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Lagos Nurses Kick Against Imposition Of Compulsory Financial Support For Retiring Officers

By
Ayodele Oni
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Lagos Nurses

By Ayodele Oni

 

Nurses under the Lagos State Health Service Commission (HSC) have kicked against alleged compulsory financial contributions imposed on them to support retirement celebrations of senior nursing officers.

 

It was gathered that an internal notice had informed the nurses that they must contribute money according to their grade levels, towards the retirement of Cole Adebukola, Director of Nursing Services at Lagos State Health Service, and Nurse Awobajo Oluranti of the Directorate of Nursing.

 

According to the notice, Nurse Cole is scheduled to retire on December 18, 2026, while Nurse Awobajo is expected to retire on December 11, 2026.

 

The notice directed nurses to contribute according to their grade levels, with those on Grade Levels 15 to 17 asked to contribute N25,000, while nurses on Grade Levels 12 to 14 were assigned N15,000 contribution each.

 

Nurses on Grade Levels 8 to 10 were mandated to contribute N10,000, while those on Grade Level 7 were asked to pay N5,000.

 

According to report, the notice instructed nurses to make the payments to their respective ward managers for onward collation to the HSC.

 

“Payment should be made to your ward managers, for onward collation to HSC,” the notice stated.

 

Report says the directive has triggered anger among some nurses who questioned why workers should be required to finance celebrations for their superiors at a time of economic hardship.

 

The development has reportedly provoked reactions from The Elegant Nurses Forum in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, declaring that nurses were workers and should not be treated as personal sources of funding for retirement ceremonies, weddings or other private celebrations.

 

The ENF condemned the practice as exploitation, accusing the HSC of turning nurses into “ATM machines” for bosses’ parties.

 

The group demanded an immediate end to compulsory contributions for retirement ceremonies, weddings, birthdays and other private celebrations involving senior officers or their family members.

 

“The Elegant Nurses Forum considers this development unacceptable and strongly condemns any attempt to force or intimidate Nurses into making financial contributions for a celebration they may not be willing or financially able to support.”

 

The group pointed out that the alleged practice was particularly troubling because nurses were already dealing with economic hardship, poor welfare, inadequate remuneration and rising living costs.

 

It also alleged that nurses had previously been pressured to contribute towards the wedding of a senior officer’s child.

 

“We find it extremely disturbing that Nurses, who are already struggling to survive, could be subjected to repeated financial demands for private celebrations involving their superiors or members of their families,” ENF added.

 

The group argued that while colleagues should be free to voluntarily support one another, official positions should not be used to transform voluntary contributions into compulsory payments.

 

“Nobody should be punished, intimidated, threatened or victimised for refusing to contribute money to a private celebration,” the group said.

 

According to the group, retirement should be treated as an institutional milestone rather than a financial burden imposed on already struggling workers.

 

It called on the HSC to take responsibility for retirement ceremonies it chooses to organise rather than shifting the financial burden to individual nurses.

Students Of Ondo University Protest 68 Days Of Strike By Workers

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Students Of Ondo University Protest

By Ayodele Oni

 

Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, on Thursday blocked major roads within, the community, disrupting vehicular movement for several hours as they protested the prolonged industrial action which has lasted for 68 days by the staff.

 

The protest, organised by the Students’ Union Government (SUG), saw students blocked the university’s main gate and roads linking the institution to the major highway, leaving travellers and motorists stranded for hours.

 

The students marched with placards bearing various inscriptions, including “Every pending graduate, shey na our lives be these?”, “NASU, NAAT, SSANU have joined strike” and “Enough is Enough.”

 

They demanded urgent intervention by the Ondo State Government and other stakeholders to resolve the crisis and facilitate the reopening of the university.

 

The students pointed out that the continued closure of the institution was adversely affecting their academic programmes, particularly those of final-year students awaiting examinations and other requirements for graduation.

 

The protest took place against the backdrop of an ongoing industrial dispute involving university workers, which has disrupted academic activities and kept students away from campus for weeks.

 

Addressing journalists, the SUG President, Comrade Folagbade Ayoola, said the students had reached their limit and could no longer remain silent while the crisis continued to threaten their academic future.

 

According to him, students were being made to bear the consequences of a dispute over workers’ welfare despite continuing to pay their school fees.

 

“We cannot keep silent because we are really facing challenges in our university. Imagine students having to pay school fees while lecturers’ salaries are not being paid,” Ayoola alleged.

 

He explained that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had presented its demands to the government, but after a series of meetings failed to produce the desired resolution, the union embarked on an indefinite strike.

 

Ayoola revealed that the students had continued to receive assurances that the matter would be resolved but expressed disappointment that no concrete solution had emerged.

 

“We keep hearing promises and pushing for a solution, but nothing concrete has happened. At this point, we have no other option than to come out and make our voices heard.”

 

The SUG president warned that the students would sustain legitimate pressure until the university was reopened.

 

“Until the strike is called off, we are not going to back down. We will continue to protest and use every legitimate means possible to ensure that our voices are heard,” he added.

 

Also speaking, the General Secretary of the Students’ Union, Oluwatimileyin Amos, said the prolonged shutdown has left students in uncertainty, with many unable to determine when academic activities would resume.

 

Amos confirmed that the students have now spent approximately 68 days at home, describing the situation as increasingly unbearable.

 

“We have been on strike for 68 days now and something needs to be done. We need an immediate resolution and action because our students are suffering.”

 

He appealed to students across the institution to unite behind the struggle, saying the consequences of the prolonged strike affected every student, regardless of their level or programme.

 

“This is an injury to one and an injury to all, so we are calling on students to solidarise with us and let our voices be heard,” Amos said.

 

He expressed particular concern over the plight of final-year and pending-graduating students whose examinations and other academic requirements could be affected by the prolonged disruption.

 

According to him, the uncertainty has also created practical difficulties for students who did not know whether to return to their places of residence or remain close to the institution in anticipation of a possible resumption.

 

“Students are in a dilemma. They do not know whether to travel or stay back. This has caused a lot of hardship for students, especially the pending graduates whose examinations are approaching.”

 

Amos therefore called for an immediate resolution of the issues leading to the strike, stressing that students should not continue to bear the burden of a dispute over which they had no control.

 

Government had recently announced an increase in subvention to all tertiary institutions owned by the state.

Between Suspension And The Lifting Thereof: A Nullity Ab Initio

By
The Source
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0
Steve Osuji
Steve Osuji

By Steve Osuji

 

I have received the news of the lifting of a one-year suspension supposedly imposed on me by the Nigerian Guild of Editors with a chuckle.  This is because it was a nullity ab initio.

 

In fact, one would have dismissed it entirely as  a non-issue but for the need to correct certain misrepresentations now freely available in the world wide web’s digital memory.

 

A search of my name today would reveal that I was suspended by the Nigerian Guild of Editors for “PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT.”

 

This, of course, is a gross misrepresentation. What happened was a simple matter of professional disagreement or disputation. There was a disagreement on an issue pertaining to a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This can in no way be equated to a “professional misconduct.”

This distorted impression needs to be put into proper context.

 

LIFTING OF ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION

 

While one acknowledges the lifting of the so-called suspension, another reason for this piece is to urge that we all learn the lessons arising from this teachable moment.

 

Having enjoyed the benefit of a year-long reflection on the matter, it is very important to review the issues at stake and imbibe the lessons therefrom, viz:

 

  1. a) The NGE needs to hold its conferences and conventions sacrosanct and endeavour not deviate from their core objectives.

 

For instance, the keynote address during the biannual convention was an opportunity to interrogate a serious national issue and make policy statements therefrom. It was therefore incumbent upon us to  ensure robust conversations and a wide coverage of the outing.

 

Conferences and conventions are opportunities to project the Guild and not for briefing of editors by a speaker.

 

The sudden conversion of the most important item of our last convention into an off- the- record security briefing is a mistake that must never recur in the annals of the Guild again.

No speaker should have the power or authority to degrade our calendar function.

It was a most demeaning moment for the over 400 editors seated including veterans and octogenarians.

 

Most memorable was the hurried shooing out of our reporters and photographers; the weird cinematography of this scene has lodged in one’s mind like a stray bullet, ever since.

Some of these reporters and photojournalists are our senior people who have been with us for a couple of decades. They should never be treated like vermin in a Guild event.

 

  1. b) Off the record briefings are usually sensitive information or high security briefings that require discreet timings and indeed, venues.

You don’t impose a non-disclosure agreement on a hall of about a thousand people!

 

  1. c) The Guild acceding to making its keynote address off- the- records is like shooting oneself in the foot. It does deep damage not only to the Guild, but to our noble profession.

 

For instance, the convention in question was less than two weeks after the Yelewata massacre in Benue State in which over 200 compatriots were slaughtered in one night by terrorists. It was clearly a matter of failure of intelligence.

The DG, SSS should be giving the audience some concrete explanation of what went wrong in Yelewata.

 

Not even in the Russia-Ukraine war has such a high number of fatalities been recorded in one night!

Yet no questions asked. No resolution to Yelewata. Scores of innocence citizens are still being slaughtered in Benue State till date.

Yet we were muzzled from holding nary an opinion on the address.

 

We, editors, are at the top of the pyramid of those keeping the gate therefore, we must never lose our guard.

But we are already dozing off on duty, which explains why brigands assail the land already.

 

Official corruption in Nigeria today is worse than COVID 19. The level of corruption today requires that Nigeria should be shut down and cleansed. But we have helped a great deal to normalise this malady. We look the other way.

 

Nay, we actually honour our rogues with spurious awards they don’t merit.

 

 

  1. d) Finally, off-the- records matters, security briefings and non-disclosure pacts remain discretionary. They are at best, a gentleman’s agreement.

Applying the rules depends largely on the journalist and his orientation.

 

Of course, NDA should never provide a shade for public officials to hide their incompetence or malfeasance. NDA should further noble causes and protect the society.

 

An aspect of non-disclosure helped Washington Post reporters produce a series of stories that helped to kick out a devious president, Richard Nixon in 1974 in the Watergate scandal.

 

Here at home, in May 2004,  yours truly was among the editors invited by President Olusegun Obasanjo for a security briefing before he declared a state of emergency in Plateau State.

Despite the prior briefing, not all the editors supported Obasanjo’s emergency move. Many of us wrote editorials and opinion articles condemning the action.

 

In conclusion, one hopes this professional altercation would help us to nurture a better Guild and  improve our profession.

While one has also learned a lot from the episode, the intervention and counsel of people like Emma Agu, Comfort Obi, Ogbuagu Anikwe, Chief Ikechi Emenike, Angela Agoawike, Abraham Ogbodo and Ojukwu Okwudili-Enendu, to name a few, are most cherished. They didn’t only calm the storm, they brought rich professional insights to bear on the matter.

 

I hereby reaffirm my  utmost regard for members and leadership of the Guild. It is hoped that this professional exchange would serve as currency for a better Guild.

Akwa Ibom State Gov. Eno Reveals “I Was Selling Akara, Bread Before Venturing Into Politics”

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Governor Umo Eno - Akwa Ibom State

By Ayodele Oni

 

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has revealed his strategy for survival before venturing into politics. The Governor said he was earning  N10 million monthly from an akara and bread business.

 

Eno, who made the disclosure during the state’s monthly covenant prayer service stated that he started the venture by selling akara and bread, which he marketed as “Akara Burger.”

 

According to the governor, the business later expanded into a coffee shop that attracted workers, particularly those heading to ExxonMobil in the mornings.

 

“We started coffee shop and then they will take it. Every month, that Akara business used to give me nothing less than N10 million in a month,” Eno disclosed.

 

He noted that the experience taught him valuable lessons about entrepreneurship and how successful businesses can grow from small beginnings.

 

Earlier, the First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had  promoted small businesses such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli as possible means of improving livelihoods.

 

Her remarks sparked mixed reactions, with critics questioning whether such businesses could significantly improve household incomes amid economic challenges.

 

Eno’s personal account, however, has added a different perspective to the debate, highlighting his claim that his own akara venture once generated millions of naira in monthly revenue.

 

However, not a few Nigerians have asked the Governor to tell his story of N10 million monthly akara burger business to the marines. They are asking him for the period of time, the years, how many akara balls he made in a day, how many he sold in a day, how many people patronised him in a day, how much he made in a day, and why he closed down a business with so much profit instead of handing it over to somebody to run instead of abandoning it for politics.

In An Open Letter, Kio Amachree Replies Wike Says “Yes, Next President Will Surely Come For Your Head”

By
The Source
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0
Kio Amachree

Kio Amachree, a Sweden-based Nigerian activist, has responded to Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister’s assertion on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at a Media Chat in Port Harcourt, that if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 Election, whoever wins, between Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, or Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, would come for his head.

 

The full text of the letter reads:

 

An Open Letter to Nyesom Wike: Your Fear is Well Rounded

 

Mr. Wike,

You have finally said something I can agree with. You told the nation that your biggest fear is President Tinubu losing next year’s election, and that whoever wins — Peter Obi or Atiku — will come for you first. You said, in your own words, “I know they will come for my head.”

 

Let me assure you, Mr. Wike: your instincts are correct. And let me tell you why.

 

I, Kio Amachree, am doing everything within my power, and using every connection I have, to make certain that the man you have tied your fortunes to never sees a second term.

 

I have written to President Trump. I have written to Secretary Kennedy, with whom my family’s history is intertwined. I have written to FBI Director Kash Patel. I have written to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the Security Council. I have written to the Prince of Wales, to Boris Johnson, to Lord Cameron — my old school connections put to the service of Nigeria. Every letter says the same thing: examine the record of the man who calls himself President of Nigeria.

 

And what is that record? It is not my invention. It sits in an American federal courthouse. In 1993, the United States government seized $460,000 from accounts linked to Bola Tinubu as proceeds connected to heroin trafficking — Case No. 93 C 4483, Northern District of Illinois. That is not gossip. That is a court record. On August 28, 2026, the FBI confirmed under sworn declaration that it carried out an investigation into his activities. And on that very same day, your principal filed papers fighting to keep those records sealed.

Nyesom Wike - FCT Minister
Nyesom Wike.

Ask yourself the question every Nigerian is now asking, Mr. Wike: who fights this hard to hide files if the files contain nothing? An innocent man demands his records be published. A compromised man hires American lawyers to bury them.

 

You say you think about the President’s re-election when you sleep and when you eat. While you were thinking, your principal is spending three weeks on holiday in Europe as the case closed in around him, and no photograph with the American President materialised.

 

The man you serve is fighting a rearguard action in a foreign courtroom, and even his loudest defenders are lowering their voices. You have chained yourself to a sinking anchor and you are only now noticing the water.

 

And a word about Rivers State, Mr. Wike, because this is personal to my family’s legacy even if it is not personal to you. My father, Chief Godfrey Kio Jaja Amachree QC, was among the founding fathers of Rivers State — Nigeria’s first Solicitor-General, the first African Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

 

On his grave and on my ancestors I make you this promise: the accountability that is coming for your principal will not stop at your principal. The emergency rule, the billions, the arrogance — all of it will be examined lawfully, openly, and without fear. Not mob justice. Épuration légale. Courts, records, questions, answers.

 

So yes, Mr. Wike. Be afraid. Not of assassins — nobody wants your head. Be afraid of something far worse for men like you: due process.

You wanted a fight. Let’s tango.

 

■Kio Amachree
Stockholm

Nigeria belongs to Nigerians.

Rivers Police Command Dismisses Three Officers

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Three Dismissed Police Officers in Rivers State

By Ayodele Oni

 

Following their linkage with the killing of Anthony Obodo, a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State Police Command has dismissed three police officers.

 

The incident happened at the Ada George area of Port Harcourt, Thursday, August 27, 2026.

 

The dismissal followed an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which sparked public outrage and renewed concerns over police conduct in the state.

 

The command also declared an Inspector of Police, identified as Solomon Nworgu, who was allegedly part of the patrol team and fled the scene after the shooting, a deserter, saying efforts were ongoing to apprehend him.

 

The State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this while parading the three dismissed officers before journalists in Port Harcourt.

 

Obodo was allegedly shot by a police patrol team after the officers flagged down his vehicle around the Ada George area of Agip Junction in Port Harcourt.

 

The CP said the patrol team had given Obodo’s vehicle a chase before Louis allegedly opened fire.

 

He added, “During the pursuit, Corporal Alfred Louis, who is attached to the patrol team, opened fire at the vehicle and a bullet hit the driver, identified as Anthony A. Obodo, who sustained a gunshot injury.

 

“The victim was immediately rushed to Palmer’s Hospital, Port Harcourt, where he was attended to and subsequently confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.”

 

Corpral  Louis, reportedly fired three shots at the vehicle on the allegation that Obodo refused to stop. One of the bullets hit Obodo, leading to his death.

 

Adepoju disclosed that the three officers were subjected to an orderly room trial after they were arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Port Harcourt.

 

According to Adepoju, the three members of the patrol team were immediately arrested and detained at the SCID, where

 

He added, “Efforts were also intensified to locate and arrest Inspector Solomon Nwrogu, who reportedly absconded following the incident.

 

He said the investigation established the culpability of the officers involved in the incident.

 

Adepoju said, “I am here to provide updates on some serious incidents recently recorded in the state, including the investigation into the death of one Anthony A. Obodo, a student, following a police pursuit and unfortunate shooting incident, as well as the arrest of suspected members of a one-chance robbery syndicate operating within Port Harcourt and its environs.

 

“Let me state clearly that the Rivers State Police Command places a high premium on professionalism, accountability, respect for human rights and the protection of lives and property.

 

“Where allegations of misconduct or criminality are made against police personnel, we will not shield any officer found to have acted outside the law under my watch.

 

“Following the conclusion of the investigation and the establishment of the culpability of the officers involved, the command has taken appropriate disciplinary action against the police personnel involved.

 

“The officers being paraded today have been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force and will be charged to court.”

 

The Police Commissioner stated that the disciplinary action demonstrated the command’s position that misconduct, abuse of office, excessive use of force and violation of the law by police personnel would not be tolerated under his leadership.

 

Adepoju reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to professionalism, accountability, transparency, respect for human rights and service to the people.

President Tinubu Appoints Ade-John Snr. Special Assistant

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Prince Adetokunbo Ademola Ade-John

By Akinwale Kasali

Vacationing President Bola Tinubu, in the run-up to his second term re-election, has appointed

Prince Adetokunbo Ademola Ade-John his Senior Special Assistant on Transportation and Mobility.

Ade-John’s appointment takes effect from August 27, 2026. His brief is to strengthen coordination and policy implementation across key transportation institutions.

Currently, President Tinubu is away to Europe on a three-week vacation in preparation for his re-election campaign which promises to be hectic.

According to the details of the appointment, his new position will be governed by the terms and conditions contained in the Current Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2008.

Ade-John is saddled with the mandate of strengthening coordination and policy implementation across key transportation institutions.

Described as agrassroot politician, he was a Special Assistant to the Minister of Tourism.  He was, also, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Apex Youth leader across the globe.

He is expected to bring his experience to advancing the administration’s transportation and mobility agenda.

As Senior Special Assistant to the President on Tourism, Ade-John will work alongside stakeholders—including the Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John—to integrate community tourism into the administration’s broader economic growth strategies.

Fake Agency Scandal: Gbajabiamila Not Our Focus- Gagdi

By
James Orji
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0

….How we discovered 58 accounts, 12 other agencies linked to Adeyemi

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has said Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was not the focus of its investigation, stressing that its mandate was to establish how the purported agency found its way into the Federal Government’s structure and budget.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, speaking on the committee’s preliminary report which was presented on Wednesday at the National Assembly during an interview on Arise TV, said the panel found no basis to indict Gbajabiamila after examining documents and records submitted by relevant government agencies.

Gagdi said the committee’s mandate was broader than investigating individuals, explaining that it was tasked with determining whether the agency had legal backing, whether its appointment and authorisation documents were genuine and how it was incorporated into the Federal Government’s system.

“Our priority is not even about Prince Adeyemi and Femi Gbajabiamila. Our priority was to call the agencies concerned and ask: how can an institution not established by law find itself into the Nigerian Federal Government system, to the extent of having accommodation and being captured in the budget?” he said.

According to him, the committee summoned the Minister of Budget and National Planning, the Director-General of the Budget Office and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, while also seeking information from security and anti-graft agencies.

He said documents obtained from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force revealed that investigations into Adeyemi and the purported agency were already underway.

Gagdi explained that the documents enabled the committee to establish that key documents allegedly used to legitimise the agency were forged.

“We discovered that the Act that was presented to us by the agencies we invited never existed as an Act of Parliament of Nigeria. Neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives had ever sponsored any Act establishing the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council,” he said.

He added that the letter purportedly authorising the agency’s take-off from the Presidency and the appointment letter issued to Adeyemi were also found to be forged.

On why Gbajabiamila was not summoned for questioning, Gagdi said the committee was guided by evidence and its terms of reference, rather than a desire to make any individual the centre of the investigation.

“Our mandate was not to focus on an individual. Where we have a petition or memorandum against any individual, we summon that individual or meet that individual to establish the facts,” he said.

The lawmaker also disclosed that the committee uncovered a network of bank accounts and organisations allegedly linked to Adeyemi.

“We discovered that he had opened different accounts amounting to 58 different accounts, out of which the accounts belonged to 12 different agencies. All linked to his BVN,” Gagdi said.

He said the discovery formed part of the committee’s preliminary investigation into possible accomplices and financial activities connected to the purported agency.

Gagdi, however, stressed that the report currently being prepared was preliminary, noting that the committee was still working to establish the full extent of the network and determine the roles played by individuals or institutions involved.

He said the committee would provide further details in its final report, including how a purportedly fake Director-General was able to open multiple bank accounts associated with different organisations.

On the allegation that the committee’s investigation could amount to interference in a matter already before the courts, Gagdi disagreed.
“We did not investigate what is before the court. We investigated how the budget came into the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is nothing before the court as regards whether that agency is lawful or unlawful,” he said.

According to him, the court case concerns the alleged fraudulent activities of Adeyemi, while the House investigation focused on the administrative, legal and budgetary processes through which the purported agency entered the government system.

Gagdi also rejected suggestions that the House was incapable of independently investigating the matter because it is part of government.
“Are we under anybody? Is it the Presidency that put together the committee?” he asked, insisting that the committee was constituted through the established parliamentary process following a motion adopted by the House.

He further dismissed suggestions that the scandal exposed a failure of legislative oversight, saying the primary responsibility for verifying the legality of agencies seeking inclusion in the budget rests with the executive before proposals are transmitted to the National Assembly.

“Ours is to scrutinise allocation of funds in the budget. If they present their budget, it is not the responsibility of the National Assembly to start asking every agency: are you legal or illegal?” he said.

Gagdi said the committee was working to complete a comprehensive report for presentation to the House when plenary resumes, promising that the findings would provide Nigerians with a clearer picture of how the purported agency operated within government structures.

LGA Funds: Blame Govs Not Tinubu-Wike

By
James Orji
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0
Nyesom Wike
Nyesom Wike. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,

Nyesome Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the usage of funds allocated to the 774 local governments in the country.

The Minister said the president has no power to determine how the LGAs funds are spent, because he cannot force the state governors to do his will concerning how the funds are managed.

Wike made the assertion in Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Wednesday  during his montly media chart amid outrage in the country over alleged mismanagement of LGA funds by the subnational governments in the country.

State governors have been accused of diverting funds belonging to the third tier ofgovernment in the country, making it difficult for the LGAs to embark on meaningful development at the grassroot.

Amid the controversy sorrounding the alleged mismanagement of council funds by the governors, Supreme Court, in July 2023, delivered a landmark judgment directing the federal government to ensure that LGA allocation from the federation account were directly paid to the Councils.

In spite of the judgment, there are indications that the governors have not complied,a situation that has forced not a few Nigerians, including the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Coalition, NDC Peter Obi to call out the president to intervene so that the governors can obey the law.

But reacting, Wike said  whatever the governors chose to do with the LGAs funds is their business, saying the state and Councils as tiers of government in the country are not under the control of the president.

He added that now that more funds  are allocated to the federal,  stateand local governments due to the gains fromsubsidy removal, President Tinubu can stillnot determine how other two tiers of government spend what they get from the federation account.

 

“Now, the government has said the gains have been shared among sub-nationals. Tinubu has no power to say, ‘State, this is what you should do with the funds that you’ve brought in from the fuel subsidy.’

 

“He has no power to tell local governments what to do with their money. All tiers of government are independent,” Wike said.

 

Fake Agency: House Of Reps Clears Gbajabiamila

By
James Orji
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0
Femi Gbajabiamila

The House of Representatives has cleared the Chef of Staff,Cos, tothe president,Femi Gbajabiamila of any culpability in the establishment of a fake federalgovernment agency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC.

The lower house of the Nigerian Legislature, adhoc committee led by Yusuf Gagdi cleared Gbajabiamila after its recent investigation of the controversial committee headed by one Adeniyi Adeyemi.

According to a preliminary report submitted to the House on Wednesday, the CoS toPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu was granted a clean bill,after the committee concluded that its investigations indicate that he had no hand in the establishment of the fake agency.

The committe placed the entire blame regarding the fake agency on Adeniyi which it said forged some documents,including an Act of the National Assembly, to legitimise the purported agency which he headed before he was finally exposed.

It said the committee found no evidence linking Gbajabiamila to the establishment or operations of the agency, saying Gbajabiamila, according to the committee’s findings neither authorised nor approved the establishment or operation of the PFIPC, as alleged by the embattled Adeyemi.

The committee chairman, for instance,said  the evidence presented before the committee showed that the appointment letter puportedly detailing Adeyemiasthe DG of the agency,was forged,noting that the Letterhead of the appointment letter was totally inconsistent with other documents from the Presidency .

Gagdi also noted that Gbajabiamila also took action immediately he discovered the operations of the fake agency  by alerting the security agencies, including the Nigerian Police,Department of State Services, DSS and others on the need to investigate Adeyemi and the agency, an action which it said led to their exposure.

 

“The Chief of Staff acted within one day of receiving an alert from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission over suspected fraudulent activities,” Gagdi said.

After months of hiding, operatives of the Nigerian Police Force,NPF, finally apprehended Adeyemi somewhere in Osun state in July.

Before he was arrested, he had vowed to open a can of worms on the alleged involvement of Gbajabiamila and other Presidency officials in the establishment and operations of the fake agency.

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