Cracks In NLC, TUC As Nigerians Slam Labour For Suspending Strike |The Source

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September 29, 2020

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Senator Shehu Sanni, a human rights activist was already prepared for the national strike and protest over the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff, scheduled for Monday, September 28 which has now been cancelled after the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade union Congress, TUC reached a truce.

In a message posted on his verified twitter handle, few minutes before the Unions announced that it would no longer embark on the strike, Sanni said he was already ”stocking for the national strike.” He later wrote that “solidarity is no more forever” in frustration that the protest would no longer hold.

Monday Ubani, a former chairman of NBA said he was disappointed that the organized labour did not come out with anything concrete during the negotiation, adding that the agreement was hurriedly reached without enough consultation with all parties.

The right lawyers are among many Nigerians not happy with the decision to suspend the strike.

According to communiqué jointly signed by the organized labour, led by NLC President Ayuba Waba, his counterpart in TUC and government, the parties said they have reached modalities to settle the trade disputes.

The communique reads “The parties agreed to set up a Technical Committee comprising Ministries, Departments, Agencies, NLC and TUC, which will work for two weeks, effective Monday, September 28.

“The committee will examine the justifications for the new policy, metering deployment, challenges and timeline for massive rollout.

“The Technical Committee membership is as follows: Mr Festus Keyamo(SAN), Minister of State Labour & Employment, Chairman; Mr Godwin Jedy-Agba, Minister of State Power, member; Prof. James Momoh, Chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission, member.

Others are Engr. Ahmad Rufai Zakari, SA to Mr President on Infrastructure; member/Secretary, Dr OnohoOmhen Ebhohimhen, member (NLC); Comrade Joe Ajaero, member (NLC); Comrade Chris Okonkwo, member (TUC), and a representative of DISCOs, member.

“The Terms of Reference (ToR) are as follows: To examine the justification for the new policy on cost-reflective Electricity Tariff adjustments.”

The committee would “Look at the different Electricity Distribution Company (DISCOs) and their different electricity tariff vis-à-vis NERC order and mandate.

“Examine and advise the government on the issues that have hindered the deployment of the six million meters.

“To look into the NERC Act under review to expand its representation to include organised Labour.

“The Technical sub-committee is to submit its report within two weeks.

“During the two weeks, the DISCOs shall suspend the application of the cost-reflective electricity tariff adjustments.

“The meeting also resolved that the following issues of concern to Labour should be treated as stand-alone items.

“The 40% stake of government in the DISCO and the stake of workers to be reflected in the composition of the DISCOs Boards.

“An all-inclusive and independent review of the power sector operations as provided in the privatisation MOU to be undertaken before the end of the year 2020, with Labour represented.

“That going forward, the moribund National Labour Advisory Council, NLAC, be inaugurated before the end of the year 2020 to institutionalise the process of tripartism and social dialogue on socio-economic and major labour matters to forestall the crisis,” the communiqué said.

But the NLC and TUC are now under serious attacks from many Nigerians and civil society groups, who said organized labour did not get anything tangible from the negotiation with the federal government.

The two unions have sold out, some contend, even though the umbrella labour bodies said what it did was to suspend the strike, to give room for more consultation between it and the government.

The magazine learnt that the feelings among the labour leaders is that the strike was unnecessary since the federal government has already agreed to some of its demands, among which is the suspension to shelve the electricity tariff hike for two weeks, to allow for more consultation on the issue.

This appears not enough to placate the civil societies and other Labour affiliates now angry that they were not consulted before the decision to call of the strike was reached.

For instance, some states NLC and TUC chapters, in Edo, Kwara, Niger and others insist that they were left out of the decision making process that led to the suspension of the strike.

As if that is not enough, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP has also joined in the outbursts against the unions for reaching a peaceful settlement with the government.

CNPP said it was disappointed that the strike was called off without consultation with leaders of civil societies, insisting that the Labour has lost the confidence of many Nigerians.

According to a statement signed by its Secretary General, Willy Ezugwu, on Monday, the umbrella bodies of political parties in the country said the Unions had betrayed always betrayed Nigerians.

“We expected that this would happen and that was why the CNPP opted to rally civil society movements across the country.

“We are monitoring the situation and rejigging our plans in view of the now obvious reality that the ordinary citizens who cannot travel to Abuja are on their own.

“In the last five years, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have remained toothless bulldogs and compromised arm of the federal government of Nigeria.

“The suffering masses who believed the labour unions can now continue to suffer, while all voices are shut.”

Ezegwu said the labour is a sell out and that Nigerians will no longer depend on it to fight for their interests.

He said “Following the current compromise and sell out, we advise Nigerians never to take the labour unions seriously until there is a rebirth when these current leaders of the unions are gone.We join the Nigerian people to clearly declare that we have completely lost confidence in the current leaders of the labour unions in Nigeria.

“For them, getting ‘palliatives’ for the unions is all they want while the masses can continue to suffer. The CNPP calls on all Nigerians not to lose hope in the country. There will be light at the end of the tunnel.”

Meanwhile, some Nigerians insist that the organised labour did the right thing by calling off the strike. Going ahead with the strike would have led to more sufferings for Nigerians who are barely surviving the negative impacts of COVID 19, those who spoke with the magazine said.

Gov Sanwo-Olu, Akeredolu Raise Hope For Ikale People |The Source

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Ayodele Oni

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September 29, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni

Lagos state Governor and Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for Ondo State Governorship election, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, joined the campaign train of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Monday as they stormed the southern senatorial district of the state.

The Lagos State Governor drummed support for the APC candidate, assuring that Akeredolu is not a traitor that will betray confidence of people of the state.

Addressing party supporters at Okitipupa, Sanwo-Olu stated that Akeredolu and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the running mate, would not turn their back against the people after election.

According to him, the APC government has a plan to link Lagos to the state through the coastal area which would ease traffic bottlenecks. Sanwo-Olu did not, however, specify whether the project would be funded by the Federal or Lagos State government.

”APC government is planning to work on the bridge linking Lagos to Ondo State through Ilaje area. This will make travellers to spend just 30 minutes, or thereabouts, to get to Lagos.

“Akeredolu has done well and he will do more,” he added.

Reiterating on his promises, Akeredolu vowed that the APC government would restore power to the area.

”Haven’t you seen our schools? We still have much to do. I know your priority here now, and it is electricity. When our government came in, there was no electricity supply but we are lucky that the Executive Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding, Ife Oyedele is from Ikale and he has been doing something on the electricity.

”How electricity supply will be restored, an agreement with Omotosho Power Plant will be signed.”

The Ondo State Governorship Election holds on October 10.

Falana Slams Call For Oduduwa Republic, Says It Is A Joke Taken Too Far |The Source

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Akinwale Kasali

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September 29, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Human Right Activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has lashed out at, and condemned the call for Oduduwa Republic.

The Constitutional Lawyer and Human Rights Activist said that the call is a joke taken too far, and also disheartening to hear at this time.

Falana said the agitation is unwarranted and uncalled for.

He made this statement in his contribution to a debate on a WhatsApp platform, which has gone viral.

Reacting to the proposed protest on October 1, 2020, by a group led by a Professor of History, Prof.Banji Akintoye, Falana said he was not aware that any referendum had been conducted where it was agreed that the Yoruba people of the South West should opt out of Nigeria.

He wrote: “Which Oduduwa Republic? Are these ethnic champions not carrying this funny joke too far? Where did the Yoruba people conduct a referendum to opt out of Nigeria?

“Mid West was carved out of Western Region. Western State was split into Oyo, Ogun, Osun, and Ekiti States because of alleged domination of certain Yoruba leaders.

“Have the Ekiti people mandated Professor Banji Akintoye to send them to Ibadan?

“Members of the ruling class in the South West zone are either campaigning for restructuring or balkanisation of the country.

“It is a campaign for power devolution without responsibility.

“It is a dubious struggle that does not address the security and welfare of the Yoruba people.

“The beneficiaries of free education policy are today the promoters of commercialisation of education.

“So, they have turned the children of the poor to area boys and thugs while their children are going to private schools at home and abroad.

“The ranches built in Oke Ako (Ekiti State) and Akunu (Ondo State) in the 1950s by the Western region under the premiership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo have collapsed.

“Hence, the regular clashes between herders and farmers.

“Lagos State which is part of the South West Zone is the 6th largest economy in the whole of Africa.

“The South West Zone is richest in the country.

“But the level of development is nothing to write home about because the federal and state governments have adopted the ideology of underdevelopment sponsored by the International Monetary Fund, IMF and the World Bank”.

On October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day, the Prof. Akintoye Yoruba Group, says it would organise a rally in support of an Oduduwa Republic, independent of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Corruption: Senate President Defends President Buhari |The Source

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Akinwale Kasali

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September 29, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Senate President Ahmed Lawan has strongly defended the President Muhammadu Buhari administration over allegation that it is enmeshed in Corruption.

Lawan, speaking to the Media after the Second National Summit on Diminishing Corruption and Launch of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, ICPC, said those insinuating that graft and corrupt tendencies are more prevalent under the Muhammadu Buhari administration are being political and petty.

Lawan noted that when prosecution of a case of corrupt practice drags into years, such is an indication that something is wrong and a tacit support for corruption.

In his words, “no government in the history of Nigeria has hinged its campaigns on fighting corruption like the present administration.

Lawan stressed that: “I don’t know who they are and I don’t know what their facts are. But I will not speak to speculations; I speak to facts. I want to see the facts that there’s more corruption in this administration than the previous administrations.

“You will recall that in a particular former administration, we know that somebody once said that what people accused the government of corruption was simple stealing. This administration does not see anything that appears like corruption or thievery and leaves it untreated. So, I believe it depends on who is talking.

“If you have an opposition, it is likely the opposition will tell you there’s so much ‘persecution’ of the opposition, that there’s so much corruption in this administration than the previous one. But we know the previous administrations.

“Let me be a bit more decent and may be non-political. But I want to tell you that this administration has done so well because we campaigned on the basis of three pillars of anti-corruption, the fight against insurgency and insecurity across the country and the revitalisation of our economy.

“So, no administration or political party, in the history of Nigeria that fought its campaigns on the basis of fighting corruption in Nigeria. In fact, there were administrations that never mentioned corruption in their entire tenure.

“This administration has stood firmly, trying to fight corruption, and I want to believe that those who are saying there’s more corruption in Nigeria today than before are simply trying to be partisan or petty”, he concluded.

Defection: APC Mocks Uduaghan; Says He Came Alone, Returned Alone |The Source

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Akinwale Kasali

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September 29, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

The All Progressives Congress, APC, says it is unperturbed by the return of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Uduaghan, who shockingly left the PDP for the APC, in a sudden about-turn on Monday, headed back to the PDP after a two year fishing expedition that brought nothing to the table.

Reacting, the APC said Uduaghan only returned to base where he was a founding member, saying he came to the party a political orphan.

Uduaghan re-registered to the PDP at his unit in Ward 6, Abigborodo, Warri North council area of the state.

After the re-registration, he was quoted to have said, “It feels like I never left” (referring to PDP).

However, APC in a statement said that the former governor was accommodated in the APC when he left the PDP because he was an ‘orphan politician’ and a loner.

Uduaghan, the party said, came to its fold under “the guise of being a self acclaimed John The Baptist which eventually proved to be a deceitful mission”.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Delta State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Sylvester Imonina.

The statement reads; “In the past two weeks, there have been rumours of perfection of plans by the former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to defect to PDP. Today, the 28th of September, 2020, those behind the rumours have been justified by the formal defection by him to PDP.

“Well, for record purpose, the former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan came into APC as a loner (Nicodemusly) and have left to where (PDP) he came from same way. In politics, and in line with freedom of association as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, he has the right to choose whosoever to associate with for whatever reasons.

“However, he should not forget the fact that when PDP was uninhabitable for him, he was housed by Delta APC despite the fact that he did not come to APC with anybody.

“Delta APC will not miss him in any way because APC accommodated him out of compassion as an orphaned politician displaced by the same PDP he has returned to. We wish him well”, the Statement declared.

The former Governor defected to the APC in 2018 when the PDP did not offer him a ticket to the Senate. The APC where he went to have him the ticket. But he was roundly defeated ng the POD candidate.

He was a two-time Governor of the state under the PDP, just like his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Godswill Akpabio. But his star refused to shine like that of Akpabio who became the Minister of Niger Delta on dumping the PDP for the APC.

He has now returned to base.

Amaechi, Wike Fight Intensifies After Minister’s ‘Best Gov’ Boast |The Source

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Bayo Bernard

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September 28, 2020

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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Governor Nyesom Wike has fired back at his predecessor’s, Rotimi Amaechi comment that the state under him enjoyed more prosperity and peace.

Amaechi was governor of the state between 2008 and 2015 and is the current Minister of Transportation.

The duo has been at loggerheads over the control of the soul of the state.

The latest brawl however started, last week, after the minister, at the burial of late Justice Karibi-White, deplored the state of insecurity, blaming Governor Wike for the development.

Amaechi said criminal gangs have taken over of the state without any efforts on the part of the government to reverse the situation, adding that the governor has pocketed the judiciary and members of the state house of Assembly.

“You have lost your voice. The sage (the late justice) has gone under and nobody is speaking. When I was governor, I gave people voices, but they have blocked those voices,” Amaechi had said. Everyone is scared. We are going back to when Ateke held sway. We are going back to the period where we run away from our people. We are back to a period when nobody could speak.”

But while speaking at a live programme on the AIT on Monday, Wike described the minister as an Abuja politician that has lost touch with his home state.

The governor challenged Amaechi to mention anything he has done for the state since he was appointed minister by President Muhammadu Buhari five years ago.

He said he’s ready to resign if the minister could name any project that he has attracted to the state from Abuja since becoming a member of Buhari’s cabinet.

Governor Wike fired back at his predecessor “As minister of education, I brought faculty of law to Port Harcourt; I brought N500 million grant to Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, I built so many schools. As a minister, I’m proud.

“You’re a minister, tell Rivers people I brought this, mention one. If you mention one, I’ll resign now. Mention what you’ve brought to Rivers people to convince them. We’re too educated for you to go to Kalamari to incite them.”

On the allegation by Amaechi that he silenced dissents.

Amaechi “said judges lost their voice. He’s right, why won’t they? A man who shut down the court for two years, NBA didn’t say anything. So, if he is now saying that NBA lost their voice, he’s right. Today, nobody talks about it that’s why he has the audacity to tell NBA they’ve lost their voice.”

The governor accused the minister of mismanaging the resources of the state for eight years that he ruled the state.

“One of the things that made him the best governor, for fumigation of a state like Rivers state, we paid over N12 billion naira so that there would be no more mosquitoe. Today, mosquito is still biting me. He is not one of the best, he is the best. Who would have done all he did without being the best?” Wike said.

Buhari Scraps NNPC, PPPRA In New Oil Reform Regime |The Source

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Bayo Bernard

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September 28, 2020

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By Fola James

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has been scrapped in the new Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, PIG transmitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The PIG had suffered setbacks in the past after the executive and NASS failed to agree on modalities, of the bill, which some Nigerians believe is capable of turning around the nation’s oil sector around.

President Buhari refused to sign the PIG version passed by the eight NASS over some minor disagreement.

The two arms of government are expected to iron out the differences in the new bill in which the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agenc, PPPRA is also expected to be scrapped.

According to the PIG Bill 2020 now in possession of the both the Senate and House of Representatives, the presidency seeks to replace the NNPC with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Section 54 of the Bill says “NNPC shall cease to exist after its remaining assets, interests and liabilities other than its interests, assets, and liabilities transferred to NNPC Limited or its subsidiaries under subsection 1 of this section shall have been extinguished or transferred to the government.”

While Section 53 of the bill, the minister of Petroleum to within “within six months from the commencement of this Act, cause to be incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, a limited liability company, which shall be called Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Limited).

“The minister shall be at the incorporation of NNPC Limited, consult with the Minister of Finance to determine the number and nominal value of the shares to be allotted which shall form the initial paid-up share capital of the NNPC Limited and the government shall subscribe and pay cash for the shares.”

Under the new regime, new agencies are to be established to carry out the PPPRA’s functions, the federal government said.

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo administration started the efforts to reform the nation’s oil sector after it inaugurated the Oil and Gas Reform Implementation Committee in April 2000, which later came up with the framework now known as PIG.

Update: The Intrigues That Suspended The Workers’ Strike |The Source

By

Uche Mbah

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September 28, 2020

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By Uche Mbah

Details of the intrigues that resulted in the suspension of the strike organized by the Labour unions are beginning to trickle in as some key stakeholders are opening up on the issue.

The suspension, which became public knowledge at about 2.45am, Monday, took conventional Newspapers by surprise. Most of them had already gone to bed with the story that the strike will hold, following the hardline stance of the Union leaders who gave the impression the strike was unstoppable.

The leaders of the Nigerian labor unions had called off the strike scheduled to protest recent increase in both the price of Petrol and the tariff for electricity being faced with “choices between stark realities and legitimate follower expectations,” Chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said.

This Magazine had reported that the decision was made to suspend the strike after the government temporarily suspended the planned hike in electricity tariff. Meanwhile, Nigerians have mostly migrated to the new tariff using the new migratory code provided by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. It is not clear how they will now effectively police the suspension, which is for two weeks, until the panel set up for the investigation of conflicting reports on the hike sort things out

It is likely that the status quo will be maintained after the next two weeks.

“Being a former Union leader, I understand the difficulties of Labour leadership when faced with choices between stark realities and legitimate follower expectations.

“The leadership chose the pursuit of common good and posterity will vindicate us all for standing with our country,” Mele Kyari the CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) wrote on his twitter handle on Monday.

But the Minister of Labor, Chris Ngige said the resolution reached was an outcome of a fruitful deliberation, according to reports by the News agency of Nigeria, NAN.

On the issue of electricity tariff reforms, he said that the parties agreed to set up a Technical Committee comprising Ministries, Departments, Agencies, NLC and TUC, which will work for a duration of two weeks effective from Monday, September 28.

“The committee is to examine the justifications for the new policy in view of the need for the validation of the basis for the new cost-reflective tariff.

“The technical committee membership included Festus Keyamo, Minister of State Labour and Employment, as chairman, Godwin Jedy-Agba, Minister of State Power, James Momoh, Chairman National Electricity Regulatory Commission, “Others were Ahmad Rufai Zakari, SA to Mr President on Infrastructure, Onoho’Omhen Ebhohimhen, Member, NLC, Joe Ajaero NLC, Chris Okonkwo, TUC, and a representative of DISCOS.”

The Minister said the the committee should also look at the different Electricity Distribution Company (DISCOs) and their different electricity tariff ‘vis-à-vis NERC’s order and mandate. Ngige, on the issue of the downstream sector deregulation, said all parties agreed on the need to expand the local refining capacity of the nation to reduce the over-dependency on importation of petroleum products.

He said NNPC was directed to expedite the rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna and to achieve 50 percent completion for Port Harcourt by December 2021, while timelines and delivery for Warri and Kaduna will be established by the inclusive Steering Committee.

According to him, the national leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) will be integrated into the Steering Committee already established by the Corporation.

“The Federal Government and its agencies are to ensure delivery of one million CNG/LPG AutoGas conversion kits, storage skids, and dispensing units under the Nigeria Gas Expansion Programme by December 2021 to enable the delivery of cheaper transportation and power fuel.

“A Governance Structure that will include representatives of organized Labour shall be established for timely delivery,” he said.

Ngige also said on the issue of general intervention that the government will facilitate the removal of tax on minimum wage as a way of cushioning the impacts of the policy on the lowest vulnerable. He said the Federal Government would give the labor unions 133 CNG/LPG driven mass transit buses immediately and ‘provide to the major cities across the Country on a scale-up basis, thereafter to all States and Local Governments before December 2021.’ He said 10 percent of the ongoing Ministry of Housing and Finance housing initiative would be allocated to Nigerian workers under the NLC and TUC.

According to Ngige, a specific amount is to be unveiled by the Federal Government in two weeks’ time, which will be isolated from the Economic Sustainability Programme Intervention Fund that can be accessed by Nigerian Workers with subsequent provision for 240,000 under the auspices of NLC and TUC.

“This is for participation in agricultural ventures through the CBN and the Ministry of Agriculture. The timeline will be fixed at the next meeting,” he said.

In his remark, Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said that both the government and organized labor have looked into the issue of fuel price hike and what was needed to be put in place in order to address the issue of the increase.

“We have discussed the state of our refineries and how to achieve sustainable refineries. “We have also looked at the issue of the tariff hike and other challenges. “We agreed to suspend the strike, and we agreed to also put a committee in place to work outlasting solutions in addressing these challenges, including the issue of metering and importantly also is to bring about the issue of efficiency.

“We also reviewed the process of privatization and other issues such as clear palliatives that were needed to be extended to our members and Nigerians to cushion the effect of these policies,” he said. Wabba, therefore, called for social dialogue as a way of addressing issues of industrial relations, socio-economic issues, and also issues of development. According to him, the labor hopes that the communique will be implemented, and therefore, the decision of the organized labor as represented here is to suspend the action.

“We are going to convey our Central Working Committee meeting to present the communique to them,” he said. Also, Quadiri Olaleye, TUC president noted that based on the agreement signed between the government and the labor, the planned industrial action would be suspended for two weeks. He added that the planned industrial action was called to draw the attention of the government to certain issues.”

Meanwhile, indications are that a major reason the oil price was not broached was because of the fear of the reactions from the International Monetary Funds, IMF, which is strongly in support of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Petroleum industry.

Uduaghan Goes Back To Base; Rejoins PDP With Supporters |The Source

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Akinwale Kasali

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September 28, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has bid the All Progressives Congress, APC, farewell, with his teeming supporters. He has returned to base, to the party under which he served two terms as Governor; and before then, Commissioner for Health, and later, Secretary to the Government under his Political mentor and cousin, Chief James Ibori. Returning with him are thousands of his supporters.

Uduaghan’s two-year romance with APC has thus finally come to an end.

He will be rejoining PDP at his Unit 1, Ward 6, Abigborodo in Warri North local government area of the state.

The former governor left the PDP in 2018 for the APC where he contested the Delta South Senatorial election but lost to incumbent Senator James Manager.

He was said to have had a cold-war with his successor, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, which led to his defection to the Party at the center.

Uduaghan has been frolicking with the PDP, for weeks, now, before finally rejoining the Party.

He was recently sighted at a function with Okowa and Ibori during the Annual General meeting of Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) held at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.

It was the first time Uduaghan would be seen with his successor (Okowa) in a public function since the 2019 general elections.

It was gathered by the magazine that the issues that forced the former governor to dump the PDP where he was a founding member have been resolved.

Though Uduaghan has neither confirmed nor denied his return to PDP, some of his loyalists including Hon. Godwin Abigor, a former Delta Assembly lawmaker, last week, defected to PDP.

Thousands of his supporters were said to have already stormed Abigborodo ahead of the defection today (Monday).

Ekiti To Get Second University; Bill Scales Second Reading |The Source

By

Ayodele Oni

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September 28, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni

A bill for the upgrade of the Ekiti State College Of Education, Ikere Ekiti, to a University of Education, Science and Technology has passed a second reading at the State House of Assembly.

Stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the upgrade of the College to University, almost 15 years after a similar move hit the rock.

During the regime of Engr. Segun Oni, as Governor, an attempt was made for the establishment of a University at Ikere, using the facilities of the college of education, but the people blocked the move.

This led to the siting of the second University, owned by Ekiti state government at Ifaki, the country home of former Governor Segun Oni.

The University had since been abolished by the administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi, during his first tenure, and facilities transferred to Ekiti state University, Ado.

The present effort by Dr Fayemi administration is seen as a correctional one, aimed at soothing the nerves of critics that flayed the abolishment of the University founded by Segun Oni’s administration.

A public Hearing on a Bill to upgrade the College of Education to University status has been organized by the State Assembly.

Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Mrs Kemi Balogun, explained that the proposed University would provide quality training to enrich and improve the State, national and international human resources.

According to her, it would strengthen “Education For All” as emphasised in the four-cardinal points of the Kayode Fayemi-led administration.

The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Adebimpe Aderiye, pointed out that the current College of Education has all the necessary requirements for it to be upgraded to a degree- awarding University.

In a goodwill message, the Ikere community, represented by Prof. Olufemi Babatola, said that the establishment of the University would also increase the economic base of the state, the nation and the world.

The fear, being expressed by many, however, is from where the State Government would get funds for the University to operate optimally.