Pensioners of the defunct Nigeria Telecommunications Limited, NITEL/MTEL, have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene over non payment of their pension arrears for 77 months.
Their plea, which was contained in a letter to the President, averred that “while most of our counterparts in other privatized government agencies have been settled, our own fate has been hanging in the balance.”
The letter, signed by the group’s Leader, Mr Kunle Ojo claimed that, they are constantly being reminded by the Executive Secretary of PTAD that the settlement of their pension arrears is subject to the release of funds by the federal government.
“Your Excellency Sir, we, NITEL/MTEL pensioners deeply appreciate your humanitarian gesture of reinstating our pensions. We humbly bring to your notice that we are still owed 77 months in arrears.
“What aches our souls is that most of our counterparts in other privatised government agencies have been settled as you have signed executive orders granting their full settlement.
“We are not oblivious of your magnanimity in seeing to the welfare of the disadvantaged and elderly which you sincerely promised in your inaugural speech.
“Your paternal persuasion to action which has restored our monthly pensions has met us half-way and we are grateful.
“It however remains the settlement of our arrears for which we now use this medium to make the request that you use your exalted offices to make this possible by the end of this 2021 fiscal year as promised.
“We strongly believe that it is achievable as the executive secretary of PTAD has unequivocally promised to settle the said arrears this year, but as it stands no action has been taken even as the year winds down to its inevitable close.
“Added to this, we are constantly being reminded (rather frustratingly) by her that the settlement of our arrears is subject to the release of funds by the federal government.
“This is where we strongly appeal to your excellency to intervene as many of us have died waiting for the fulfilment of your promise and those of us who are alive are equally vulnerable without the full receipt of our arrears to enable us take care of many medical as well as other sundry problems.
“Let it be said that the settlement of our arrears was one of the glowing hallmarks of your administration. We salute you, your Excellency.”
The Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Paul Emeziem, has been impeached at Plenary by his colleagues in the morning of Monday, November 8.
In an irony of fate, one of the six members of the House, earlier suspended, Kennedy Ibeh, was immediately sworn-in as his replacement. Ibeh and Co. were recalled only last week.
Emeziem’s impeachment is like tit for tat. Last week, he had presided over the impeachment of his powerful Deputy, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.
But the action sparked controversy as no replacement was elected. Many dismissed Iwuanyanwu’s impeachment as a ruse. But Emeziem insisted Iwuanyanwu was legally impeached by 18 members of the Assembly, and that he was bound by that.
Not a few people close to Governor Hope Uzodimma condemned Emeziem, and said his days as Speaker were numbered.
Iwuanyanwu is particularly close to Uzodimma who was out of town when he was impeached. A couple of days after the purported impeachment, the Governor at a State function, acknowledged him as Deputy Speaker.
Today, November 8, Emeziem was impeached for gross misconduct, among other issues, by 19 of his colleagues. Ibeh was immediately sworn-in as replacement.
The ground for Emeziem’s impeachment was prepared when four out of the six suspended members, denied signing any impeachment document against Iwuanyanwu, who, it does seem, remains Deputy Speaker.
Following is their letter of denial.
A RELEASE OF IMO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OF APC EXTRACTION WHOSE SUSPENSION WAS RELAXED ON NOV. 2ND 2021
“We the four Members of Imo State House of Assembly of APC extraction who were suspended on the 8th of July 2021 by Speaker Paul Emeziem wish to clearly disassociate ourselves and our signatures from any action including but not limited to the purported impeachment of Rt. Hon. Amarachi Chyna Iwuanyanwu the Deputy Speaker.
“This very fundamental statement comes from the information we have that our names and signatures appear in documents Mr. Speaker Paul Emeziem is parading as evidence of 18 signatories
“We state without equivocation that we were suspended unjustly, lucky to be reinstated after about 4 months but are yet to resume office talkless of engaging in any form of Parliementry activities.
Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has felicitated with the Anglican Diocese of Egbu on its Second Session of the 9th Synod, requesting the faithful to pray for Imo State.
He said prayer for the State was necessary because the leaders of the State will come and go but Imo State will remain.
The Theme of the Synod is: ‘’I have Given You an Example (John 13:15)” and the ceremony was held at St John’s Anglican Church, Naze in Owerri North LGA, Imo State.
In his message at the closing ceremony on Sunday, the Governor who was represented by his Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, The Very Rev. Chidi Nwanebu, requested the Synod to continue to pray for the State so as to “come out of the several challenges, especially the insecurity and its resultant effects.”
The Governor said: ‘’Governors will come and go, problems will come and go, but Imo State will remain.”
He also urged the congregation not to allow anybody or group of people to destroy the State and pleaded with all to join hands together to salvage the State.
The Governor promised to continue in his efforts towards improved road network as soon as the rainy season ends, reiterating that he will “leave Imo State better than he met it.”
He said he also prayed for the success of the Synod, noting that he had no choice as the Bishop of Diocese of Egbu, His Lordship Rt Rev Geoffrey Enyinnaya Okoroafor remains a friend and brother.
Governor Uzodimma later made a cash donation of N10million in support of God’s work in the Diocese.
Responding, Bishop Okoroafor thanked the Governor for honouring their invitation and pledged to continue to pray for the Governor and Imo State in general.
Highlight of the programme was special prayer for the Governor by His Lordship, Rt Rev Bright Ogu (Rtd) of the Anglican Bishop of Mbaise.
The Special Adviser on Religious Affairs was accompanied on the occasion by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku.
Even though Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has since been adjudged the presumed winner of the election held on Saturday, November 6, it is not yet uhuru for him.
Out of Anambra State’s 21 Local Government Areas, he has won a whopping 17, enough to declare him the winner. His closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has won only one Local Government, Ogbaru, and so did the candidate of the YPP, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah who won his LGA, Nnewi North.
Surprisingly, Senator Andy Uba, the candidate of the All Progressives Cogress, APC, has not won any LGA.
Yet, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has not declared Soludo the winner of the election. To, INEC, the election is inconclusive.
That is because the Commission says there was no election in Ihiala LGA.
Soludo has 45,000 votes more than Ozigbo who came second. But the number of registered voters in Ihiala is 148,000, way more than Soludo’s gap of 45,000. Meaning that he cannot be declared the winner.
With an outstanding 148,000, and even though not all registered voters are likely to get accredited and vote, INEC is not taking any chances. Anything could happen.
To be a winner, one is not only required to get 25 per cent in 2/3 of the LGAs, one is expected to get majority of the the votes. The outstanding votes in Ihiala are more than the number of votes Soludo garnered – a little over 99,000.
So, on November 9, Soludo will again be on the ballot. Many say it is for pride. But a source close to him told this magazine that he is taking no chances, and taking nothing for granted.
“He will give it his all”, the source said.
It was not confirmed at the time of writing this if other parties, especially, the APC will opt out of the November 9 election. This is because the APC has already rejected the entire exercise.
At a press conference on Sunday, November 7, the State Chairman of the party, Basil Ejidike, who lost his ward; called for the cancelation of the November 6, 2021 election for a fresh one. He said it was fraudulent, and claimed that the APC won the election, but was brazenly robbed of victory by Governor Willie Obiano in an alleged connivance with “unscrupulous” INEC officials. He declared that his party would head for the Court’s, and pursue it to the Supreme Court. It is, therefore, doubtful it would participate in the November 9 election, said a source close to the Chairman Ejidike.
The winner of the Governorship election will be announced on November 9.
Charles Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN looks good to be declared the elected governor of Anambra state after results announced by the Independent national Electoral Commission, INEC showed that he maintained a clear lead in the last Saturday governorship election.
From the results declared so far by the INEC Soludo, won in at least 18 out of the 21 LGAs with the All Progressives Congress APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Young Progressives Party, YPP candidates trailing behind.
Earlier on Sunday, the former apex bank governor had expressed gratitude to God for placing him ahead of other candidates in the very crucial election.
“It is indeed the Lord’s day and we must first thank God almighty for his mercy. Indeed, ‘many are the afflictions of the Righteous, but the Lord delivereth him from them all’,” Soludo wrote in one of his social media pages.
Apart from Ihiala Local Government Area where the electoral umpire declared exercise inconclusive due to alleged irregularities and serious security concerns, the APGA candidate has been declared winner in 18 out of the 20 LGAs announced so far by the INEC, and barring any odds he will be declared governor to succeed Governor Wily Obiano.
The Man Charles Soludo
Soludo, Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR is a Nigerian economist, a professor, and one-time Governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
He was born on July 28, 1960. He hails from Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. On completing his secondary school education, he proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he studied Economics. He graduated with a first-class degree in 1984.
Afterwards, he went on to obtain his Master’s degree (MSc) in Economics in 1987, and a doctorate (PhD) in Economics in 1989, from the same University graduating as the best student on all levels of his study.
In 1998, Charles Soludo became a professor of economics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and in 1999, he became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA.
He was a lecturer in Oxford, Cambridge, and Warwick University. He lectured on multi-country macro-econometric modelling, techniques of computable general equilibrium modelling, survey methodology, and panel data econometrics, etc. Also, Charles Soludo has authored, co-edited, and co-authored about ten books.
Soludo joined the Nigerian government in 2003 as the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Obasanjo and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Planning Commission of Nigeria.
In May 2004, he became the Chairman of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. In 2010, Soludo was an aspirant for the Anambra State governorship seat in the south-eastern Nigeria’s state election, in what would be his first political contest after his departure from the CBN.
He eventually lost the election to Peter Obi.
The former apex bank governor resigned from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP on July 17, 2013, after he wrote a letter to PDP’s National Chairman – Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, after which he joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
On September 16, 2019 Soludo was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, as a member of the Economic Advisory Council, EAC.
He is married to Nonye Soludo, and they are blessed with six children.
When Governor Willy Obiano appealed to voters in Idemili Local government area of Anambra state to deliver the same votes they gave him in 2017 to Professor Charles Soludo, the Candidate of the APGA in the just concluded governorship election, he probably knew that the LGA will play a crucial role in determining who becomes his successor.
Addressing the electorate and other stakeholders during APGA’s campaign tour of the area, on October 26, Obiano recalled that Idemili North gave him 12,000 votes during his re-election in 2017, urged the voters to mobilise more votes for the APGA candidate on November 6.
Thus, with the results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC from 21 LGAs Professor Soludo has become winner of the keenly contested election, including wining Idemili North LGA where the former CBN Governor polled 5358 votes to defeat the candidates of the PDP and YPP who polled 2312 and 902 votes, respectively.
What this means is that the former apex bank governor will succeed Governor Obiano who played a crucial role in his election as the next governor of the state, despite seeming challenges to APGA fortunes weeks before the election after notable members of the ruling party defected to the APC.
In fact, some political pundits had predicted that the election was for APC to lose following the defections of notable members of APGA such as the Deputy Governor, Nkem Okeke and some lawmakers of the state house of Assembly to APC before the election.
Citing reasons for dumping his former party, Okeke said he had been unfairly treated by the governor and that their relationship has broken down completely. He denied allegation that he was lured into APC with huge sums of money.
According to him, “I have heard people asking me to resign, but I will never resign. The decision I made to join the APC is in my interest, the interest of my family and also in the best interest of members of my constituency, Njikoka, who I represent.
“I have people who have advised me that the position I hold is not for me alone but for the people of my constituency, so I represent them. I was elected on the same ticket as the governor of Anambra State, and I did not beg him to choose me as his running mate for a second time, it was he who came to me and said I will run with him for a second term and we won.”
Senador Uba: Lost To Soludo
The support Senator Uba received from members of opposition party who swelled the ranks of APC with their members must have given him the confidence that he was going to win.
Apart from this, the prediction by a United States-based research and political risk consultancy firm, Hallmark International Consulting Company, HICC that Senator Uba will win the election may have further boosted his confidence.
HICC had on November 1 said, “Senator Andy Uba, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress may win in a hotly contested election with a margin of error of between three to four per cent probability ratings in Anambra State governorship election”.
“In addition to the Federal Government projects, as a senator for eight years for Anambra South District, I have chains of projects done and scores of persons I empowered through one way or another,” the APC candidate said during his campaigns, adding that his party was poised to win the crucial election.
The APC candidate further received a boost to his campaign after popular priest, Rev. Fr. Camilus Mbaka, said a few days before the election that he saw “the cloud of Glory sitting on your (Una’s) head and what’s written is written”.
The predictions, obviously have failed to come to pass, with serious consequence for Senator Uba’s political future and other political big wigs from the state, analysts said, adding that the outcome of the election has jolted pundits who predicted a win for the former Senior Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The implication of what happened in the just concluded election, analysts insist is that Governor Obiano has emerged as one of the power brokers in the state politics, despite the initial suggestion that his popularity has nosedived after eight years in office as the helmsman of one of Nigeria’s leading commercial centres.
Other influential politicians from the state include former Governors Peter Obi, Chris Ngige and Senator Andy Uba who failed in his quest to win the election in last Saturday governorship election, despite initial reports that he will defeat other candidates, due to his war chest and state power at his disposal as a result of his membership of the ruling APC.
Also, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the YPP could be added to the list due to his ability to remain relevant in the state’s politics despite the fact that his party is quite unpopular like other political parties such as the APC and PDP. Senator Ubah won his local government after polling 6,485 votes to beat APGA Soludo, who polled 3,369.
With Professor Soludo ready to be declared winner by INEC, keen watchers of the state’s politics said many things are about to change in the political configuration of state.
A university don has observed that lack of policies have made schools across the country shy away from giving sexual education to girl-children.
The don has, therefore, called on policy makers and legislatures to enact and implement laws that would make sex education mandatory for every school age students at all levels of education in Nigeria.
Prof. Eunice Osakinle of the Department of Adolescent and Reproductive Health Guidance and Counseling of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, made the call while delivering the 60th Inaugural lecture of the institution.
Delivering the lecture titled ‘Sexuality Education of the Girl-child: guidance for better tomorrow,’ she pointed out that the sexuality education of the adolescence, especially the girl child plays a major role in securing her future, while making her become a better woman in years to come.
“Given the escapades of the adolescents, some other factors that are impacting on their sexuality and sexual health, and the various consequences arising therein, it is imperative that efforts should not be spared to assist the adolescents to understand and manage their sexuality for tomorrow.
“I have devoted my research into the study adolescents’ sexuality because the challenges they are facing are enormous and should be a major cause of concern to all of our counselors, health workers, parents, adolescents themselves and other stakeholders.”
The Varsity don pointed out that the roles of the guidance counselor, which she added, are enormous in sexuality education of the girl-child must not be undermined or jeopardized.
Prof. Osakinle opined that some parents failed to educate their girl-child sexually, saying ignorance and lack of experience or information about trending topics on sexuality education contributed to their failures.
“Communication between the parent and the child is very important aspect of sexuality education.
“Understanding parental decision about when to talk with teenagers shows that most parents do not even bring up the topic and prefer it discussed when their children are about to marry, which is risky because often times, at this stage, a lot of damage might have already been done and could lead to fixation, trauma and other negative health implications.
“Adolescent whose parents discuss sexual health and safe sex with early enough seem to engage in less risky sexual behaviour than those whose parents do not.”
The don, who is a counselor and researcher in adolescent studies, stated further that, adolescence made up 20 percent of the world’s population and 85 percent of them live in the developing countries.
According to her, adolescence involve themselves in sexual experimentation that often leads to acquisition of Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancy.
“It is worrying to note that the girl child is susceptible to a varying number of challenges and among these is rape, which must be totally eradicated.
“Also, in addressing the shortcomings of uneducated parents who shy away from giving sexual education to their girl-children, there should be sex education and provision of school-based day care and parenting central for those parents.
“These strategies would provide viable and effective avenues for giving students a better chance to be educated sexually as they would have every reason to complete their education.”
The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, seems set to be the next Governor of Anambra State after incumbent Chief Willie Obiano who backed him to the hilt.
Soludo, 61, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is leading by a wide margin in the results so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Amid fears and anxiety, INEC pulled off a peaceful exercise, taking all by surprise. The election had been threatened by violence, which dogged it weeks to the date.
Soludo had slogged it out in a competitive election with 17 others, but especially, with Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Chief Valentine Ozigbo of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The election which witnessed an appreciable crowd, considering the security situation in the State, started with hitches here and there. There were delays in some areas, and the voting machine malfunctioned in a couple of other areas.
At Soludo’s voting center, he was frustrated as he was unable to vote for hours due to the malfunctioning of the machine. He angrily condemned the situation, but was able to vote at about 5.00pm.
Out of the eleven of Anambra’s 21 Local Government Areas which results have so far been declared, the APGA candidate has won 10 of them in a landslide, almost.
The Local Government Areas include:
*Awka South
*Aguata
*Anaocha
*Orumba South
*Orumba North
*Njikoka
*Anambra East.
Chief Basil Ejidike, APC Chairman, Anambra State
Incidentally, the three major candidates come from same LGA, Aguata, but Soludo carried the day.
The candidate of the YPP, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, won in his LGA, Nnewi North.
More results are expected within hours.
Meanwhile, the APC has called for a cancellation of the Anambra Governorship election.
At a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, the party said the election was fraught with fraud allegedly perpetrated by Governor Obiano and INEC. It claimed that the people voted for Senator Andy Uba, as they desired an APC Government in the State.
Ejidike: “What is happening in Anambra is never an election but big time electoral fraud and malpractice. We want the whole world to hear our voice that we will never accept the outcome of the Anambra Gubernatorial election.
“The candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the sitting Governor Willie Obiano manipulated the whole electoral system and we’ll stand to resist it.
“Ndi Anambra wants an APC Governor and there’s nothing anyone can do to deny them that opportunity. We virtually won in all the local government but Willie Obiano and Charles Soludo through instrumentality corrupt minded INEC officers subverted the whole process in favour of APGA.
“We want INEC to cancel the election and fix a date for a fresh election devoid of manipulations and malpractices. But if INEC goes ahead to announce the results, we will definitely challenge the election process at the court of law, up-to Supreme Court. Nobody can intimidate us.”
Incidentally, the Anambra State Government, on the eve of the election, had issued a statement, signed by its Commissioner for Information, C. Don Adinuba, to the effect that the APC had colluded with INEC, and already written the results of 10 LGAs in favour of APC.
The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Ondo state has observed that the latest hike in fees payable by medical students at the state owned University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED) will lead to the withdrawal of many students from the University.
It stated that the decision by the Management and the State Government is a silent notice to parents who cannot afford the new fees regime to withdraw their children.
In a statement on Sunday by its publicity secretary, Kennedy Peretei, the party noted that the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has never hidden his penchant for increasing fees in tertiary institutions since he assumed leadership of the State.
“Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa had suffered serial closures over students protests bordering on fees hike.
“The Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo shrank to a student population of 1,753 from over 9,000 due to fees increase.
“Most private residential accommodation for students in Owo are now empty. Even the economy of the ancient city has been adversely affected.
“The party, as well as parents and students of UNIMED, were shocked to receive the news of the increment of fees with nearly 120 percent for 2021/2022 session.
“No explanation was given for this hike. Medical students have to pay as much as N1,320,000.00 as against N515,000.00 payable in the previous academic session (2020/2021).
“At Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti students of Medicine and Surgery require only N468,750.00 for 2021/2022 Session. For Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye N176,396.00 will be enough for the same course.
“There is no justification for this continuous upward review of school fees when the economy of the state is practically comatose and workers’ salaries are not only irregular but never paid in full.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter calls on the Governor and the APC led government to wear a human face in taking decisions that affect the well being of our future leaders.
“A Government that only brings sorrow to the people through policies of this nature is no longer worthy of its stay in power.
“If neighbouring States with lesser revenue are charging lesser fees, why must Ondo State breed University drop outs because of wickedness of one man?
“Education is the only industry Ondo State is known for. If the incumbent administration cannot improve our lots, it is better not to complicate a bad situation.”
