sleep and do our normal routine, I think we should give them some accolades and some respect.”

Rivers: Tinubu’s Peace Move Illegal – Clark, Condemns Demolition of Assembly Complex

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Robert Clarke

By Akinwale Kasali

The 1999 Constitution has been blamed as the bane of Nigeria’s problem over the years.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Robert Clarke, said the cornerstone of Nigeria problem is the 1999 Constitution.

Clarke made this remark Tuesday on Arise TV Good Morning Show, while reacting to the truce reached between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, over the crisis rocking Rivers State. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened in the crisis, leading to the truce reached by both parties.

Said Clarke: “The 1999 constitution is the cornerstone of our problems. In every area of political line, especially in the area of election, when the constitution restricts those who can come and be voted for, or who can vote for, something must be wrong with that constitution. The problem today is not what the President says”.

He faulted Governor Fubara for demolishing the state House of Assembly complex.

He queried, “Why should a Governor bring a caterpillar and bring down the State House of Assembly? Does that show sanity and you voted for such a person?,” he questioned.

On the President’s intervention Clarke asked whether the President has a constitutional role in solving sub-national matters, Clarke said that President Tinubu has no constitutional role in the matter.

“The Constitutional role of the President in all these fracas, there should have been none. The only time the constitution allowed the Federal Government to put its mouth was during the First Republic,” he stated.

He called for the immediate amendment of the  Constitution.

“All that we are running after today is power and money. Those two elements, where do you get them in Nigeria? They are only from politics.

“If you count down governors who have served in Nigeria since 2000, ask them to come show us their bank account, you will be shocked.

“We have to ask ourselves, is politics in Nigeria only meant for politicians? Why can’t people like us contest an election without joining a political party? Why do we need a political party? This is the problem we have in Nigeria today,” Clarke expressed.

He suggested three areas in the constitution that need amendment. The three areas, according to him are: Local government; election; who can belong to a party and why should a party be the dominant factor in elections in Nigeria.

“Once you do the three areas in Nigeria today, I can assure you, you won’t hear about any court cases. This country will move forward”.

LAHA Scrutinizes 2024 Budget, Scales Second Reading

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Babajide Sanwo-Olu presents 2024 Budget

By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State House of Assembly Lawmakers have stated their readiness to do a proper scrutiny on the 2024 Appropriation Bill Presented by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said the House is committed to make sure the 2024 Appropriation Bill meets the yearnings of Lagosians, as their welfare is of utmost priority.

He urged the joint-committee on Economic Planning and Finance to ensure it works hard enough to produce a well-scrutinised budget in three weeks for the benefit of the people of Lagos State.

This was as the N2.24 trillion budget scaled its second reading at a plenary presided over by the Speaker.

The budget has a Capital Expenditure of N1.224 trillion and a Recurrent Expenditure of N1.023 trillion and lawmakers, who spoke about it applauded Governor Sanwo-Olu for presenting an estimate that is workable if some parameters are considered.

Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, Chairman of the Committee on Economic Planning, said the budget aims to address various issues resulting from the removal of subsidy and exchange rate. He added that the budget should be made to minimise waste.

Hon. Femi Saheed who heads the Finance Committee said with the budget, Lagos is moving away from relying on Federal Allocations while his colleague, Hon. Kehinde Joseph, said the budget should address situations where some agencies of government exist in rented buildings.

On his part, Hon. Sanni Okanlawon described the proposal as a developmental budget because it aims to address ongoing projects like the red and purple rail lines.

In his contribution, Deputy Majority Leader Adedamola Richard Kasunmu said “the budget can be self-sustaining and realistic if the right thing is done according to what the Speaker said during the budget presentation.”

He added that focus should be given to health and education.

Hon. Desmond Elliot called for an improvement in the budget for social protection so as to effectively reach the people while Hon. Nureni Akinsanya said applications for Certificates of Occupancy can be made lighter for the government to make more money.

Rivers: Outrage Greets Abuja Peace Resolution  “Slap On Face Of Rivers People”, They Say

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By Ayodele Oni

Reactions have been trailing the resolution reached at the peace meeting between warring factions in the Rivers state political quagmire.

President Bola Tinubu had on Monday invited actors in the crisis, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Nyesom Wike and other stakeholders to a meeting where eight points resolution was reached.

In one of the comments from Rivers state, Comrade Solomon Lenu, writes “Nobody in the history of the current Nigeria democracy that started since 1999, has ever gone through the humiliation and political ordeal such as  Fubara has gone through in the very short seven months of your stay in office.

“It is sad, and i feel your pain. But perhaps, it is a lesson for others to learn from, that the advice that encourages us to dine with the devil with a long spoon, isn’t that perfect after all. Because from your ordeal, we have seen that the best way to live a peaceful life, is not dinning with the devil at all.

“After your meeting with the president at the request of the FCT minister, then your governorship is as good as over, should you abide by those draconian and demonic contemplation, by the enemies of Rivers state called “Resolution For Peace.

“There is nothing peaceful in that piece of paper, but pure blue-blood murder, and the destruction of your entire administration, together with the destinies of Rivers people.

“The resolution made no attempt at solving the underlining problem which is the insatiable desire of the FCT minister to control the government by all means.

“The derelict concoction called resolution, even went further to prepare a slaughter slab, with a double-edged sword for chopping off your head, and placed this dangerous weapon in the hands of your traducer,  FCT minister.

There were nowhere in the entire epiphany that even considered a bit of your own safety as a sitting governor. Or the need to add a little respect to the seat of power which you occupy.

“This was a great slap on the face of the entire Rivers people, and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu name will forever go down in infamy amongst true Rivers people for authorizing such denigration of the sensibility of Rivers people.

“Leaving the situation as Wike and his men have designed it, and are trying to shove down your throat right now is a dead end with no antidote.

But what baffles me the most is that, why will Asiwaju allow one man to so denigrate the seat of power of a whole Rivers state so?

“Whereas, he (Asiwaju) didn’t throw caution to the wind like Wike is doing now, when Ambode and him had their impasse back in 2017, such public humiliation was not handed to him at the public town square. So why approve that to be done to the governor of Rivers state?”

Soyinka To FG: Bola Ige Was Killed Because Of Mambilla Project, End Deception

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Literary icon, Wole Soyinka has called on the federal government to unmask those behind the murder of Chief Bola Ige, a former Minister of Power.

He said those who killed the former minister did so in other to cover up the massive corruption in the Mambila Power Project.

Soyinka remarked that the federal government has been deceiving Nigerians on the investigation of those who murdered the former minister, and Governor of Old Oyo state.

He said “It is time to end the deception,” adding that “the cynical cover-ups, the blame passing,” must stop.

The professor was reacting to the recent arrest of Olu Agunloye, a former Minister of Power over alleged corruption in the power project.

Agunloye was arrested last week by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC., and the Chairman of the Commission, has vowed that only on the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could he be released.

Soyinka said, “Let this be understood. The murder of Bola Ige, plus a monumental act of sabotage that took place under Ige’s watch, involving the loss of some en-gineers, was linked to massive corruption that underlay the Mambilla collapse.

“It is time to end the deception, the cynical cover-ups, the blame passing, the diversionary utterances, and the now open admission of corporate corruption with high reaches of power.

“We are calling for a non-partisan Commission that will sit in public, take evidence, ask questions, and cross-examine witnesses over even one year if necessary. After all, this massive failure, has gone on for nearly two decades. We can spare one more year, surely to lay bare the ugly face of Truth, then let the public do what it will with the revelations.

“The cycle of self-deception has gone on far enough. Let the two legislative chambers take the bull by the horns to end the charade, cut our losses, and move on.

“In the meantime, the EFCC should release all its prisoners or, in the alternative, equally arrest and detain all those involved in this mammoth scam that has deprived the “Giant of Africa” the basic survival facility for a twenty-first-century society.”

Chief Ige was killed on December 23, 2001, at his Bodija, Ibadan home by some unknown assailants whose identities have yet to be unmasked 22 years after.

Niger: Civil Servants To Be Sacked For Wearing Babariga, Kaftans – Gov

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The government of Niger State has stopped civil servants in the state from wearing native attires aka babariga or Kaftans to work.
The order, according to the state governor, Umaru Bago becomes effective immediately.
Government workers in the state going forward must now wear English attire to office, from Monday to Thursday, except on Friday.
Governor Bago gave the order during the presentation of land development and preparation equipment at the Brains and Hammers Rice City in Wushishi Local government Area at the weekend, warning of serious punishment, including dismissal for workers who failed to comply.
Governor Bago said, “From Monday, we will issue an order preventing civil servants from wearing kaftan and Babanriga to work between Monday and Thursday. No Babanriga, No Kaftan, we are here to work.
“Anybody who wants to wear Babanriga should resign. We are also going to engage in serious farming activities going forward.”
Meanwhile, not a few who have listened to what the governor said, described the order as a welcome development, others insist that it’s not necessary as it would not add to the output of government officials.