Home Blog Page 2795

Reprieve For Flood Victims In Ekiti |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has promised government action to stem the  flood affecting Ilawe Ekiti and  government quick action to mitigate the sufferings of those who lost properties during the downpour of Thursday.

The Governor was exchanging views with Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti and Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Obas, Oba Adebanji  Alabi, during a tour of the affected areas and houses destroyed by the flood.

A heavy downpour on Thursday evening led to the massive flooding of some communities in the state with the Palace of Oba Alabi affected at Ilawe.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, had earlier visited Ilawe community to assess the extent of damage.

Oba Ajibade Alabi thanked the Governor and his Deputy for the swift response to his distress call over the flood that ravaged a section of the community.

The monarch expressed displeasure at the lack of proactiveness on the part of Ekiti South West local Government which contributed in no small measure to the disaster.

He advised the Local Government not to allow the building of make shift-plank stores on water ways  and commence the sanctioning  of people dumping refuse inside the drainage.

The Monarch. also  called for the quick chanelisation and expansion of narrow water ways in the community.

He pleaded with the State Government to come to the assistance of his people who were greatly devastated by the unfortunate incident.

N5billion Debt: Oba Akinruntan In Financial Debt, As Court Decides Sale Of Hotel On November 30 |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0
Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan

By Akinwale Kasali

The flambouyant Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, would forfeit his Abuja Hotel, following an alleged N5 Billion Debt he owes Ecobank Plc.

To this effect, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, will on November 30, deliver judgment on an application filed by Ecobank Plc seeking an order authorising it to sell the Abuja hotel belonging to Obat Oil and Petroleum Limited, to recover the debt owed by Oba Akinruntan.

Justice Hassan Babangida fixed the judgment date after parties to the suit made their final submissions on Thursday.

The bank claimed in its suit, filed on October 18, 2019, that it has reached an agreement with Obat Oil, which is owned by the popular monarch in Ilaje Local Government to sell the hotel, to offset the company’s N5bn debt.

The hotel, Febson Hotels & Malls, is located on Plot 2425, Herbert Macaulay Way, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Ecobank’s lawyer, Kunle Ogunba, said the agreement between it and the firm to sell the hotel to offset the N5bn debt was adopted by the High Court of Lagos State as a consent judgment delivered on March 15, 2017.

He said the bank and Obat Oil signed a memorandum of understanding on November 27, 2019 to give effect to the content of the letter.

But the company, he said,  reneged on its promise to sell the hotel or pay the N5bn debt as contained in both the November 16, 2019 letter and the November 27, 2019 MoU, both of which were presented in court as exhibits.

This Ecobank Plc says Obat Oil has defaulted prompting the Bank to seek redress in Court over the failure of Oba Akinruntan’s owned Company.

He urged the court to grant his client’s prayers and not to be swayed by technical arguments canvassed by Obat’s legal team.

But responding, Obat’s lawyer, Ojo, urged the court to dismiss the suit.

Justice Babangida fixed November 30 for judgment.

COVID 19: Lagos Officials Playing Games With Reopening Of Markets, Says, Marketers |The Source

By
Uche Mbah
-
0
Markets in Lagos

By Uche Mbah

The COVID 19 lockdown, which is being gradually eased off by the government of Lagos state appear deliberately silent on the easing off on markets in the state. Markets are still operating at one day on, one day off basis, the source can report.

Field reports indicate that Markets were made to operate alternate days within the pandemic period and after. All the broadcasts by the state government, curiously left out the opening of markets to its pre-COVID state.

Most markets are overseen by the local government under which they operate, but it appears that the same thing operates in all parts of the state.

Churches and mosques are already open, normally, though the Government claims they are open 33% and should observe all COVID protocols. But nothing was said about markets.

Aswani Tuesday market, which is a special market for clothes, for example, was expected to be open since it operates once a week. But the authorities insisted they must change to Wednesday. They have been operating on Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays since the COVID era.

This has caused a serious disruption in the supply chain since people come from all over the country to Aswani to buy goods on Tuesdays.

A trader in the market, simply identified as Mama Emma, lamented that this has impacted the sales, beyond the fact the developers have ‘’simply destroyed the markets in the name of constructions. We sell under rain”, she said.

Asked about the return to Tuesday, she said officials told them they must “come to the office and see us. They demand ridiculous amounts as bribes to return  to normal. We cannot pay. There are no sales. So they refused to return us”, she said.

The story is the same in other places like the computer village. According to traders who talked to this magazine on condition of anonymity, people who bribed the officials are opening on a daily basis but others are still observing alternate days. “The officials are not hiding it. They openly tell you to see them if want to open daily’, Osas, a trader in the computer village Ikeja said.

The State Government is mum.

Budget: LNG, Local And Foreign Borrowing, Targeted For Funding |The Source

By
Uche Mbah
-
0
Buhari 2021 Budget Presentation

By Uche Mbah

N208.5 billion dividends from Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG is being targeted by the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration to fund the 2021 budget, which was estimated at N13.08 trillion.

The President, Thursday, presented the Budget to the National Assembly for debate and approval. The National Assembly has been making serious attempts to reverse the budget year to January to December.

President Buhari said  he is anticipating a total of N7.88 trillion revenue and plans to raise N5.19 trillion through borrowing and other sources.

Out of this, the Government plans to borrow N4.28 trillion to fund the deficits.

Part of this is the expectation of the new major revenue source, natural gas. N208.54 is targeted by the government on investment in this source. This is besides the earnings from signature bonuses from oil blocks sales and renewal of licenses from upstream operators. This is expected to yield N677.01 billion towards the funding of the appropriation bill.

Other sources of income the government is relying on for the financing of the budget include N32.67 billion recoveries from looted funds, assets, taxation, and fines and fines and expected revenue of N500 billion through Stamp Duty collection in the course of the year. Then foreign aids and grants are expected to yield N354.85 trillion within the year.

Government, however, plans to spend on debt servicing a whooping N3.34 trillion. This amounts to about 24% of the total budget. Out of this, N94 billion goes to service foreign loans and N2.18 trillion on borrowing from the domestic debt market and N220 Billion used for the retiring of maturing loans.

Nigeria owes China, the European Union, and the USA, Trillions of Naira, and the debt servicing appears to be crippling the economy.

However, the Presidency is still applying to borrow more from Brenton Woods Institutions.

Early in the week, a former Vice Presidential candidate under the PDP, Peter Obi, had advised the Federal Government against borrowing for consumption.

Speaking at the 60th founders day celebration at the university of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he is an alumnus, Obi said government should look to borrow ideas from China, not money.

Ortom To FG: Don’t Dismiss Views Of Nigerians On National Issues |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0

By Akinwale Kasali

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has urged the Federal Government not to dismiss calls for the restructuring of the country and other views expressed by the people as ‘unpatriotic outbursts’.

The advise by Governor Ortom was borne out of the Presidency’s recent reaction to the statement made by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, who suggested that the way out of the myriad of socio-economic problems in Nigeria is the restructuring of the country.

In a statement by the Governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, he stated that Nigeria is practicing democracy which guarantees the freedom of speech to all citizens and not military regime which suppresses the right of the people to voice their opinions about challenges facing their country.

Governor Ortom stressed that it is incumbent on the Federal Government to listen to the views of the people and evolve acceptable ways of addressing the problems confronting the country instead of engaging in a combative style, anyone who dares to suggest alternative approaches to tackling the challenges.

The Governor says there is nothing new, or strange, about Pastor Adeboye’s call which he says should be considered as patriotic and selfless.

He emphasized that great nations of the world got to their enviable status by harnessing and utilizing ideas of their citizens, not by discouraging those who made bold submissions on the development of their countries.

Ortom, however, tasked the Federal Government on the need to respect the rule of law and end the wave of impunity through its actions and policies.

He, also, reaffirms his belief in the unity of Nigeria and the potential of the country to overcome its current economic, security and other challenges.

Tinubu’s Alpha Beta: Tug Of War Over Sharing of N30bn Lagos ‘Booty’ |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

A big fight is currently raging in Alpha Beta Consulting, a tax collecting firm owned by former Lagos governor and National leader of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the immediate past managing director of the company, Dapo Apara on the control and sharing of a whopping N30 billion the company makes for collecting taxes on behalf of  the state government.

The state government rakes in at least N300 billion yearly from Internally Generated revenue, IGR out which Alpha Beta gets 10 per cent, according to a suit filed by the former managing director, who said he was wrongly sacked from the company after discovering some fraud involving the former Lagos helmsman.

Though Tinubu is not a director of the company, Apara accused him of committing the fraud through three other directors, Gboyega Oyetola, now governor of Osun state, Olumide Ogunmola and Tunde Badejo, who he claimed are fronts of the politician.

Part of the allegations is that the former governor directed his fronts in the firm to move over N2 billion to two companies owned by him without Apara knowledge as a senior partner in the company.

The plaintiff confronted the former Lagos strongman with the matter following which his was demoted and later sacked.

Apara has now asked a Lagos High court to give him justice and stop massive corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, among other vices in Alpha Beta.

The ex-managing director of the firm named Alpha Beta, Tinubu Akin Doherty as defendants in the case, where he accused them of wrongly terminating his appointment, even though he sole built the company from base.

Sometimes in 2000, Apara said the suit “he solely conceived, prepared and presented a proposal to the Lagos State Government on providing consultancy services using his fim, Infiniti Systems Enterprises, (the claimant) with respect to using computerisation to track and reconcile the Internally Generated Revenue of the State.

“The claimant avers that following the presentation of his proposal to the Lagos State Government, the 2nd defendant (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) who was at the time the governor of Lagos State demanded that 70 per cent equity interest in the project be assigned to a certain Olumide Ogunmola before he, the 2nd defendant will approve the project.

“The claimant avers that he then met the said Olumide Ogunmola (who he had never met before) and it was agreed that a limited liability company be incorporated in which the claimant will hold 30 per cent shares while Olumide Ogunmola and his partners will hold 70 per cent of the shares of the company.

“The claimant avers that following the agreement alluded to above; Alpha Beta Consulting Limited was incorporated in 2002 with the following shareholding ratio: Dapo Apara – 30 per cent, Olumide Ogunmola – 40 per cent, Adegboyega Oyetola – 30 per cent.

“The claimant avers that upon the commencement of business operations, the 2nd defendant (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) directed that the 30 per cent shareholding of Adegboyega Oyetola be transferred to one Mr. Tunde Badejo. This was done.”

The bottom-line according to the plaintiff is the 10 per cent paid to Alpha Beta monthly by the state government.

Apara said “after the incorporation of Alpha Beta Consulting Ltd in 2002 and structured according to the dictates of the 2nd defendant (Bola Ahmed Tinubu), the 2nd defendant in his official capacity as the governor of Lagos State then approved that Alpha Beta Consulting Ltd be awarded consultancy contract for the assessment and collection on behalf of the Lagos State Government all taxes and Internally Generated Revenue due and payable to the state at a 10 per cent consultancy fee (subject to a benchmark which varies from time to time).”

Meanwhile, Tinubu has not denied owning the rich tax firm even though his name does not appear in the company’s documents.

Akeredolu Approves Public Holiday For Ondo Workers |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni

After an endless wait for bank alerts signifying payment of their September salary, civil servants in Ondo state  were told to proceed on a day public holiday to enable them participate in Saturday’s Governorship election.

The  Government which has paid backlog of salaries it inherited from its predecessor, has been finding it difficult to meet its obligations to the workers.

In a statement on Thursday, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu directed that Friday, October 9, 2020, be observed as work-free day for workers in the state public service.

“The decision comes on the heels of the Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2020. It is specifically approved as such to enable workers have enough time to embark on adequate measures aimed at preparing themselves for the Election.

The statement signed by Donald Ojogo, Commissioner for Information, explained that “this include necessary trips by workers to areas where they are registered to cast their votes.

“Eligible voters are advised to be law abiding throughout the period of the exercise. They are equally encouraged to take maximum advantage of the adequate security measures already put in place to exercise their voting rights without any fear of harassment, intimidation and molestation.

“Governor Akeredolu wishes all stakeholders, especially our workers in the Public Service, the best of luck as they exercise their civic responsibility.”

Delta: #EndSARS Protests Get Bloody; Policeman Killed, Another Injured; AK47 Stolen |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
-
0
Endsars Protest in Delta State

By Adesina Soyooye

The recent #EndSARS nationwide protest rocking Nigeria, triggered by the incessant killing of Nigerians, the youths in particular,  by the SARS branch of the Police has turned violent. In Delta state, one Policeman has been murdered. another injured, and an AK47 stolen.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, M.A Adamu, has condemned what he called  the unprovoked and violent attack on policemen and the 8 to police operational vehicles and other assets by ENDSARS protesters in Ughelli, Delta State, on Thursday, 8th October, 2020.

The incident, according to Force Spokesperson, DCP Frank Mba, resulted in the unfortunate death of one Police officer, Corporal Etaga Stanley attached to ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, Delta State who, he said,  “was attacked and brutally murdered by the protesters also left another, Sergeant Patrick Okuone with serious body injury sustained from gunshot by the protesters.

“The protesters also carted away one (1) service AK47 rifle with breach no 56-2609008 and 25 rounds of live ammunition that was with the deceased at the time of the incident.”

The IGP, who described the incident as cruel and unwarranted, has warned that the Force will no longer tolerate any attack on its personnel or any member of the law enforcement community by any individual or group protesting under any guise.

The IGP, Mba said, noted that the protest by citizens remain a legitimate means for airing their concerns and views. It must, however, be carried out with all sense of responsibility and within the confines of the law.

The IGP, while condoling the family and friends of the late Corporal Etaga Stanley who paid the supreme price in the service of our dear nation, equally commended the officers of the Delta State Police Command for exercising restraint in the face of the immoral and unjustified provocation

Meanwhile, the IGP has directed the Commissioner of Police, Delta State to carry out a discrete investigation into the unfortunate incident, root-out the perpetrators and bring the killer protesters to book.

The protest has been on for days to protest the brutalities meted out to innocent youths in particular, by SARS. The SARS brutalities also attracted strong condemnations by the Vice President the leadership of the Nation Assembly and a broad spectrum of Nigerians.

In response,  the IGP has barred SARS and other such outfits from some of their notorious   activities,  especially indiscriminate arrests, seizing  and scrolling of people’s phones.

Protesters are asking for the scrapping of SARS, but Mba says its scrapping is not possible. It can only be reformed.

This will be the fourth time the Force Headquarters will take action against SARS. None has worked out. The killings  continue.  And so have the brutalities and the extortion.

Last Minute Negotiation Between Jegede, Ajayi Collapses |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Eyitayo Jegede

By Ayodele Oni

There are indications that a merger plan between Mr Eyitayo Jegede,SAN, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) and Agboola Ajayi, of the Zenith Labour Party, (ZLP) has, finally hit the rock.

Last minutes pressure was mounted on Ajayi between Wednesday and Thursday to collapse his structure and team up with the PDP candidate, in a move seen as a plot to defeat the incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Akeredolu, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC), is seeking re-election for a second term in office.

It was learnt that two prominent traditional rulers, a chieftain of ZLP and former governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the top echelon of the PDP were involved in the marriage plan,  but it could not materialize.

Early morning on Thursday, a former House of Representative member, Chief Joseph Adelaja, and ZLP chieftain, was the first to announce that the deputy governor has not stepped down for anybody.

Also later, the PDP candidate issued a statement confirming that he is still in the race.

Agboola Ajayi
Agboola Ajayi

A statement by the campaign organization, stated that “In a desperate move to deceive the general public, some dubious individuals are circulating falsehood that the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, has collapsed his structure. This is a lie from the pit of hell, created and existing in the imagination of day dreamers and enemies of Ondo State.

“In the last 72 hours, Eyitayo Jegede has received support from 11 out of the 16 other governorship candidates who collapsed their structures for him and the PDP. He has signed the Peace Accord confirming commitment to a violence-free election.

“Eyitayo Jegede is not only in the race, he remains the candidate to beat.”

48 Hours To Ondo Election, Free Food For Residents, As Group Flays NURTW Involvement in Election |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
INEC Logo
INEC Logo

By Ayodele Oni

Residents of Ondo state were stunned on Thursday as some food items, meant for Palliatives during the Covid 19 rampage, resurfaced, and are being used to woo voters for Saturday’s Governorship election.

This is just as a Civil Rights Group, flayed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to hire buses owned by members of National Union of Road Transport Workers,(NURTW) to transport election materials, describing it as untidy.

Some agents of one of the political parties that is participating in the election had invaded major markets in Akure metropolis with sachets of indomie Noddles with inscription, ‘COVID-19’   which they were distributing to people.

Apart from this, the sum of N200 was being shared to the market women, some of who expressed surprise about the free food.

Some of those that spoke expressed disappointment that items meant to have been given to people to cushion effect of sitting at home during the pandemic are now being shared to woo voters.

The Co-Chair of YIAGA Africa, Dr Aisha Abdulahi during a briefing on preparations for the election obeerved that “although INEC has shown readiness to deploy its officials and materials early to the polling units, YIAGA Africa is concerned with the Commission’s reliance on NURTW members to transport election materials and personnel to the polling units.

“This is because in the build-up to the election, some members of the NURTW were reported to have endorsed some candidates in the election.

“The leadership of the transport union is a militant arm of one of the political parties participating in the election. This puts their integrity and neutrality to question.”

“Yiaga Africa fears that partisan and comprised NURTW members will deliberately cause delays in the commencement of polls in some areas by either refusing to deploy or give reasons to delay the process.

“INEC should ensure all  election materials and personnel are deployed to the Registration Area Camps 24hrs before the commencement of polls.”

1...2,7942,7952,796...3,162Page 2,795 of 3,162