How Long Will Unending Wait For Gov Akeredolu Continue? – Ondo PDP

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November 8, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has observed that the love and affection of the people for Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu while abroad for medical attention have weaned due to his refusal to berth in Akure after his return from abroad.

The opposition party noted that various prayer sessions organized to seek God’s face and divine healing for Akeredolu are no longer taking place due to his continued stay in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Spokesman of the Party in the State, Kenedy Peretei, in a statement on Wednesday, stated that “When Akeredolu was abroad for medical treatment, prayer sessions were held for his quick recovery not only by Muslim and Christian clerics, but also by traditional rulers, politicians across political divide, not to talk of civil servants, who drew up a roster for prayers in various Ministries and Departments.

“That was the level of empathy the Governor enjoyed. But as the days turned to weeks and weeks thinned into months, tongues are already wagging, everybody is now asking the same question, “Where is Akeredolu, Who is in charge of Ondo State?”

“In the last few weeks, Ondo State has dominated front pages of national newspapers as well as discourse in broadcast media platforms for the wrong reason.

“Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, proceeded on a three-month medical leave after which he returned to his private residence in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. What initially looked like a joke soon became major embarrassment, as the state made history where the Chief Executive was missing in action.

“I have taken the title of this piece, directly from the lines of American Poet, Audrey Heller in her poem ” How Much Longer Must l Wait”. Akeredolu is in the same quagmire as Ondo State. In the words of Heller “I do get restless, to be sure, so how much longer, do l have to wait, for some kind of cure? I’m eager to find, what life’s all about, and can’t do it, staying in one place. I need to spread my wings in order to experience what l must face…”

“Illness has confined Akeredolu to one place, that will not be the reason Ondo State must be on the same spot for nearly one year. History will be very unkind to those who are holding Akeredolu hostage, taking advantage of his inability to spread his wings.

“Those asking for Akeredolu’s whereabouts are not his enemies. His real enemies are those who portray him as greedily hanging on to the reins of government at the detriment of his personal health.

“At the fullness of time, all those constitutionally empowered to address this stagnation of affairs in our state but chose to keep quiet will all have a date with history. Ondo State is ill, just like Akeredolu and needs cure urgently. How much longer must I wait to see Akeredolu return to his duty post?”

Peter Obi On SUV For NASS: ‘Nobody Would Have Contemplated It Under My Presidency’

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The Source

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November 8, 2023

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The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25th election, Peter Obi, has condemned the allocation of about N60b naira for the purchase of SUV vehicles for legislators.

“Nobody would have contemplated that under my Presidency”, Obi said.

Spin doctors have been on duty trying to twist and confuse the public on what the Presidential Candidate said at a Press Conference on Monday concerning the controversial purchase of SUV vehicles claiming he even endorsed it.

But at the press briefing, the Presidential Candidate was unequivocal in condemning it and said that his Presidency would have shut down the idea as it’s inauspicious at a time when Nigeria is facing developmental problems.

He explained that in Nigeria today, healthcare has collapsed leading to our infant mortality surpassing that of India which is seven times our population. He said that allocating funds that might be more than what is put for the healthcare budget to buying vehicles for 400 persons is the height of insensitivity especially when most of them, Ex Governors, Ex Senators, and Ministers have many cars parked in their garages.

“For you now to use funds that are higher than funds allocated to primary healthcare to buy a car for 400 people is very troubling and shows the height of insensitivity. I will not do it as President of Nigeria”

Obi further emphasized: “There is even a way we can buy a more competitive vehicle for them even from locally made firms.”

The LP standard bearer said that given the hardships in the land “It’s time we shook our responsibilities towards what is happening.

As a former Anambra state Governor, Obi explained how he handled similar situations. He negotiated for concessionaire pricing for 60, 406 saloon vehicles which was enough for Judges, Permanent Secretaries, newly appointed Commissioners, the Deputy Governor, and himself the Governor.

Obi even challenged the public to go and verify the story with the motor Company that had a French man, Mr Eric Maydieu, AGM Commercial, Peugeot Automobile Nig Ltd (PAN) in charge then.

On whether the Candidate has discussed this with LP legislators to buy into his vision on it, Obi said that he has actually done that and they said it’s an official car for their duty, but under my watch, nobody would have contemplated it at this time Nigerians are facing horrifying life due to poor management of our economy.

Uzodimma Flags Off “Cohort 3 Skill-Up” Imo Project For 40,000 Youths

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The Source

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November 8, 2023

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The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has flagged off the Cohort 3 Skill-Up Imo Project for 40,000 youths who will be trained on different digital skills that will make them either employable or self reliant, depending on their choice.

Flagging off the exercise on Tuesday at the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, the Governor told the youths that “the overall objective of the Skill-Up is to make Imo youths self reliant, job employers, creative thinkers and future world billionaires in US dollars.”

He informed them that his administration has entered into Memorandum Of Understanding with some foreign companies who will immediately employ successful ones among them at the end of their graduation.

Governor Uzodimma said that it is the responsibility of government to prepare the youths for the future, equip and train them on how to fish and not to give them fish.

The Governor said that “when the youths are trained, equipped and empowered, the crime in the Communities are reduced and peace is restored,” urging them to be “attentive, serious and useful to Imo State and Nigeria” when they are prosperous in their chosen vocations.

The Governor said that Imo people are happy that despite the challenges facing the government, his administration is able to graduate 20,000 youths from the programme and now admitting another 40000 on the same project.”

He pointed out that 75 per cent of the Cohort 1 and 2 are already employed and advised the new intakes to take the programme as “a password for progress and prosperity.”

Governor Uzodimma thanked the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi and Imo youths for accepting the programme.

In a welcome address, Dr. Amadi said that Imo people have fully accepted the programme, noting that “Imo mothers now say their children must be skilled up.”

He affirmed that the Skill-Up Imo Project Cohort 3 students and graduates of the Cohort 1 and 2 are with the Governor in his aspiration and will work for his re-election so that their desire for Cohort 4, 5 & 6 and even more will be realised.

Ekiti: Students Protest Mass Transfer Of Teachers At Federal Government College

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Ayodele Oni

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November 7, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Uneasy calm now prevails at the Federal Government Science and Technical College, (FSTC) Usi, in Ekiti State a day after the students went on rampage.

The students had on Monday took to the streets of Usi to protest the mass transfer of teachers in the College by the Federal Ministry of Education.

They displayed various placards with some demanding the removal of the school’s principal and others calling on the Federal Ministry of Education to address the inadequate teachers.

It was gathered that in a sweep, 42 teachers of the College were transferred to other parts of the country, leaving the school with less than ten academic staff.

One of the concerned parents explained that “Some weeks ago, the Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) had protested against the non challant attitude of the School Principal towards the welfare of the Staff and Students to the extent that it affected the students last West African School Certificate Examination (WASC)result.

“Having done that, the parents reportedly wrote to the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) in respect of the Principal’s attitude towards the school environment and Usi Ekiti community.

“Just last week, 42 Teachers of the core subjects of the school were ordered to be transferred out to far away Northern part of the country with a replacement of 32 staffs.

“This action of PTA-Principal rift has now affected the academic activities in the school to the extent that the students have not been taught for weeks now.

“The parents learnt that those Teachers brought for the replacement of the transferred ones were very old men and women.

“Usi Ekiti FSTC has always been known for academic excellence, but the Principal’s attitude to the parents has caused untold psychological trauma to the students populace.”

LAHA To Criminalise Street Begging, Mulls Law Against Alms Giving To Street Beggars

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Akinwale Kasali

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November 7, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

Alms begging on the street of Lagos may soon be a thing of the past, as the Lagos State House of Assembly moving to criminalise the act.

During Plenary on Tuesday, the Lawmakers brainstormed on the idea of a law to curb street begging across the State.

The law, if it comes into existence, would also penalise street begging as well as criminalise the act of giving. By so doing, it would be an offence to give money to street beggars.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, described street begging as a menace taking over the State. He agreed with the lawmakers at plenary that criminal elements have taken over the streets disguised as beggars.

Reacting to the motion brought by Hon. Abiodun Orekoya and some of his colleagues, Dr. Obasa noted how previous administrations in the State made efforts to curb street begging, still the challenge has not abated.

Obasa emphasised the need for a law that would criminalise street begging and also penalise individuals who give money to beggars on the roads.

“When we address the source, then we can curb it. When you go on the road, you find children within the ages of five and six begging. It means there are established groups of people benefitting from this. They warehouse and provide for them.

“Beyond the child rights law, we should come up with another law that speaks to begging and giving. We must come up with genuine law and institutions that handle begging.

The Speaker said the proposed law should aim to establish a centre where individuals who wish to give alms can do so, while the centre would ensure that the alms reach those in need.

“The law will create a fund to be managed by people with integrity so that if you are in need, you would go there,” he said.

He said while this would help people fulfil their religious beliefs about alms giving, it would also help curb street begging, reduce crime on the road and promote greater responsibility among residents.

The Speaker said the smart city goal of the State cannot be achieved when beggars adorn the roads, inhibiting free movement and engaging in crime which include drug peddling and robbing motorists.

He questioned how children as young as five or six manage to travel from other States to Lagos, suggesting that some individuals may be sponsoring and accommodating them.

Calling for a holistic approach to end the challenge, the Speaker said it was better to tackle it from the source which include discouraging giving directly to the beggars on the road.

Obasa also urged Local Government Chairmen to come up with ideas to manage street trading rather than think of outrightly chasing traders off the streets.

“Street trading happens across the world. It is for our council chairmen to come up with ideas to better manage the activities of traders in their domains.

“How do you build a shop and put it at N30 million? What will the traders be selling there?

“If you remove them all, where do you also want them to go?”, he asked.

LASU In Alleged Certificate Racketeering Mess, LAHA Summons VC, Commissioner For Tertiary Education

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Akinwale Kasali

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November 7, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University is presently enmeshed in an alleged certificate racketeering.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has, consequently, summoned her.

The Lawmakers resolved to invite Olatunji-Bello alongside the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Akibu, the Senate of the Institution and other top staff over allegations of extortion and Certificate racketeering leveled against the school, with the sole aim of digging out the truth.

Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, LAHA Speaker, during Plenary Tuesday, noted that the source of the allegation leveled against the Principal Officers of the institution could be suspicious and not trustworthy because of its tendency to blackmail. He stated that the concerned officials of the institution be invited so that facts about the allegation could be unearthed for the sake of the reputation of the school.

In his submission, Obasa said, “I agree that the Committee should invite those to be invited to establish facts about the allegation, but we must not because of that, destroy our Institution’s reputation”, Obasa, an alumnus of the institution, said adding that if anyone is found wanting, such a person should be sanctioned.

Moving the motion under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Hon. Owolabi Ajani told his colleagues that there was a need to invite the Commissioner, the VC and others for the House to unravel the facts behind the allegation.

Ajani noted that LASU had maintained a high level of integrity over the years adding that this must be sustained.

While Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh urged that the investigation should involve people in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit of the institution, Hon. Desmond Elliot and his colleague, Ladi Ajomale, who said they attended LASU, supported that the allegation be investigated.

Organised Labour Fixes Tuesday For Sympathy Strike For Ajaero

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Ayodele Oni

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November 7, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Organized Labour is insisting on its planned nationwide strike to protest against the harassment of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero in his State, Imo, last week.

The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Tuesday, declared a total nationwide strike effective from next Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

The Leadership of the two Unions resolved this after an extraordinary National Executive Council, (NEC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ajaero, who was in Imo state to mobilize workers in the state was abducted by policemen, who later claimed that he was taken to protective custody.

However the NLC raised alarm that its President was assaulted and brutalised by his abductors. Ajaero was first taken to the Police Hospital, and later to the Federal Medical Centre Owerri. He has since returned to Abuja where he is being treated at a private hospital.

There have been widespread outrage by the Organized Labour accusing the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mohammed Barde of complicity in the recent attack on Ajaero, in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The Organised Labour last Friday handed the Federal Government a five-day ultimatum to replace the Police Commissioner, while also blaming the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma for the attack on Ajaero.

The Governor, however, had since said he had no hand in the attack on the Labour Leader, as is being alleged.

The Organized Labour also demanded the arrest and prosecution of some of the governor’s aides and threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action if their demands were not carried out. However, it has since been discovered that none of the Governor’s Aides, especially, his Special Assistant Special Adviser, Special Duties, Chinasa Nwaneri, was present. At the time of the attack, Nwaneri was in Abuja.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday, redeployed Barde to Force Headquarters for “neutrality’s sake” ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State.

Lalong, Tinubu’s Minister, Declared Winner, Plateau South Senatorial District By Court Of Appeal, Sacks Bali

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Adesina Soyooye

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November 7, 2023

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By Adesina Soyooye

Simon Lalong, Minister for Labour, has been declared the winner of the Plateau South Senatorial seat.

Lalong had contested for the seat as a sitting Governor of Plateau State, just when he was winding down his second tenure. However, in the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the Election which took place on February 25, 2023, the then Governor lost to the Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Napoleon Bali.

Bali, according to INEC, scored a total of 148,844 votes to defeat Lalong who scored 91, 674 votes.

But Lalong approached the Election Petition Tribunal with an argument that the PDP, Plateau State, had no proper Party Structure, and so, waa not in a position to field a Candidate. The Tribunal agreed with him, and declared Bali’s votes wasted.

But Bali appealed the Judgement to the Court of Appeal.

On Tuesday, a three-man panel of Appeal Court Justices, chairmaned by the Honourable Justice Elfrida Williams, agreed with the lower Court and sacked Bali.

Disagreeing with Bali, the Court of Appeal said the case was, at once, a pre and post Election matter and sacked him as a Senator. It said the PDP was wrong not to have conducted a new Congress in the State as ordered by a Court.

Said the Court of Appeal: “Section 287 of the Nigerian Constitution said all are expected to observe orders of the Court. The order was in the realm. It is binding on all persons. It is immutable, and until it is set aside, must be complied with.

“This issue is, hereby, resolved against the appellant. Invalidly nominated Candidates cannot attract lawful votes. This appeal fails. The Tribunal judgement is affirmed.”

Lalong is, currently, the Minister for Labour, Employment and Productivity. It is now left for him to either quit the Cabinet for the Senate or remain in the Cabinet. If he chooses to remain a Minister, it means that INEC will conduct a new Senatorial Election for Plateau South District that is likely to exempt the PDP.

This Government Is Uncaring – Obi

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The Source

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November 7, 2023

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The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the Federal 25, 2023 election, Peter Obi has described the current Government of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC as totally uncaring.

Responding to a Journalist’s question at his global press conference on Monday on the controversial supplementary budget presented to the National Assembly by the Tinubu administration, Obi said that channeling supplementary budget to individual elite needs rather than the welfare of the people is the height of insensitivity.

“Supplementary budget is a budget made for very important national welfare needs of the people that is not captured originally in the main budget or does not have adequate funding.

For example, Nigeria today, we read it recently from the United Nations, and World Food Organisation that up to 26.5 million Nigerians will go hungry next year.

Of this number largely from Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, and Zamfara systems, children are the most vulnerable to food insecurity. There is a serious risk of mortality among children attributed to acute malnutrition.

Obi said that it is with serious issues of this nature of national importance that we can go for a supplementary budget.

Anambra: Reps To Intervene In Oil-rich Ogwuaniocha Violent Crisis

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James Orji

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November 7, 2023

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The House of Representatives has mandated the Committee on National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to intervene in the recurrent crisis in the oil-rich Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra state, that has led to several deaths, destruction of property and gruelling impact on Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs

It also mandated NEMA to set up an Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camp for the people and provide them with relief materials in order to alleviate their sufferings.

These directives were given on the floor of the House during plenary on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, following a motion of Urgent Public Importance, moved by member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene.

Ogene, in the motion entitled, “Urgent Need to Rescue Ogwuaniocha Community in Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra From Reprisal Attacks and the Jaws of Violent Criminal Gangs”, lamented that criminal gangs have taken over the Ogwuaniocha community, set up camps and sacked residents from their homes and farmlands, resulting to untold hardship, fear and despondency for the people in the community and its environs.

According to him, “Since Monday, November 15, 2021 – no farming activity, no school for the children, no business activities as a result of the occupation of the community by the criminal gangs, who have relocated from other parts of the state and set up camps in and around the community.”

The motion read: “Aware that the security of lives and property is the primary purpose of government;

“Also aware that Ogwuaniocha in Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra state is an oil bearing community, (contributing over 20,000 barrels of crude oil per day), which earned the state its oil producing status;

“Alarm that violent gangs have set up camps in and around Ogwuaniocha Community, sacked the residents, kidnapped the traditional ruler (Igwe), killed and maimed many, unchallenged, which is a desecration of the traditional institution and erosion of our cultural values;

“Worried that there is a resurgence of crisis in the community and its environs last week, leading to abduction of over 20 people who are yet to be accounted for, a trend that has kept recurring since November, 2021, without meaningful steps by
the Anambra State Government, aimed at rescuing the Igwe, who is still unaccounted for, or explore any administrative measures to finding solution to the problem;

“Concern that the displaced people of Ogwuaniocha are going through difficult times without any provision for shelter or relief materials as they have no Internally Displaced Persons(IDP) camps;

“Further concern that while oil production goes on seamlessly in Ogwuaniocha, the people have been forced to stay off their community for two years now – since Monday, November 15, 2021 – no farming activity, no school for the children, no business activities as a result of the occupation of the community by the criminal gangs, who have relocated from other parts of the state and set up camps in and around the community;

“House Resolves to:
(i) Direct the Committee on National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to look into the matter, set up an IDP camp for the people and provide them with relief materials; and report back to the House.”