Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has called for the political retirement of former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George. Fayose said for the Party to progress in Lagos State Bode George should go.
Fayose’s Media Aide, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement on Wednesday that Fayose, who spoke during the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Committee for the Lagos East Senatorial District bye-election slated for next Tuesday, emphasised that George should rather be in support, and stand for the younger ones in the party, instead of dragging positions with them.
Urging the Electorate to support the PDP candidate in the senatorial bye-election, Babatunde Gbadamosi, Fayose said: “Lagos is ripe for PDP to take, and we will take the State if we work hard, and put our house in order.
“This Senate election is for PDP to take if we are ready to take it.
“You have done it before by producing House of Representatives members, and you can do it again by producing a senator.”
Fayose, however, said that “Before PDP can win any election in this Lagos, the party must first separate wheat from chaff”.
He stressed that George is one of the “chaff in the wheat”, unless he retires politically and leave the political stage for the younger ones.
Fayose also urged leaders of the party in Lagos State to desist from exposing rancour among the party members. He laid emphasis on giving the younger ones in the party the opportunity to grow and allow them to be in key positions in the party.
According to Fayose: “It is high time we told Bode George to go and retire.
Let him be a support- stand for the younger ones in the party.
“As I am here, I am about 60 years of age.
I have grown above fighting for Minister that it will get to a point and someone will say he is sacking me.
“I will never be such Minister, not to talk of contesting any post with younger ones in the party.
“It is time for young people in the party to tell the elderly ones to take the back seat.
“I’m not against the elders, but I want them to know when to take the back seat.
If they don’t, the young ones will force them.
“All those stories of we formed this party in 1998, eight of us sat in my sitting room to form the party, is no longer important because the young too must be allowed to grow.
“At this level, if you see any elder contesting chairman with the younger ones, you must know that such fellow needs to be retired.
“I am Ayodele Fayose, you can quote me anywhere.
I said you must retire Bode George if you want progress in the PDP in Lagos.
You must stand firm and fight for your right.
“As an elder, he is supposed to stay at home and be giving blessing to his children aspiring to grow, not to be contending positions with them.”
The PDP has been in constant opposition in Lagos State since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Legendary musician, Onyeka Onwenu has called for the unity of the nation, imploring Nigerians to shun tribal, religious and language differences. The unity of the people is germane, she said.
The One Love Keep Us Together crooner stressed that at this point in time, the unity of the nation is not negotiable.
The Music legend, reputed for her secretive personal life, charged Nigerians to play less on tribalism and focus on the positives inherent in the different ethnic groups that make up the country.
She said these during a virtual pre-book launch briefing ahead of the release of her memoir ‘My Father’s Daughter’, billed for October 1.
Using her marriage to a Yoruba Muslim that produced two children as a reference, the Lady popularly known as the Elegant Stallion enjoined every Nigerian to uphold the country’s unity and stop insulting and denigrating one another.
‘’We are blessed with the richness of our culture and everyone should see themselves as one and not let divisions break the country,” she asserted.
She, also, challenged the people of the South East, especially those in the diaspora, on the need to develop the region, which she said had continued to suffer marginalization and neglect from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It doesn’t take away whatever you are doing in Lagos, Abuja, or Port Harcourt. You are free to live and do business wherever you are, but remember back home. We are being marginalized for a long time. And our people have always done things for themselves.
“We built the Imo Airport. I was part of the process. It remains the only airport in the country that was built by the citizens and handed over to the Federal Government.
“My father went to school abroad, people in his home town collected money and supported him. That’s how we do things, we are a communal people. So, I’m not afraid to go back home,” she stated.
The Broadcaster-turned musician-turned human rights activist and politician, bared her mind on the agitation for self-sovereignty by some groups in the country, saying that she would return to the South-East region to contribute her quota to its development if it comes to fruition.
She, however, recalled an event when joking with her sister-in-law, who is also a Muslim, that she would leave her children for “Biafra” if the country splits and her decision would be due to her commitment to contribute to the development of the South-East, which she said, has been marginalised for long.
“If that happens – a possible break-up of Nigeria, I will go back to the South-East because I want to go back home. And even if we don’t split, I want to do so much there” she said.
Onyeka explained that the new book, titled ‘My Father’s Daughter’,- about 450 pages – is designed to give inspiration to the younger ones, especially the younger feminine gender, since it encapsulates her low and high moments, through life.
According to her, the book will also examine aspects of her life which were hitherto unknown to the public and would be formally unveiled on Thursday, October 1, 2020.
It would be in e-version and audio and accompanied with some classics of the musical legend.
Onwenu has starred in many Nollywood movies in recent time, but has been off the radar for years now.
A United Kingdom based Yoruba socio-cultural Organisation, Egbe Isokan Yoruba, has condemned and distanced itself from the purported rally slated for October 1st 2020, by a newly formed group named ‘Yoruba One Voice’.
The Group described the intention behind the rally as fraudulent, and enjoined Yoruba not to stick out their necks to be brainwashed by a kangaroo arrangement aimed at feathering a selfish nest.
A press statement issued and jointly signed by the President and General Secretary of the group, Chief Akinola Rufus and Ilelaboye Akinnagbe, respectively, said the Group, in Its entirety, sees the proposed rally as ill-timed, and would be of no meaningful benefit to the course of the Yoruba and its people.
The Organisation said what the Yoruba need at the moment is gradual and painstaking awareness, and not a rally whatsoever.
“Yoruba is a very respected, decent and knowledgeable race. We don’t embark on a project and fail. To achieve Oodua Republic is not a day’s journey. We should first reconcile our Obas, leaders and all the stakeholders and be united before we launch out.
“Then, awareness should start by reaching out to the traditional institutions, professional bodies, academics, technocrats, the market men and women, grassroots, as well as the international community;” the group said.
The Yoruba group alleged that the purported group, Yoruba One Voice, is the brainchild of Yoruba Generalissimo, Aare Onakakanfo, Chief Gani Adams and his Oodua Progressive Union, OPU, nothing that the Yoruba One Voice is a hish-hush group, mainly designed for a selfish purpose and of no collective backing of Yoruba leaders and groups, hence, It’s a fraudulent organization.
“We urge the Yorubas both at home and in Diaspora not to fall into the deceit of Chief Gani Adams and his cohorts. We challenge Chief Adams to name the organisations that make up the Yoruba One Voice. His Oodua Progressive Union is almost at the brink of collapse and this is the reason he came up with a rebranded name as a way of cajoling and deceiving people. It is still Oodua Progressive Union.
“We know what it takes to get a Nation. The lives of our people should not be wasted while someone will be making money and popularity from it. We say no to bloodshed.
“The staged political rally he organized in 2015 in Lagos to support the reelection of former President Goodluck Jonathan is still very fresh in the minds of the people, where properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed. How can a partisan person with no means of livelihood, who has no respect for the traditional institutions and leaders of Yoruba, put Yoruba nation into a war? We know he’s up to something with the rally and his call for the Oodua Republic. We know his game. We will never be part of such Rally.
“We therefore advise Yoruba sons and daughters in the Diaspora to respect the law of the countries they reside and not to tag themselves as secessionists and troublemakers through the October 1st planned rally as this may lead to a very serious problem if the said rally turns bloody. They should be peaceful in their dealings,” the group warns.
The new Yoruba Group among other groups, scheduled a protest on October 1, Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary.
The Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, has ordered a sit-at-home order in all the areas it calls Biafra land, in support of the Yoruba rally.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malmi, SAN has attributed the award of $200 million to the federal government by a British court in the ongoing litigation with Process & Industrial Development, P&ID Limited, P&ID, to the diligence in which the case has been prosecuted so far by his office, after it took over from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC.
Ibrahim Magu, the suspended Chairman of the EFCC currently facing a presidential panel over a corruption allegation against him by the AGF had credited the Commission with the turn-around being experienced by the government in the case, after an initial fine slammed on the federal government for allege contract breach with the British firm.
The United Kingdom court hearing the case, on Monday directed the firm to provide a bank guarantee in the said sum to the federal government pending when judgment will be delivered on the matter.
Recall that the Buhari administration filed an application seeking permission to challenge the $9.6 billion arbitration award obtained by the firm based in the British Virgin Islands against Nigeria over allege contract breach.
Spokesperson to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Dr. Umar Gwandu, in a statement commend the ruling where Justice “Cranston J ordered P&ID to make an interim payment of more than £1.5 million within 21 days to cover legal costs the FRN incurred as part of their successful application for the extension of time to challenge the arbitration award and procedural hearing earlier in the year.”
Magu: Malami Took Over the Case From EFCC
Malami stated that he’s particularly happy that the London court ordered the release of the $200million guarantee to the Nigerian government.
“We are glad having this victory in addition to multiple successes recorded so far,” the AGF said adding that the judgment on Nigeria’s cases against P&ID demonstrated an outcome of strong commitment and determination of the federal government through his office to tackle fraud, corruption, and non-compliance with the due process.
The nation’s chief law officer noted that the case has experienced a turn around since it was taken over from the anti-graft agency which has accused the AGF of frustrating the prosecution of high profile cases in the country.
According to Malami “Since the time the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice took over the coordination of the case, it has been a matter of success upon success.
“Success was equally recorded for having an order for the extension of time to challenge award and agreement. Nigeria was successful as the court awarded payment of legal cost of £1.5million in favour of the country. The Court ordered release of bank guarantee in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
“Nigeria obtains multiple positive rulings to obtain information from banks abroad which helped in establishing fraud,” he stated.
The AGF further noted that Nigeria also got an award of £70,000 as further legal cost relating to the issue.
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday, hailed the victory recorded by the federal government in the legal tussle with P&ID after a London Commercial Court, presided over by Justice Christopher Butcher, ordered the release of $200 million guarantee as part of the stay of execution application filed by the Nigerian government.
It was double tragedy Monday in Bashua Community of Boki LGA, Cross River state, as an indigene of Akwa Ibom state residing there, in a fit of anger, shot his wife dead for, allegedly, cheating on him.
Upon realising the enormity of his action, the distraught man fled to a near- by forest where he hanged himself.
His dangling body was later discovered in the forest during a search organised by the people of the community.
“The youths of Bashua had combed the area with the aim to arrest and hand him over to the police only to discover his dangling body in the forest”, The Source was told.
According to sources, the man had been suspecting his wife of engaging in adultery and had always, reportedly, warned her to desist from the act.
This Magazine was informed that the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back occured recently when the woman was, allegedly, caught in a sizzling sex act with a young man in an uncompleted building.
The man, said to be a farmer, had lived in Boki, for many years and has about 23 cocoa farms in Bashua.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday, during its plenary, withdrew the controversial Water Resources Control Bill.
Sequel to the adoption of a Matter of Privilege raised by Hon. Benjamin Mzondu of the PDP from Benue State, the House unanimously resolved to gazzet the bill for reconsideration.
Mzondu argued that the bill was not gazetted, and that clear copies of the bill were not circulated to all members.
The lawmaker said that a 2020 bill should have passed first and second reading, be subjected to public hearing, before its consideration at the Committee of the Whole House, and passed.
“My privilege has been breached because I was denied the opportunity of seeing the bill before it was passed.
“The House Rules is clear and unambiguous, Order 12 Rule 16, 17 and 18 is expressly clear on the gazetting of Bills.
“I therefore, move that the bill be completely expunged or be gazetted and subjected to public hearing,” he said.
Lending his voice on the issue of discuss, Hon. Nkem Abonta, PDP, Abia State said that the procedure contradicted the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He argued that rule of the House was also breached in the way and manner it passed the bill, saying that it should be withdrawn.
However, Chairman, House Committee on Water, Hon. Sada Soli, APC, Katsina State, said that the right process was followed before the bill was passed.
He said that clean copies of the bill were distributed to members who were at the plenary.
According to him, the bill is a consolidation of four laws which had existed for 35, 34, 27 and 10 years.
Also, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Hon Abubakar Fulata, said that the bill was first read on Dec. 19, 2020 in the 8th Assembly.
He said that the bill was introduced by the Executives in the 9th Assembly and was subjected to the House rules.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Idris Wase, recalled that the bill was stepped down when members complained that they had not seen the bill.
He said that the bill was returned and members were all given clean copies before it was considered at the Committee of the Whole.
In response, members of the House, however, shouted aloud in disagreement with the position that clean copies were circulated.
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, said that the bill be withdrawn and gazetted for fresh consideration.
It would be recalled that the bill seeks to provide for management, equitable and sustainable use of surface and underground water across the country.
The bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the management and use of water resources in the country with the view to generate revenue for government at all levels.
The leader of a faction of All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ekiti state, Chief Tony Adeniyi, revealed on Tuesday that members of the group have been informed of the committee set up by the National Secretariat of the party to reconcile aggrieved members in the state.
It was announced on Monday that the National Secretariat of APC has constituted a committee to look into grievances of some members of the party in Ekiti state.
The Committee, whose members were not made public, is headed by the Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El- Rufai.
The Secretary of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee Of the APC, Senator Akpan Udoedehe, on behalf Of the Chairman, inagurated the Reconciliation Committee in Abuja.
Reacting to the setting up of the Committee, Senator Adeniyi said that “Yes, we have been notified. We will consider everything, and our position made known.
“I cannot say whether our group members will appear before the Committee or not now.”
The group had announced the suspension of Governor Kayode Fayemi and others from the APC last week for alleged anti party activities.
Fayemi had dismissed it as a huge joke, but it was in reaction to an earlier announcement by the APC state publicity secretary, Mr Ade Ajayi that members of the group, including Senator Babafemi Ojudu and 10 others have been suspended from the party.
The National Secretariat of APC reacted swiftly by nullifying the actions of the two groups.
The Ekiti APC has been enmeshed in crisis in the past one year, with the Ojudu faction accusing the Fayemi faction of running a non-inclusive Government.
Sterling Bank Plc decision to shelve its solo commercial bank status to operate as a holding company, Holdco has excited many stakeholders in the financial sectors who insist that the Abubakar Suleiman-led bank has taken a bold step to turn its fortunes around.
Mixed reactions have trailed the first Half, H1 results released by the bank recently with many stakeholders warning that the lender must restructure to boost confidence among customers and shareholders.
The bank in a statement to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, signed by the company’s Secretary, Temitayo Adegoke said it will now go ahead to operate the Non-Interest Banking window for which it has been licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN since 2014.
Explaining the decision to expand into non-banking areas the lender said “Going into the Holding Company structure, our desire is to entrench our business model premised on social capitalism, where we believe that private sector capital and market-based tools will offer the best types of solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
Suleiman:Holdco Premised On Social Capitalism
The Holding Company gives us the structure to explore our business model further. Partnership Technology Specialization. The Holding Company is designed to operate on 3 major premises – Specialization, Partnership, and Digitization.
The Conventional Bank will focus on building skills and using technology to provide solutions in the areas that are critical to development in the country – Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Transportation (HEART).
The Non-Interest Bank will focus on building partnerships that connect individuals and businesses, leveraging technology to create business optimization while solving for an individual’s daily financial needs.’’
Recently, four directors of the bank including its managing director were involved in insider dealings leading to the buy-out of 18,896,605 shares among them.
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.
Sanni Disappointed
“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.
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.
