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CAC Registers NTYTP; Group Says It’ll Build Capacity Of Young People For Leadership

By
The Source
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Comrade Mikail Audu - NTYTP

Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP) Leadership Development Advocacy has
called on interested young people across the country to get prepared to lead in all sectors of Nigeria’s national life as the group says that
it’s set to build the capacity of young citizens to take up leadership positions at all levels.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Mikail Audu, the organisation said its core mandate is “to raise youngergeneration of leaders to take up leadership positions in all sectors, including political offices, whether elected or appointed, with a view to outperforming those who were in office before them, and to ensure transparency and accountability in leadership.”

The group noted that among other things, it’s aims and objectives are to encourage the young people in the society to aspire to lead in any chosen career or profession and to advocate for the rights of young citizens to participate in nation building.

NTYTP also aims to promote love and unity among the people and to identity and celebrate performing young persons in private and public offices, to organise community empowerment programmes and other community service and serve as a uniting forum for Nigerian youths at home and abroad.

According to the statement, also part of its aims and objectives include to support the less privileged, widows and orphans and to establish and maintain charitable organisation, to support or carryout poverty alleviation programmes and build skill acquisition centres in parts of the country.

NTYTP is to give a new orientation to the youths “on the need to embrace initiatives that will enable them discover and develop their potentials.

“To promote patriotism among young Nigerian people and to promote peace and harmonious coexistence among all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, to advocate for rights of citizens to good governance and to encourage leaders to do more for the benefit of the citizens.”

The organisation noted that it will also promote transparency and accountability in governance, patriotism and advocate against all forms of violence, especially electoral violence and thuggery.

As part of its efforts to promote good governance, the group  added that it’s leadership across the nation are grounded to flash their light on projects awarded by the governments at all levels to curtail chances of projects unimplementation, projects implementation delayance and implementation of projects with substandard products or strategy.

The group noted that it is willing to collaborate or partner with other groups with similar or complimentary aims and objectives in the interest of the nation.

Signed
Comrade Mikail Audu,
National Publicity Secretary,
NTYTP, Nigeria.

How Federal University Of Health Science Denied  Candidates Admission Despite High Scores

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Prof Akeem Olawale Lasisi

“… Victims allege favouritism for cronies”

By Akinwale Kasali

Azeez Sekinat Opeyemi  always dreamt of becoming a Science and Laboratory Technician. She has worked tirelessly in achieving this goal.

Having had good grades in her West African Examination Council, WAEC, she enrolled for her Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, exams and chose the Federal University of Health Science, FUHSI, Ila Orangun, Osun State to achieve her dream.

Interestingly, she scored 55.92 Percent in her Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, surpassing the 55.81 Percent Cut Off Mark for Medical Laboratory Science for Catchment.

She was joyous believing that she would be admitted into the institution to pursue her age-long dream. Sadly, her joy was short-lived. She was denied admission.

The tale of another candidate, Olawunmi Akanji, is pathetic. She also applied to study Medicine and Surgery at FUHSI and scored an aggregate score of 69.57 per cent, also surpassing her catchment cut-off.

She was also denied admission.

The two suffer the same fate as hundreds of prospective candidates who have been denied admission despite scoring good grades and meeting the requirements of the Institution.

Parents of one of the Prospective Candidates, Alhaji Azeez Rahman from Tede Atisbo Local Government Area, Oyo State, lamented that his daughter scored 207 in JAMB exam and applied to study Medical Laboratory Science at FUHSI. She scored 55.92 aggregate score in her Post UTME where the cutoff mark for medical laboratory science is 55.81 for catchment and still was denied admission.

Rahman said when he contacted the School for the denial of admission, he  was told that there was no explanation, that his daughter should go and write another JAMB Examination  for next session.

In the same vein, Olawunmi’s father, Mr Akanji, said that it is disheartening that the Institution has not been fair to the prospective candidates.

He disclosed that 100 were said to have been given admission into the Institution and 86 of them have already taken up their admission. 14 others set to join.

Sadly, he said those people that were admitted neither met the cut-off mark nor the Catchment cut-off to gain admission.

He alleged that when he probed why his daughter was denied admission despite meeting the cut-off point, he was asked who he knows in the School.

“I was told that the admission is gone that my daughter should go and sit for another JAMB next year. This infuriated me and I had to query why it should be like that. I was told that can I pay what those people that they gave admission are paying and who do I know”, Akanji stressed.

Another Parent who pleaded anonymity lamented that the admission is based on who you know and how much you can part with before your ward can be giving admission.

“FUHSI has become an Institution where admission is for sale. If you don’t have the financial muscle to bribe, your Ward can’t gain admission.  Only if you know any big and prominent person”, he said.

Following this allegation against FUHSI, efforts to reach its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Akeem Olawale Lasisi proved abortive, likewise the Registrar of the Institution, Kassim Babamale.

The reporter placed a call through to the Provost, College of Medicine, Prof. Aishatu Ahmed Gobir but there was no response, prompting the Reporter to send a message to him which he has failed to respond to before filing this story.

Why We Want To Sell Our Football Teams – Ondo Govt

By
Ayodele Oni
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Sunshine Start Football Club

By Ayodele Oni

This is official. two Ondo State Government owned football clubs- the Sunshine Stars Football Club and the Sunshine Queens Football Club both of Akure are up for sale.

Both teams are currently playing at the Nigeria Professional Football League, (NPFL) and the Nigeria Women Professional Football League,(NWPFL)

Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Bamidele Ologunloluwa who disclosed this in Akure, said the state-owned football teams are open for sale or privatization to the right investors by the end of the ongoing 2022/2023 league season.

The commissioner pointed out that the clubs needed to be privatized for proper administration , a situation which may lead to the government handing off the clubs completely or partner with investors.

According to him,  if a bigger organization showed interest in buying the club,  it would be sold immediately.

“The government is saying we need the club privatized, in that way the government may be funding the club, but it’s not going to be like this

“It’s not going to be one hundred percent, then the private organizations can come in and partner with the club.

“If a club like Manchester United for example says there is a club in Ondo State called Sunshine Stars and we want to have them as our feeder’s team, are you saying we are not going to sell? We will sell immediately.

“Not because we didn’t like Sunshine Stars, because it is even good for us as a state, it is good for the boys, for sports development, because the government has no business in business.”

He however noted that the club would be sold to any company or individual with a good track record.

The commissioner also stated that no one had shown interest currently and that the clubs are not in the market for now in other not to distract them from the ongoing NPFL .

“We just registered a company now; Ondo Sports Limited, Sunshine Stars FC, Sunshine Queens, Risings Stars put together, at the end of the season, we are going into full-fledged privatization.

“It is better for us as a state, but some people don’t understand this, once it happened, they will thank Mr Governor.

“People need to understand that if the right company takes over Sunshine Stars, there will be more jobs, nothing like losing a job, it has to be in the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding).

“They must have their offices in the three Senatorial Districts, they must have their ministry in the districts to harvest legs.”

Access Bank Caps Position As Africa’s Top Bank With $300m Capitalisation

By
James Orji
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Herbert Wigwe, the Group Chief executive of Access Plc has disclosed that the group will invest more in its banking subsidiary, Access Bank in its quest to become world most respected African bank.

The group’s chief executive made the disclosure on the back of the $300 million capitalisation into the commercial bank.

According to Wigwe, “This investment is a capstone initiative following the $500 million Additional Tier 1 capital raised by the bank in 2021 and advances its vision to be the world’s most respected African bank.

“Access Holdings benefits from this non-dilutive approach to raising growth capital as we continue to invest in initiatives geared towards delivering our vision of building a globally connected community and ecosystem inspired by Africa for the world through disciplined growth and diversification.”

Access Holdings Plc has injected $300 million in capital investment into its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc to boost the bank’s expansion across Africa.

The conglomerate had in a corporate filing with the Nigeria Exchange, NGX, Limited said the capital investment is necessary for its Africa’s expansion strategy.

Providing details, the financial behemoth said consistent investments in Access Bank has made the commercial bank a key player in Africa’s trade and payment system.

The group future stated that the new investment was in the form of a Tier 1 capital qualifying mandatory convertible instrument and is expected to improve the bank’s shareholders funds and total capital ratios.
The regulatory body, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Group noted has approved the capitalisation.

Tinubu’s Camp Polarised Over Chief of Staff Position

By
James Orji
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0

Barely two months to his inauguration as President and Commander-in-Chief, the camp of Bola Ahmed Tinubu is divided over who to appoint as chief of staff.

Tinubu, a former Lagos governor is expected to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29 who will step down from the position as demanded by the Constitution.

While preparing to take over as the country’s next leader, there is an issue currently causing problem in the camp of the president elect: the appointment of his Chief of Staff.

Innitial suggestion had it that Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives has been penned down for the top job.

The calculation is that Gbajabiamila, who is expected to vacate his position in the 10th National Assembly, due to the All Progressives Congress, APC, zoning arrangement will land the job easily, particularly as he’s preferred by top guns in Tinubu’s camp.

But the tide seems to have turned now against Gbajabiamila because some politicians in the party, essentially from the south west have indicated interest to be Tinubu’s chief of staff.

The magazine also learnt that politicians from other parts of the country have also been lobbying those that matter in APC to favour them with the job.

The thinking of those outside the south west is that since Tinubu Is from the zone, he’s not expected to pick his chief of staff from the same place he came from.

The contest for the position has now reached a boiling point sources in the party informed the magazine on Wednesday, they warn that if the matter is not well handled it has the potential to destabilise the ruling party ahead the inauguration of a new govrnment.

An Indication that the contest for the office is causing tension among top APC leaders, emerged after a group, Renewed Hope Advocates, RHA, a pro- Tinubu group disclosed on Tuesday that, it would not support Gbajabiamila for the position.

Among other reasons, the group accused the Speaker of being corrupt, a situation it said ruled him out for the position.

Oluemi-Daniels Agbaoku, the Director General of the group said in a statement on Tuesday that, Tinubu has not even made up his mind on who to appoint into the position, adding that suggestions that he preformed Gbajabiamila for the job emanated from the Speaker’s camp.

It said appointment of Gbajabiamila as chief of staff is likely to distract Tinubu who needs total concentration to tackle the myriads of problem facing the country, it urged the president-elect to ignore the pressure from some members of the party to appoint Gbajabiamila.

The statement reads :“We have it on good authority that the president-elect has yet to make any such commitment, but Gbajabiamila and his allies are the ones selling the narrative to intimidate other alternatives, who might be better than him. It is so bad that he is said to have been dispensing unbelievable favours to people around the president-elect just to emerge the chief of staff.

“A man, who lacks rudimentary credibility and has begun to exhibit corrupt tendencies cannot be entrusted with such office as the chief of staff to the president. Tinubu, regardless of misgivings, worked hard for his victory and is believed by a majority of us that he would do well as president. He is actually the change that Nigeria has been itching for and he has to do everything to live this collective dream, starting with personal examples at all times.

“Although the appointment is personal, he has a responsibility to discourage the impression that Gbajabiamila is creating now amongst the people, especially the assumption that he is going to get it because he has money and has been doling out favours to everyone, including the president-elect himself. That would be starting on a wrong footing.

“While we hate to talk about his alleged misdemeanor in the United States, he has also not come out for once to discuss it, assuming it would blow away. That is one issue that speaks to gross credibility question and assuming it amounts to nothing is setting off the Tinubu presidency on a wrong premise.

“We believe the president-elect knows better and would do just what is right at the appropriate time, even though we also believe he should have since named his chief of staff, among such other related appointments to give a clear indication he would hit the ground running. But if hurriedly appointing Gbajabiamila is the option before him now, he can as well wait till he can do better.”

Apart from the position of chief of staff now causing furore in the party, there are other pressing problems to be dealt with ahead the inauguration, close watchers of the path said.

For instance, an infighting is believed to be going on in the party on where to zone the Positions of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

While the party has recently announced that it has yet to zone the positions to any part of the country, it was learnt that some lawmekers have vowed to rock the boat with the leadership if the zoning arrangement did not favour them.

The party may be heading for a repeat of the 2015 crisis when some members of the party decided to oppose the party’s position on who becomes the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, analysts said.

Why We Closed  Akorede Market In Ijesha – LASG

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State Government has denouncef a viral video by traders of Akorede Market to the effect that the market was unjustly locked up by the Chairman, Oshodi-Idoko Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede.

A viral video recorded by one of the traders stated that, “The Market was locked up for no reason and on enquiry, they were informed that it was the Local Government Chairman that ordered for it to be locked.

“It is generally believed that this is a fallout of the just concluded Presidential and Governorship Election in the State, where some section of the country residing in Lagos were been ordered to leave Lagos or be frustrated out. Please, we want the authorities concerned to find out from the Local Government Chairman his reasons for locking traders out of market”, a Man who spoke in the video inquired.

But, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on New Media, Jubril Gawat,  disclosed that the Market was locked due to the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

It added that traders in the market usually engage Cart Pushers for the disposal of waste instead of using the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA.

Speaking further, Gawat said that the traders  abused Council Staff by stopping them from performing their legitimate duties in the market.

Though Gawat revealed that the Market has been reopened following series of appeals from stakeholders with the Market Management promising to take  the LASG directives as regards the waste disposal and other things.

Lagos Guber: If You Have Evidence Of Violence Against MC Oluomo, Go To Court – Police

By
The Source
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0
Musiliu Akinsany- MC Oluomo

By Akinwale Kasali

Weeks after the Governorship Election in Lagos State, and following calls for the arrest of Musiliu Akinsaya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Association over alleged threat and assault against electorates of other ethnic Group who did not vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Police has asked anybody with evidence against him to go to Court.

The Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in reaction said. “Anyone with evidence against MC Oluomo should file a case against him and sue him”, he said.

Adejobi said this in a tweet in response to a Twitter user on Tuesday morning.

The tweep, AjammaS, claimed Adejobi and the police failed to protect voters during the election after he asked people to take MC Oluomo’s remark about Igbo in a viral video as a joke and assured them of safety during the election.

AjammaS wrote, “Sir, you are also guilty, if I may say. This is what you said in the TV interview, and I quote. ‘MC Oluomo threat is a joke, let’s take it as a joke until he perfected [sic] the threat. I urge everyone to go out and cast their votes.”

“Now Nigerians heeded to your calls and went out to cast their votes and unfortunately you failed to protect them as you promised. They were attacked by MC Oluomo and his boys, some were murdered, brutalised, blinded, some are currently receiving treatment in different hospitals.”

Adejobi responded by asking the tweep to file an attack case against Oluomo if he had evidence of attacks against him, adding that Oluomo lacks immunity.

He said, “You can take the case of attack up with MC if you have a case or evidence of attacks against him. Many people and lawyers, even the deputy gov of Lagos, have said it severally. He has no immunity, so if you have a case of attack against him, take it up.”

When the video of his threat (MC Oluomo) went viral, the Police FPRO had described the threat by MC Oluomo against Igbo as a joke.

Reacting to the video on Channels TV, Adejobi said, “I saw a video of MC Oluomo with one Mama Chidinma – an Igbo woman – debunking that threat; that it’s not true, it’s just a joke he was making with a particular woman. So, let us take it as a joke, like he said.

“But, nobody has the right and audacity to tell Nigerians not to come out and vote; it’s not allowed and not proper. MC Oluomo has come out to debunk it, so let’s leave it that it’s not true. The Commissioner of Police in Lagos has debunked it and MC Oluomo himself has done the same, so Lagosians should go out and vote for the candidate of their choice.”

Treasonable Allegation Against Me Malicious – Peter Obi

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Peter Obi

By Ayodele Oni

Presidential Candidate of Labour Party,(LP) in the February 25 poll, Mr Peter Obi, has reacted to treasonable allegation against him by the federal government, describing it as malicious.

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who is currently in the United States, had accused the LP candidate of instigating some actions, after his defeat at the presidential election, to be tantamount to treasonable offence.

But Obi, in a statement maintained that apart from the Minister’s remarks being malicious, are aldo fictitious.

In the statement, Obi protested against series of calumnious campaigns mounted against him by the Minister who is the United States meeting with the Western media.

“In the past few days, I have observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, with the latest being allegations attributed to the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed from Washington DC.

“It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me quite contrary to what I am, and my core values, is coming from such high quarters.

“Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious.

“I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state; I have never sponsored or preached any action against the Nigerian state.

“Those initiating these actions have increasingly used their official positions and agents to make false allegations against me.

“I am on record as always, advocating for peace and issue-based campaign and never campaigned based on ethnicity or religion. I am committed to due process, and presently seeking redress in the Court.

“I urge those engaged in this de marketing process to stop presenting Nigeria in such bad light.

“Our future generations deserve a new Nigeria, where they can live a secure and decent life like their counterparts in other climes. It is possible. -PO”

Obi Reacts To Treason Allegations, Says Demarketing Process Not Good For Nigeria

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has reacted to the various campaigns of calumny directed at him by some government and political party spokespersons and warned that they should stop their de-marketing process that is presenting Nigeria in a very bad light.

Obi said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that “In the past few days, I’ve observed various campaigns of calumny directed at my person, the latest being allegations attributed to Information Minister Lai Mohammed from Washington DC

The Labour Party standard bearer said  “It is most unfortunate that these consistent efforts to portray me quite contrary to what I am and my core values, is coming from such high quarters. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is malicious and fictitious.

“I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state; I’ve never sponsored or preached any action against the Nigerian state. Those initiating these actions have increasingly used their official positions and agents to make false allegations against me. I’m on record as always advocating peace and issue-based campaign and not campaigning based on ethnicity or religion.

“ I’m committed to due process and am presently seeking redress in Court.  I urge those engaged in this demarketing process to stop presenting Nigeria in a such bad light.  Our future generations deserve a new Nigeria where they can live a secure and decent life like their counterparts in other climes. It is possible”

Fear As Lone Gunman Shot Dead UNIBEN Final Year Student

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

Fear and apprehension have gripped students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) over the gruesome murder of a final year male undergraduate student.

The deceased, who is popularly called Mayor was reportedly shot dead on Monday, evening by an unknown gunman right inside his room at one of the halls of residence.

Reason for the killing is not yet known but a source said it may not be unconnected with reprisal killings by rival deadly secret cultists, fighting for supremacy and other sundry issues.

It was gathered that there was commotion as panicking students jumped out of their beds and ran for their lives when the lone gunman opened fire.

UNIBEN Public Relations Officer, Dr. Daisy Ehanire, in a statement on Tuesday, commiserated with family and colleagues of the deceased and condemned the brutal killing of Mayor.

Ehanire pleaded with other students to be calm as the police and other security agencies are working hard to fish out and arrest the suspected runaway killer.

The University spokesperson disclosed that the authorities are also working closely with the internal security units in ensuring that such dastardly incident does not occur again within the school’s premises.

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