Ekiti Assembly Speaker On Importance Of Private Bills

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June 30, 2023

Adeoye Aribasoye - Ekiti State House of Assemlby Speaker

By Ayodele Oni

Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, has stressed the importance of private bills which will help enrich governance and improve standard of living.

He has therefore advised private individuals and groups to initiate such with a promise to facilitate their passage.

Aribasoye, who made the call on Friday, while receiving in audience members of a socio-cultural group, E-Eleven, also canvassed for synergy between the Assembly and critical stakeholders to move the state forward.

The E-Eleven members were on a visit to the Assembly Complex to congratulate Aribasoye on his recent election as the Speaker of the Seventh Assembly and signified the readiness to work with the legislature under his leadership on issues of development of the state.

He once again reiterated the readiness of the state parliament to collaborate with the state government in keeping Ekiti working towards Shared Prosperity, through a responsive and responsible legislation.

The Speaker explained that members of the public, interest groups and other non-governmental bodies are at liberty to come up with bills that can have positive impact on the lives of the citizens and transform some sectors in the state for the consideration of the state legislators.

Aribasoye, himself a member of the group, where he served as Publicity Secretary, expressed gratitude to members for their visit, stressing the readiness of the legislature to partner with other stakeholders to contribute to the growth of Ekiti in the key sectors.

He noted that E-Eleven is renowned for its progressive intervention in Ekiti and has contributed immensely to governance by producing past and present governors, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, top corporate players, captains of industry and very successful Ekiti indigenes at home and abroad.

While urging the body not to rest on its oars in making their state better through investment in human capital development, investment and deployment of talents and expertise in governance, the Speaker said these will complement government efforts at making Ekiti State realize the dream of its founding fathers.

Aribasoye who equally urged the E-Eleven members to feel free to offer useful advice that can enhance good governance, also enjoined the group to be more proactive and keep maintaining the highest standard of Omoluabi the group is known for.

Earlier the Chairman of the group, Chief Kola Akosile said they were in the House to felicitate and congratulate him on his emergence as Speaker of Ekiti House of Assembly.

He promised that the group will always support the state to achieve the objectives of the founding fathers.

Federal College Of Education Takes Off In Ekiti Community, Provost Named

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Ayodele Oni

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June 30, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

The Federal Government has named a provost for a newly approved College of education to be sited at Ilawe, Ekiti state on take off.

The Alawe of Ilawe, Oba Adebanjo Alabi who broke news of the new institution to the people said Dr.Ajigbade Ikuejube has been named as pioneer provost of the college.

A statement by Ajibade Olubunmi, media advise to the monarch, stated that the tenure of Ikuejube, according to a document from the Federal Ministry of Education has begun.

Oba Alabi, while announcing the formal approval of the institution to the people, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the establishment of a Federal College of Education in Ilawe Ekiti.

The Alawe said “the institution marks another federal presence in Ekiti State and a positive development in Ilawe.”

The Oba pointed out that college will serve in the training and production of thorough-bred teachers for Ekiti and Nigerians as a whole.

The monarch revealed that establishment came as a result of the several requests made to the Federal government on the establishment of a higher institution in Ilawe Ekiti which started some time in 2016 and supported by patriotic Ilawe indigenes led by Mr Femi Falana SAN.

The monarch emphasized that all hands have been put on deck to provide a conducive environment for academic activities in the newly established Federal College of Education.

Already, a ten- man committee to over see a seamless take off of the institution has been constituted.

The Provost has since made contact with the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti who wished him a very successful tenure as the pioneer Provost of the institution.

Oba Alabi assured Dr.Ikuejube of the community’s maximum support in the onerous task ahead.

Before his appointment as the pioneer provost of the new institution, Dr Ikuejube was an Acting Provost of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.

Update: Revealed: Bill Seeking Establishment Of Federal College Of Education In Ekiti Sited Location At Omuo

Abuja: How Customer ‘Stole’ N55m Benz From Dealer During Test Drive

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James Orji

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June 30, 2023

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A car dealer, Mohammed Manga, has been thrown into confusion after a customer, one Henry, absconded with one of his cars, a Mercedes Benz GLB 250 in the Abuja area of the Federal Capital Territory.

PUNCH Metro gathered from Manga that a yet-to-be-identified friend who is also into the business of selling cars visited his office in Abuja requesting to take the vehicle worth over N55m to a potential customer interested in purchasing it.

After taking the vehicle to the customer who introduced himself as Henry, Manga said his friend told him that after negotiations, Henry requested a test drive and was accompanied by his friend.

Manga said his friend was with Henry while he was test-driving the vehicle, adding that things took another turn when his friend informed Henry that he wanted to withdraw money from a Point of Sale operator to purchase fuel for the vehicle at a filling station

He explained that when his friend stepped out of the vehicle to make the withdrawal, Henry zoomed off with the vehicle to an unknown destination.

Manga said, “A friend of mine called me to tell me that he wants to take my Mercedes Benz GLB 250 to a customer. He took the car to his office and the customer came there. He said the customer introduced himself as Henry from Gwarinpa and that he saw the car on an online marketplace.

“He saw the car and said he liked it; they negotiated N55m for the car and he said OK and demanded test driving the car. He drove the car with my friend sitting on the passenger side of the vehicle and they drove out to the filling station opposite the automatic car wash in Garki to buy petrol before the test drive.

“But immediately my friend stepped out of the car at the filling station to withdraw money from the PoS operator to buy fuel, the guy zoomed off with the vehicle. You know how it is, there’s no traffic, no hold up in Abuja and that’s how he absconded with the car.”

Manga said he reported that case to the Anti-Car Theft Unit of the command, adding that the stolen car is grey, with a mileage of 19000.

Contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Ameh, said, “The police are tracking the suspect (Henry).”

After Tinubu’s Long Convoy Saga, APC Chieftain Says President Willing To Sacrifice

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James Orji

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June 30, 2023

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Emma Eneukwu, All Progressives Congress, APC, Deputy National Chairman, South has assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu is willing to sacrifice for the good of the country.

The APC chieftain stated this in Enugu in his Eid-el-Kabir message to Nigerians, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

He spoke a few days after Nigerians criticized President Tinubu’s long convoy ride to Lagos on Wednesday.

The president had incurred the wrath of not a few Nigerians following his arrival in Lagos from the United States to Celebrate the Muslim Eid el Kabir festival, with many vehicles riding behind his official vehicle.

Nigerians are particularly unhappy with the president and other top government officials for living in opulence after a slew of austerity measures his government has introduced since he came to power on May 29, 2023.

The removal of subsidies on petrol and Naira for instance are some of the belt-tightening measures his government has introduced within one month of taking power.

The situation has forced many Nigerians to make necessary adjustments in their lifestyles while government officials are still living ostentatiously, analysts insist.

But the APC chieftain said Tinubu has shown “willingness to sacrifice” for the overall interest of the country.

He explained that Nigerians will never regret electing Tinubu as president.

He noted that Nigeria is in a period where everyone is required to make fruitful adjustments, regardless of how painful it could be to make the nation progress.

According to him, this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration comes with renewed hope and assurance of a better Nigeria because we now have a president who is determined to leverage on achievements of his predecessor to make the country a safe haven.

“As we all know this event is one that is used to honour the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his sons as an act of obedience to God’s command.

“It is a moment where togetherness, love, sacrifice and commitment to unity is always observed and I am very happy to celebrate this year with my Muslim brothers, friends and associates.

“I want to admonish us to inculcate the spirit of unity by using this period to reflect on the importance of having a united Nigeria, where the country’s interest would always top our priorities

“We have a president that is in high spirit to capitalise on the progress made by his predecessor and work assiduously to make our dear nation a habitable and prosperous place for all,” he said.

Eneukwu assured Nigerians that they would never regret supporting the ruling APC during the 2023 general polls, as well as all its candidates across the nation, especially Tinubu.

“This great and timely decision will later turn out to be the best decision we have so far made as a nation,” he said.

NEXIM, Fidelity Bank Partner To Grow Nigeria’s Forex.

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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June 30, 2023

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The Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM, has announced a strategic partnership with leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc and Sapphital Learning Ltd as part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.

The partnership will help improve the skills and performance of export businesses in Nigeria by leveraging the NEXIM Export Academy, NEXA; an online platform that provides exporters with capacity-building training and access to finance to scale their business.

The NEXA platform which was Launched with the support of Sapphital (a digital learning institute) in 2022, is designed to empower millions of businesses with resources needed to run successful export operations, perform at higher levels of quality control, and compete favorably in the global market. The platform aims to drive the growth of Non-oil Exports and Foreign Exchange by connecting all the stakeholders along the value chain to enhance learning, improve quality, and grow Intra-African and Global Trade.

Speaking during the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, signing ceremony held in Abuja recently, the Managing Director, NEXIM, Mr. Abba Bello stated, “Part of the awareness the bank seeks to drive was to make people appreciate the fact and come to the knowledge that export is not only for big companies especially now that small manufacturers or traders can trade across borders. We seek to drive the knowledge that will help entrepreneurs know the processes, documentation and the kind of compliances they need to adhere to in their quest towards export and import business.”

On her part, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe noted that, the bank has consistently championed the promotion of non-oil export and capacity building for players in the nation’s export and import business.

Her words, “As a bank, we have always been at the forefront of growing the non-oil export business. We focused on our export banking business over the years and we have remained consistent in pioneering initiatives geared towards aiding capacity-building and access to capital for local exporters. The partnership provides an opportunity to deepen the conversations in the export space and more importantly, to create value for the players in the sector”.

On the ultimate goal of the institute, the Founder/CEO, Sapphital Learning Ltd, Mr. Amu Ogbeide stated that, “We want to grow the export market, we want more people to join and grow”.

Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank operating in Nigeria with over 7.5 million customers serviced across its 250 business offices and digital banking channels. The bank was recognized as the Best SME Bank, Nigeria, 2022 and also as the Best Payment Solutions Provider, Nigeria, 2023 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards. The bank had previously also won awards for the “Fastest Growing Bank” and “MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year” at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions, BAFI, awards.

BoA Predicts N680 To Dollar; $20bn Earning From Oil

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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June 30, 2023

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The exchange rate of the naira will stabilize at N680 to the dollar by the end of the year, the Bank of America, BOA, has said.

The bank made this known on Thursday, according to BusinessDay newspapers.

The projection comes following the unification of the exchange rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, last week, thus bringing to end years of segmentation in the official and parallel exchange rates.

According to the newspaper, the BOA said the value of naira will settle around N680 to the dollar by the end of the year, adding that the national currency has now been undervalued following the government’s recent foreign exchange policy.

The bank stated that the federal government should take critical steps, including ending oil theft in order to increase the nation’s foreign exchange earnings, adding that Nigeria’s crude production could rise to 1.6 million barrels per day, BPD in 12 to 18 months, from the current 1.2 million.

Higher oil exports and a liberalised import regime, the bank stated, could earn the country more than $22 billion in the medium term.

The BOA said, “We now see a USDNGN fair value of 680 per USD (previously 580). However, USDNGN is likely to trade above this level, with year-end 700, and a return to 650-680 in early 2024.

“The caution is transition time, aligning rates and still to unlock more USD into the formal market will take some time. When the dust has settled, the value of the naira should be stronger and appreciating.

“With the current momentum, Tinubu’s next big move should be to reduce oil theft – by reforming the security sector and involving host communities near the pipelines.”

Jungle Justice: How Cross River Woman Accused of Witchcraft was Burnt Alive

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The Source

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June 30, 2023

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By Stanley Ekpenyong, South south Bureau Chief

The primitive belief in witchcraft and jungle justice against alleged witches persist in Cross River as another woman accused of causing the death of two young men through witchery has been burnt alive.

The woman, Mrs Martina Itagbor, was accused by the youths of Old Netim, Akamkpa Local Government Area of the State, of engineering, through witchcraft, the fatal car crash which claimed the lives of two young men in the area.

She was subsequently burnt alive by the youths.

Sources claim that the police could not do anything to rescue the helpless woman as she was being burnt.

Recall that one Mrs Iquo Edet Eyo along side four others( two males aged 60 + and two females aged 60+) were last year accused of witchcraft, murdered and buried in a shallow grave by the youths of Ndong Nwong in Odukpani local government area of the State.

Similarly, last year, Cross River state High Court sitting in Akamkpa sentence a man, Ayanime Udo, to death for killing his twin daughters whom he accused of witchcraft.

On January 10, 2017, Udo was said to have poisoned his 11-year old twin daughters — Mfoniso and Emediong — by giving them a malt drink mixed with acid from his motorcycle over allegation that they were witches.

One of the girls was said to have died immediately, while the second daughter crawled to the road where she was assisted by someone to get to the hospital — she was confirmed dead the next day.

It’s Fake News; Buhari Never Asked President Tinubu Not To Probe Him – Garba Shehu

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Ayodele Oni

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June 29, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Garba Shehu, Spokesman to former President Mohammadu Buhari has said President Bola Tinubu is not being prevailed upon from probing officials that served in the immediate past administration.

Garba Shehu stated that “If social media is to be believed, former President Muhammadu Buhari is requesting his successor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to investigate some former officials of his government.

“It is fake, let us not discuss it or give it energy or air of publicity. This is fake news, and nothing more.

“Thankfully, there was no one other than the two leaders in the room in which they met, so no one was there to report their conversation.

“As much as possible, the former President wishes to remain outside the spotlight so as not to distract the new administration.

“He chose to go home in Daura hoping to find the type of quiet he wished for himself but realizing that this was not the case, visitors trooping in morning, day and night, he moved out to a more distant place.

“It remains his wish that he be allowed to have his needed rest, and for the Tinubu administration to have the right atmosphere to work on the realization of the promises they made.”

Horror As Twelve Pastors Die In Accident

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Ayodele Oni

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June 29, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

A religious group, the Salvation Army, is mourning as 12 of its Pastors met their untimely death in a fatal accident near Ovia river, Benin City, Edo state, on Thursday.

Also confirmed dead are a baby and a driver, while others were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

It was gathered that the accident was caused by a speeding Dangote truck, which allegedly rammed into the 18-seater bus conveying the Clerics from behind.

A statement issued Thursday evening by the Public Relations Secretary, Major Daniel Ekong stated that the officers were returning to the South-south part of the country from a five-day Officers Council (national conference) held in Lagos.

According to the statement, “The Salvation Army Nigeria Territory Regrets Fatal Accident Involving Officers Returning from Officers’ Councils

“The Salvation Army Nigeria Territory/ Commissioner Daniel Kasuso deeply regrets to announce that a group of Officers, who were returning from the just concluded Officers Councils, were involved in a fatal accident.

“At the time of this release, it has been reported that approximately 12 Officers, one comrade who drove, and a baby tragically lost their lives, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

“The Leadership extends heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased Officers and fervently prays for God’s protection over those who remain.

Please pray for the families and The Salvation Army.

“May the souls of the departed Officers and Comrade, find eternal rest in the embrace of God. I write on behalf of the Territorial Commander.”

Why We Killed Naval Officer, Ondo Police Command Parade Suspects

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Ayodele Oni

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June 29, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Police Command on Thursday paraded three out of the six persons suspected to have killed a Naval Sub-Lieutenant at Idoani in Ose Local Government Area of the State.

Spokesperson of the Command, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, disclosed that the suspects were arrested while trying to flee the community after allegedly attacked and killed the Naval officer, named Akingbohun Samuel Ayomide.

The deceased is a staff of the Command Secondary School, Imeri, near Ido- Ani.

He was reportedly attacked after his bicycle splashed water on two persons on a motorcycle while riding along the road.

Confessing to the attack, one of the suspects, Sambo Ayomide, 20 year-old, explained that the late Sub-Lieutenat Akingbohun Ayomide was beaten and hit with a rod after a minor disagreement on road.

The suspect said the officer was beaten this week Monday because they thought he was a fake naval man, noting that they did not have intention of killing him.

Ayomide claimed that trouble started when the late Naval officer slapped his friend on the face, but passers-by resolved the issue and they all went their ways.

But shortly after, Johnson said the naval officer might be a fake military officer, hence they decided to go after him to verify.

Adeleke, Sambo Ayomide, 20 and Shagari Francis, 17, took a commercial motorbike and traced the Naval officer to where they were standing in the town.

Alighting from the bike, they pounced on the Naval officer and hit him with a rod. He was said to have been hit in the scrotum.

When he was rushed to the hospital by his friend, Sub-Lieutenant Akingbagohun was confirmed dead.

Adeleke disclosed that one of their friends, Femi, sent an SMS to them informing them that the officer had given up the ghost.

The three of them met in a school in the community confused on what to do. He disclosed that while they were still deliberating on what to do, the military men and policemen arrived.

On sighting the security officers, they took to their heels, but Ayomide was unlucky, he was apprehended, while Adeleke, and Francis, from Nasarawa, were arrested the following day.

Meanwhile, in his explanation, Ayomide owned up that he hit the Naval officer with rod when he was holding Adeleke’s trousers.

He said Adeleke later took the rod from him and hit the Naval officer with the rod also saying he couldn’t know whether he hit him in the scrotum.

However, the Police Spokesperson disclosed that it took joint efforts to get the suspects arrested, adding that they would be charged to Court next week for prosecution.

Odunlami further explained that they were still on the look out for the fleeing motorbike rider who took the suspects to where they attacked the late Naval officer.