The Bureau of Public Service Reforms, BPSR, has declared the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, as the best Federal Government Agency in Digital Transformation.
The Director General, BPSR who conveyed the Presidential award to NIMASA Management, also announced that the DG/CEO NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR has been nominated to receive the distinguished GovTech Trailblazers award for providing exemplary leadership.
The BPSR also announced that the awards were as a result of a nationwide nomination and online voting process initiated by the Bureau, as well as a detailed analysis of performance of all government MDAs at the national level.
The award presentation is scheduled to take place in the nation’s federal capital in October this year.
NIMASA Director General, Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR, expressed pleasure and assured of the Agency’s commitment to full operational digitalization.
“This award is a pleasant surprise. We weren’t expecting it. We were just doing our job . This award will spur us to accelerate our quest to fully digitalize all NIMASA operations,” Jamoh said.
Ekiti State Government has started to unravel how the fund approved for the State contingent to the ongoing National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State was misappropriated by yet to be identified officials.
Dissatisfied with the kits of the State representatives during the opening ceremony of the event, Governor Biodun Oyebanji had summoned the leader of the delegation, Mr Kunle Adeyemi, who is general manager of the state sports council.
Already, the General Manager has been grilled by the House of Assembly Committee on Sports headed by Idowu Odebunmi. The Committee also invited the Accountant General of the State to shed light on the actual amount released for the contingent.
The investigation was initiated to ensure accountability, transparency and adherence to standards in representing Ekiti State.
The General Manager, after answering questions put to him by the members of the Committee, apologized for the embarrassment caused to the State at the opening ceremony of the Sport Festival in Asaba and appealed that the Council would continue to do its best to move sports forward in Ekiti.
The Sport Council boss appreciated the Government of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for the support the Council is receiving from the Government all the time; stating that the money required for the Sport Festival was promptly approved by the Governor and the payment was made by the Accountant General less than 24 hours after submitting the approval.
The Committee Chairman, Odebunmi while speaking on behalf of other members, expressed the House dissatisfaction with the negligence of the sports council officials resulting in the misrepresentation of the state.
The Committee Chairman stated that the investigation would continue till a satisfactory conclusion is made and asked the General Manager to come back with all the senior officials of the Sport Council when they are back from the Sport Festival.
The Chairman stated that the report of the Committee would be submitted to the House after the conclusion of its investigation for further legislative action.
As the Assembly probe continues, Governor Oyebanji insisted that State officials deceived him after approving and collecting N20 million for the event.
The Governor revealed that he was deceived by the officials of the State Sports Council on the purchase of kits for the athletes representing the state at the ongoing National Youth Games in Asaba Delta.
According to the Governor, the officials presented him with quality kits preparatory to the tournament, but later opted for low quality wears, adding that decisive action would be taken on those involved in the whole arrangements.
“What happened was an embarrassment to us as a government and the people of Ekiti State. It occurred just because some people wanted to make money for themselves.
“They came with a proposal of N25 million, and I approved N20 million, but they didn’t procure the kits they were supposed to purchase. As a way of deception, they provided kits for me as the Governor to make it look as if they had done the right thing when they didn’t purchase for those kids who went to represent the state. We also learnt they didn’t get good hotel accommodation for the children.
“How can you take children to Delta and mess up the whole show? if we sack them now, some people will start pleading for them.
“I am saying this because if we want to clean up the system, the Governor and his cabinet alone cannot do it. Help us to plead with those in government to have the fear of God.
“I was shocked that someone who called himself a father could behave that way. Though, the children are doing well because I had to send a Psychologist to go and speak with them.”
Ekiti State Police Command has announced the arrest of a prime suspect, Samuel Omotoyinbo, who allegedly led a gang which kidnapped a Chinese expatriate contractor handling the new Ado- Iyin dualization project.
Also arrested were 29 other suspects for offences relating to robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, motorbike stealing, among others.
Parading the suspects in Ado Ekiti, the Police Commissioner, Mr Morounkeji Adesina, said Omotoyinbo allegedly abducted the Chinese expatriate while working on the site in May, 2020.
Adesina, represented by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, revealed that “on 29 March, 2022, at about 11pm, a gang of armed men numbering about six stormed Maxwell Hospital, Nova Road, Ado-Ekiti and robbed Dr. Ojo Emmanuel, Balogun Ahmed and other staff and patients in the Hospital of their belongings such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and a sum of N50,000.
“Upon their departure from the Hospital, the armed robbers also hijacked one Toyota Corolla car valued at N3m.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of one Lasisi Afeez and one itel phone belonging to one of the victims which was carted away from the scene of crime was found in his possession.”
The Commissioner added that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to be among the armed robbers that robbed the hospital alongside one Omotoyinbo Samuel, Ajewole Peter and one Ladele, who is currently at large.
“Investigation led to the arrest of Omotoyinbo Samuel in Lagos by the Command’s RRS operatives alongside his wife Omowumi. Samuel, who was the leader of the gang, confessed to the commission of the crime that took place at Maxwell Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.
“He confessed further that he was among the armed robbery gang that attacked Wema bank, Iyin-Ekiti in 2020 and mentioned one Afe Ayodeji, Adejumo Kehinde and Adinoi Samuel as members of his syndicate who are based in Abuja and Ondo State.
“He also confessed that himself and his gang members were the ones who kidnapped a Chinese expatriate at a construction site in new Iyin road, Ado-Ekiti in 2020.”
The police also nabbed Dairu Adamu, Usman Saidu and Nura Usman who were notorious kidnappers and cattle rustlers, who on March 31, 2022 at about 4pm allegedly accosted one Sani Mamuda, a Fulani herdsman, who was rearing his cattle along Eruku-Itapaji forest.
Adesina said in the process, the hoodlums, at gunpoint, rustled 35 cattle from Mamuda, while he managed to escape the scene.
The Command operatives equally busted a syndicate of armed robbers, who specializes in snatching motorcycles at gun points and selling to receivers in Ondo and Zamfara States.
Those arrested include Omodara Sanya, Lasisi Talabi, Bamisile Lateef, Alex Peter and Omojola Damilare and their agents, including Abubakar Garuba, Adamu Mohammed and Aliyu Sani.
The Police boss stated that; “Investigation revealed that motorcycles robbed by this syndicate were in turn sold to notorious receivers and their agents in Ondo and Zamfara States.”
Organised labour under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress, and Trade Union Congress have declared a nationwide strike from October 3, 2023.
The two unions gave the strike notice in a communique jointly signed at the Labour House, Abuja on Tuesday by Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, of the NLC and TUC respectively.
The labour leaders have therefore urged Nigerians to stock their homes with food and other necessities in preparation for the strike.
According to them, the strike becomes imperative to call the attention of the federal government to the suffering of their members and Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy in May this year.
Their members are suffering, they said, citing the unwillingness on the part of the government to ameliorate the situation.
Recall that the NLC had earlier in the month embarked on two-day warning strike to press home their demands, but the TUC did not join the strike.
A major demand of the unions is the increment of salary and wages of their members.
The federal government said during the week that a new wage package will soon be announced by President Tinubu.
The workers seem not to be satisfied with the promise.
According to the communiqué: “NLC and TUC in their various meetings deeply analyzed the current situation in the country, taking into cognizance the extensive hardships and deprivation afflicting our citizens across all states of the federation and unanimously condemned the apparent conscious lethargy and tardiness in handling the consequences of its Petrol Price hike on Nigerians.
‘No meaningful dialogue’
“The councils deliberated on the continued refusal of the Federal Government to engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue within the ambit of good faith given the 21 days ultimatum and the subsequent successful two-day nationwide warning strike of the 5th and 6th of September and other meetings that were supposed to demonstrate the preparedness of Nigerian workers to push through their decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike if their demands were not met.”
The communiqué explained that “the NLC and TUC NEC-in-session observed that there is no disagreement between labour and government on the existence of massive suffering, impoverishment and hunger in the country as a result of the hike in the price of petrol which demands an urgent need for remedial action.
“The government has totally abdicated this responsibility and has shown gross unwillingness to act, abandoning Nigerian people and workers to excruciating poverty and affliction.
“The Federal Government has continued to grandstand and forestall all avenues to peaceful dialogue with organized labour on ways to save Nigerians from the huge hunger and suffering experienced across the nation as a result of the unconscionable hike in the price of petrol (PMS) by the government.
“The government has continued to demonstrate not just an unwillingness to mitigate the massive hardship in the country but also a complete lack of intention to take positive steps and empathy for the multi-dimensionally impoverished citizens of Nigeria.
“The Federal Government has, therefore, not met in any substantial way, the demands of Nigerian workers and peoples as previously canvassed in our mutually agreed roadmap to salvaging the economy and protecting workers and Nigerians from the monumental hardship.
“The grace period given by the two labour centres have expired,” the union said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged the new Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso to reject any temptations from politicians to dabble in politics.
The Senate president gave the advice during the screening of Cardoso and four Deputy Governors on Tuesday.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu while nominating Cardoso and others, said their appointment was subject to Senate confirmation.
During their confirmation yesterday, Akpabio told the new CBN that he should not behave like his predecessor, Godwin Emefiele who tried to use the naira redesign policy to truncate the 2023 general election.
The former apex bank governor incurred the wrath of not a
few Nigerians after introducing the policy causing serious cash scarcity in the country.
Many Nigerians described the action as political, they also faulted what they described as the former CBN governor’s meddlesomeness in politics, particularly after he joined the presidential race.
For instance, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate at the time, accused Emefiele of trying to use the naira redesign policy to stop him from becoming president.
Speaking during the screening of Cardoso on Tuesday, Akpabio told him to reject any plan by politicians to drag him into partisan politics, saying the CBN Governor must uphold the oath of office.
Akpabio told Cardoso, “CBN Governor, will you uphold the integrity, steadfastness – to resist when politicians come to you to join the presidential race and display your posters even as a sitting CBN Governor in political conventions.
“Will you rush to display your profile electronically at political conventions while sitting as a governor because politicians have told you that you have enough money in CBN to do it.
“Don’t forget the fact that the money in the Central Bank isn’t for you. Will you have the courage to resist the temptation to listen to politicians and throw your hat into the ring and go back to your office and sit as CBN Governor?
“Will you rush to sabotage election in Nigeria by going for new notes, two days to election when no country in the world changes new notes under one year, you do your own in 14 days or 11 to see how you can sabotage election in Nigeria.”
Emefiele was sacked by President Tinubu on June 15, and has since been detained by the Department of State Services, DSS over alleged corruption while in office.
Africa’s increasing number of businessmen and women, with particular reference to Nigeria, may likely nose dive if such entrepreneurs continue to rely on classroom knowledge.
While parading themselves as potential business moguls, a Human Resources and Business Development Consultant, Mr. Kelechi Aguwuom during a two-day symposium in Owerri, Imo State said success may be elusive to such entrepreneurs unless they change their mindset.
Aguwuom is of the view that the extent to which one can go is dependent on one’s mindset. According to the Consultant, one should critically understand oneself, the business, the audience; and the product(s) or service(s) to be offered. Adding value is of essence, and if not; it becomes counterproductive and unprofitable.
In the symposium organised by Rotaract District 9142 and tagged Rotaract Leadership and Business Symposium,2023, with the theme: Exposing The Next Generation; Shoping For Visionary Leaders And Thriving Business, the guest speaker faulted the education system bequeathed to Africans; especially Nigerians by the whites. He unequivocally stated that the system was lacking in creative, imaginative and critical thinking. The result was that the system did not teach the beneficiaries a lot of things, culminating in the failure to explore the potentials the beneficiaries had in their minds to the fullest. Thus, “a lot of businesses may either be working or striving; some moving in snail speed, while some are struggling”, Aguwuom said. He urged those preparing to go into business to properly position themselves to attract funds since there is enough money in circulation waiting for who will grab them.
The Business Development Consultant , whose lead lecture was titled “Business Optimization:The Human Factor”, pointed out that the positioning is expected to make the public to understand and appreciate what they ( potential entrepreneurs) know how to do best. According to Aguwuom, “nobody talks about business without the expectant value that is in the product or service out there in the society that will leave the society a lot better”.
Aguwuom advised those whose businesses have taken a down turn not to waste their time and energy by blaming the government. Rather, no matter the harsh economic policies of the government, a creative, imaginative and critical thinking can provide a lee way out of the woods.
On Sunday, September 24, Governor Hope Uzodimma paid a surprise visit to the Owerri Office Complex of Hot 99.5FM Radio Station. He was accompanied on the visit by the Founder of the Radio Station, Senator Chris Anyanwu, Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) and other top Government officials.
As short as that visit was, Senator Anyanwu demonstrated mastery of the industry she proved to be a lioness for years before delving into politics, getting her personnel to take advantage of the august visitor’s presence to market their product and at the same time, educate, entertain and inform the public in line with the ethics of the journalism profession.
Senator Anyanwu shows what it means to be a proper, trained journalist.
Given what we saw at the Hot 99.5 FM Complex one did not need any further explanation as to why Senator Anyanwu remains a media Amazon. Her Office complex is a reflection of her personal industry, perseverance, commitment, love for profession et al. It shows her loyalty to the ethics of the profession as well.
Like Senator Anyanwu, other female Media Amazons too numerous to mention from the South East, such as the Publisher of The Source (magazine), Dame Comfort Obi, the former Editor of THISDAY and former Managing Director of Arise News TV, Ms. Ijeoma Nwogwugwu have also paid their dues and will always be counted whenever it matters. My dear wife, Mrs. Chika Amanze- Nwachuku also an Editor will tell whoever bothers to listen that the rules of journalism practice remain sacrosanct.
Not long ago, I did an intervention in what I called “Flight by night columnists.” The intention of the piece was to draw the attention of my respected colleagues on the need to abide by the dos and don’ts of the profession we are irrevocably committed to practicing in the interest of the reading and listening, watching public.
Like the legal profession that thrives on hard facts and evidence, the media profession is worthless when it is devoid of balance based, also on available facts to substantiate any claim. That is why the mantra, “if you are in doubt, you leave out” remains a guiding principle for all media practitioners.
Today, I do not know whether those who claim to be informing, educating, entertaining the public, either as columnists, analysts, reporters and more have bothered to stay on the rules of the industry.
Quite unfortunately, a good number of them have created more problems for the system and those that look up to them for guidance with their views or analysis, either on the pages of newspapers, on television and radio stations.
Before now, the newspapers, televisions and radios remained the tools for reliable information for members of the public. There used to be no controversy about their benefits to those who rely on them for education, information and entertainment. One will therefore not be wrong to say that the too many innovations that have gone into today’s media industry have brought about dose of inefficiency on the part of both the practitioners and their guests, such that no one is checking the other. It is even worse in the broadcast industry – television and radio – where so-called analysts do so with so much ignorance and arrogance.
Watching and listening to an Arise News analyst who goes by the name, Dr. Constance Ikokwu, on a programme anchored by Charles Aniagolu on Monday, I could not but weep for the society.
My findings show that Ikokwu has operated as a trained journalist for some time now. She was once the Washington DC Correspondent of THISDAY, former Deputy Editor, former Abuja Bureau Chief and also a former Media Adviser to a former Minister of Trade and Industry during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. To say she is in a position to analyse issues properly, not analyzing them from where she appears, is to say the least.
But on the Monday programme in question, Ikokwu threw professionalism to the dogs. She spoke with such hatred and venom and with the confidence of someone engaged to scandalise, blackmail and diminish the value of the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in the November 11, 2023 election.
Unfortunately for Ikokwu, she succeeded in exposing her personal human frailties driven largely by emotion. She brought to the fore her little regard for painstaking approach on investigation over matters of public interest and generally, lack of professionalism. Her persistent reference to “I was told seven Local Government Areas are uninhabitable in Imo State,” “I was told Imo State is almost like Somalia,” among other “I was told” references, was as repulsive and contemptuous as her not seeing anything good in Imo State and the Governor.
But that is not all. I am sure I was not the only one who heard Ikokwu say she does not know who the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum is. Again, I leave you to your imagination about the competence or otherwise of this “professional” analyst on Arise News.
The question is: What manner of analyst would rely on hearsay, claims, insinuations to draw inference on a matter as critical as the issue of (in)security Ikokwu was invited to discuss on television? If she was not analysing the subject in question as an interested party, would Ikokwu have relied on third party information alone to do her work as a trained journalist?
As an Editor, would she pass a script written by her Reporter without confirmation or demanding for proper investigation? Would she pat the Reporter on the back for filing a report that lacks proper investigation as demanded by the ethics of the profession? What an armchair analyst has she constituted herself into? It is even more annoying that she does so with such unbridled arrogance reminiscent of a potentate consulted to act out a demagoguery script.
The truth is that because Ikokwu was asked to make Governor Hope Uzodimma the kernel of her discussion on television, the name of the Governor became too heavy in her mouth to pronounce, hence she claimed ignorance of who the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum is. Mind you, Governor Uzodimma has been in that position for nearly two months now and has held no fewer than three keys meetings with his brother- Governors ever since assuming the position.
For the avoidance of doubt, the two days South East Economic and Security Summit slated for Owerri on September 28 and 29 which has been given wide publicity remains the first major event to be held by the South East governors under the leadership of Governor Uzodimma. Yet, Ikokwu who claims to be a ranking journalist and analyst pretends not to know the man behind all that.
Now that she has known, we expect her to be more responsible in her analysis going forward; more professional, more painstaking and humble in asking questions about what she does not know, and importantly, more objective in her analysis of issues of societal significance.
As far as Ikokwu and her conspirators are concerned, Senator Uzodimma must not return as Governor of Imo State after November 11. Also the Governor’s Party, the APC, should not be given the opportunity to continue in office. But she is living in denial with her gang of sponsors who stay in Lagos and Abuja and see nothing good in Imo. I wish they can board the next available vehicle to Owerri to see things themselves, interact with the people and then make informed judgment about the Government of Governor Uzodimma and his chances or otherwise of getting reelected.
In case Ikokwu does not know, we have it on good authority that her source of the hearsay she relies so much on to talk gibberish about Governor Uzodimma and Imo State is from the camps of characters like Senator Athan Achonu and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party Governorship candidates respectively, both of who have been working hard to sustain the insecurity in Imo because it pays them more if that happens.
Insecurity in Imo is not exclusive to the State. The entire Nigerian Nation is challenged due to it and the Government is doing its utmost best to correct all the anomalies posed by insecurity.
Ikokwu ought to have known how to couch her language instead of speaking in discomforting tongues, in manners that promote or even embolden the perpetrators of insecurity. As an analyst, she ought to be more interested in solutions to problems rather than creating more problems for the system, using the platform open to her.
It is unfortunate that in Nigeria today, anyone who can couple tenses together in spoken English gets venerated to the level of a celestial being and then assumes they have the license to yarn anything to the listening or watching audience because of assess to the television or radio.
Let me remind Ikokwu and her sponsors that Governor Uzodimma is the candidate to beat in the coming election. Achonu and Anyanwu know that too well regardless of the noise they go about making. Governor Uzodimma has done marvelously well to deserve a reelection and Imo people will do so convincingly.
The Governor’s intervention in road infrastructure, health, education, youth empowerment/development, to name but a few are there for all to see. His economic policies like the dredging of the Oguta/Orashi River to the Atlantic Ocean point the way to the socio-economic well being of Imo State and beyond, and discerning Imo people are taking note. What you will tell the blind is that there is no oil in the soup, but not salt or pepper. In Imo, the blind are even part of the celebration from the things Governor Uzodimma has done because they can feel it from the joy that oozes out from those around them.
Nwachuku, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to Governor writes from Owerri
Never have I met Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. Neither have I known the not-so-lucky Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa one-on-one. I have always admired the former for his comportment in and out of office.
As political reporters, we have followed his trajectory as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, and now state chief executive. Therefore, we, as all lovers of humanity, were hit by the sad news of his ill health.
When he wrote the state parliament that he was going on medical vacation, I felt for him and prayed that he make it back to his gubernatorial saddle. As the weeks rolled into months and he didn’t return, my apprehension heightened. Eventually, the merciful God made it possible for him to return to work for the remainder of his eight-year tenure.
However, the news I have been reading since his return is not what I expect from someone rescued from the jaws of death. The rumour mill had him dead several times.
On Sunday, September 17, 2023, all the readings in the Catholic Church, where I worship, talked lavishly about forgiveness. The most difficult request from God to Christians is forgiveness, Apostle Peter asked how many times we could allow an offender scot-free. Seven times? Jesus said, “I didn’t say seven times, but seventy times seven”…meaning as long as the offender trespasses and you are not consumed by it. Jesus further says we must pray for our enemies and present the second cheek whenever we are slapped.
Your Excellency, as the priest brought out all these instances to buttress his homily on forgiveness, the three readings from the Old Testament to the New, which I recommend as you ready to exact the pound of the disloyal deputy governor’s flesh.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
Here’s the first reading from the Book of Sirach, chapter 27:30 to Chapter 28:7:
“Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, and the sinful man will possess them. He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord, and he will firmly establish his sins. Forgive your neighbour for the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Does a man harbour anger against another, and yet seek healing from the Lord? Does he have no mercy towards a man like himself, and yet pray for his own sins? If he, being flesh, maintains wrath, will he then seek forgiveness from God? Who will make an excuse for his sins? Remember the end of your life, cease from enmity, remember destruction and death, and be true to the commandments. Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbour; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance.”
The second scripture, taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans Chapter 14:7-19 reads:
“Brethren: None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end, Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”
Then comes the gospel of the day from Matthew Chapter 18: 21 to 35: “At that time: Peter came up and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?'” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times but seventy times seven. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
“But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you. ’He refused and went and put him in prison till he could pay the debt.
“When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger, his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Even the Responsorial Psalm of the day from Psalm 103 is copiously related, making the beauty of the Catholic teaching:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all within me, his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And never forget all his benefits.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
He will not always find fault; nor persist in his anger forever.
He does not treat us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our faults.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so strong is his mercy for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far from us does he remove our transgressions?
After hearing this homily and with Akeredolu’s vengeance in my mind, my spirit moved me to pen down this article for the Governor’s attention.
If the Governor had died, the lucky(?) Deputy Governor would have been sworn in as a replacement and the parliament would have to live with it. Indeed, God rules in the affairs of men. So, the dream did not come true.
Your Excellency, since God made you a Governor, saved your life, and made you pick this man above all Ondo citizens as your running mate, how is removing him because he disappointed you [mere mortal] and God going to help your spirituality as a huge beneficiary of God’s grace?
I know that politicians are very unforgiving. Looking back at all your successes in life, retaining this man will not diminish your relationship with your generous creator. Instead, letting the Deputy Governor be will enhance it in line with the above-cited scriptures.
All those pushing you to deal with Lucky and are already lobbying to replace him would have done the same thing so long as they are human beings and politicians. If I were you, I would ask myself if God would be glad. If God had looked at my sins and shortcomings would he have allowed me to return alive?
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, deputy governor, Ondo State
Your Excellency, if only you can hear the silent voice, you will hear the truth your aides are not telling you. Why not leave this man with a pang of conscience, given God’s mercies on you?
By coming back alive, the disloyal Deputy must be battling with his conscience and you are freeing him before God by being unforgiving. I can assure you that if you punish him with impeachment, God may not be interested in his crime any longer.
Your Excellency, I hear that your middle name is Odunayo [Yoruba for “joyous year”], why not live up to your name, stopping anything that will bring sadness in an otherwise joyous year? Your death–God forbid–would have brought unhappiness to Ondo State, but God did not will so. Who are you to bring sadness upon your domain? I pray to God to help you digest and forgive and leave vengeance for God who says “Vengeance is mine.”
To sponsors and “sponsors” of Lucky, sheath your swords. God perfects all things in his own time.
Ike Abonyi was the former Group Political Editor of THISDAY, former Deputy Managing Director of New Telegraph, and Media Consultant who lives in Abuja.
Ondo State House of Assembly has said it will not be deterred by an interlocutory injunction by an Abuja court halting the impeachment process of the state deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had, on Tuesday, restrained the Assembly from proceeding on the impeachment process pending determination of the substantive suit.
A statement, signed by the Assembly’s Speaker, Oladiji Olamide, pointed out that the House expected the Deputy Governor to wait to be served with the notice, rather than rushing to Court.
“The House is shocked that rather than wait to be served with notice of the allegation of gross misconduct, and react to same as required by the Constitution, the Deputy Governor has been running from pillar to post and filing multiply suits in both at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court and the Ondo State High Courts in a bid to stop the legislative process.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the House is fully conscious of Section 188 (10) of the Constitution which clearly states that “No proceedings or determination of the panel or of the House of Assembly or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any Court.
“In the case of Abaribe V. Abia State House of Assembly (2022) 14 NWLR (Pt. 788) 466, the Court of Appeal emphatically stated that it was wrong for the Appellant to jump the gun by rushing to the Court to stop his impeachment process on the ground of alleged breach of fair hearing when the panel to investigate and hear him had not even been constituted.
“The Court of Appeal then restated that by the provision of Section 188 (10) of the Constitution, no court has the jurisdiction at that stage to interfere in the legislative proceedings for impeachment.
“The Supreme Court has repeatedly restated that the Court can only intervene when the procedures for impeachment have been breached.
“In this case however, the Deputy Governor rushed to court even before the notice of impeachment was served on him. For the records, no procedures have been breached in any way.
“In view of these, the House has directed its team of Lawyers to investigate the purported injunction secured by the Deputy Governor and report any judicial officer who might have abused his office in granting the unconstitutional ex-parte injunction to the appropriate institution for necessary disciplinary action.
“The House wishes to assure the general public that it would proceed with the legislative process to a logical conclusion.
“But in doing so, will strictly follow the Constitutional procedures. The House will not abdicate or compromise its sacred constitutional duty to hold elected public officers accountable, particularly where there are prima facie serious allegations of corruption and abuse of power levelled against the Deputy Governor in this case.”
Factional Afenifere, led by Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has affirmed that it remains in support of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) in his bid to challenge illegality in February election.
The Presidential Election Petition Committee had dismissed petitions filed by Obi anf other political parties to challenge victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rising from its monthly meeting at Isanya Ogbo Ogun state on Tuesday, the Yoruba group states that “Afenifere remains convinced and undeterred on the just principles with which we agreed to support Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
“In line with our disagreement with the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the 2023 elections, we support a further appeal to the Supreme Court in the interest of the nation.
“Afenifere cannot reconcile with such pronouncements that the INEC is at liberty to return to the manual collation of election results and all the primitive electoral brigandage associated.
“Neither is it true with our political structure that Nigeria is now a 37-state federation as the Court of Appeal erroneously pronounced.
“Afenifere remains resolved that no person or group of persons shall hold the reins of power except in the proven interest of a fair, equitable, inclusive and thus united Nigeria in their peaceful, prosperous and harmonious diversity.”
In a communique released to journalists in Akure, Ondo state by secretary of the group, Sola Ebiseni, the group bemoaned state of the nation, which has led to the decision of the organized labour to go on strike saying the removal of oil subsidy and other economic policies hastily pronounced without planning for the collateral effects, the Nigerian masses have been abysmally pauperized Nigerians.
‘In reacting and calling for mass action in this regard, the NLC is living to its historic responsibility.
“Afenifere restates its commitment to welfare economics as opposed to the neo-liberal economic policies currently being pushed. Government needs to open up to Nigerians and those in power come down from their ostentatious life styles.
“From the humongous number of 50 Ministers with intractable number of aides, it is unacceptable that the people are being called upon to make further sacrifices. Government is called upon to look into the plight of Nigerians and listen to the NLC to avert the looming strikes in the interests of the already prostate economy.
On intervention of ECOWAS in Niger Republic military putsch, the group commended Nigerians for standing against military action in that country.
“While Afenifere reiterates its abhorrence to any undemocratic access to power either through the barrels of the gun or electoral brigandage, the principles of the total emancipation of the African continent is in tandem with the principles of Afenifere.”
