Nigerian Health workers, under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) have made it clear that they would not call off the strike and go back to work despite the court injunction, until the Federal Government implement certain agreements reached between the two parties on September 30, 2017.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Industrial Court (NIC) gave an order on May 25, 2018, compelling JOHESU to call off the strike, which began on April 18.
However, JOHESU members, at a peaceful rally organized by its national body in Abuja today, May 28, said that they would not be deterred by the court’s injunction compelling its members to return to work.
National Chairman of the union, Josiah Biobelemoye, said that the rally was aimed at updating members with current developments regarding the ongoing strike, including the recent court order.
Biobelemoye emphasized that the union had every right to obey or challenge the court order, adding: “I own members the responsibility to update them on happenings between us and the government to enable them to take a decisive position. And whatever they decide is final.
“We call on the government to implement our upward adjustment and other things as contained in the agreement of Sept. 30, 2017. No going back on the strike until those things are met’’ he said.
According to him, since the union embarked on the strike on April 18, the federal government had met with the leadership eight times.
Chairman of the Presidential Advisory committee against corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay has asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo to allow Nigeria to rest.
“He (Obasanjo) got two terms and then wanted a Third Term. Nobody killed him for it even though that attempt failed woefully. So, I think Obasanjo should allow Nigeria to rest. He should give Nigeria peace. He should just go to his house and leave us alone. We have had enough of him.”
In an interview with Independent, Professor Sagay accused Obasanjo of being on ego trip, saying: “he has to be the President-General forever. He is always envious of anyone who came in after him. He has to interfere to be relevant and you must allow him preside over the presidency otherwise there will be no peace.
“He didn’t allow Yar’Adua to rest; he didn’t allow Jonathan to rest now it is the turn of Buhari. I think this tendency of putting your hands in the eyes of those who succeeded you really has to be stopped. His shenanigans have to be stopped.
“He went to Afenifere, a group he has had nothing to do with for years for support. He has formed some artificial party ADC and all sorts of ridiculous associations thinking he can destabilise this government when he was allowed a free reign as president.”
The Presidential aide asked: “how many times has Yakubu Gowon under whom Obasanjo served as a military officer criticized anybody? I am sure when he has anything to say he will go quietly. How many times has Abdulsalami Abubakar criticized anybody? Even Ibrahim Babangida was quiet before, respecting himself until Obasanjo started pushing and egging him to speak. You could see it wasn’t natural with Babangida coming out to attack a successor.” [myad]
Former Nigerian self-styled military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has written off the present political parties jostling for elective offices, insisting that two unique parties are ideal for the country.
“As we celebrate Eighteen years of democracy in our country, Democratic Governance has been polarized along divisive ethnic and religious lines. It is indeed worrisome that active politicians are not adhering to the rule of the game of politics. Our political parties since May 29th 1999 have no distinct ideologies with internal squabbles and cross carpeting that is not healthy to our Democracy. “It is high time we look once more on the need to build a unique two party structures in the country at this critical period of electioneering year.” Babangida, in a personal message he sent to Nigerians on Democracy Day today, May 28, however reiterate his resolve as a Nigerian to the unity and indivisibility of the country, “which our founding fathers struggled to gain from the British colonial rule. “Our journey to Nationhood and Democracy from 1960 to date has been characterized by upheavals and turbulences, yet we must cherish our commitment to remain a united country, in brotherhood and respect for one another. We must also appreciate the strength and value of our diversity, with due understanding and recognition of the interests of various ethnic nationalities in our hearts. “No doubt, Nigeria has had its share of conflicts and political instability, just like many other nations and states, but we have always survived against all odds. In our efforts to promote and protect democratic institutions, we should not forget the roles and sacrifices of our gallant armed forces in the checkered history of nation-building.” The former military President said that it would be in our own interest to look for solutions to the problems confronting us as a nation, adding that in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, we must continue to exercise democratic tenants which promote freedom and respect of one another. “While saluting the resilience of Nigerians in adopting democratic structures across the three-tiers of government for an interrupted period of eighteen years, it is my hope that the general elections next year will further consolidate democratic governance, freedom and security.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed that the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has successfully proved his position as a patriot and dependable nationalist as he turns 65.
The President, in a birthday message issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, said that Agbakoba has left his footprints in the development history of Nigeria.
Buhari commended the legal luminary for his relentless fight for the return of democracy in the country, and his sustained and purposeful effort in ensuring that the principles and practice of good democratic governance become a norm.
He described the celebrant as a human rights activist who is blessed with celebrating his many achievements over the years, “most notably his strong advocacy for the rule of law and a better life for the underprivileged.”
The President then prayed to God to grant Agbakoba longer life, more strength and wisdom to keep serving the country.
The Chief Imam of the National Mosque in Abuja, Professor Shehu Galadanchi has advised couples in ideal marriages to learn to tolerate each other as a way of prolonging the lifespan of such marriages.
He stressed that marriage institution is the most important among the human race and that like any other institution, it is bedeviled by challenges, which sometimes leads to divorce, adding that it is important to reduce the rate of divorce.
The Chief Imam, who spoke today, Monday, during a Ramadan Lecture session held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Professor Galadanci insisted that the best way to attain marital peace is through mutual tolerance.
According to him, tolerance is key to any successful marriage even as he asked couples to understand their marital rights and obligations thereby reducing the rate of divorce in the society.
The lecture session, with theme: Ideal Marriage Institution: Foundation Of An Ideal Society, was convened by the Chief Imam of the State House, Sheikh Abdulwaheed Abubakar Sulaiman with the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari in attendance.
The guest speaker at the event and Deputy Secretary General of the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), Professor Salisu Shehu, called for the institution of marital counseling in Muslim societies.
He noted that rampant cases of divorce can be attributed to the lack of understanding of rights and responsibilities between spouses, leading to unfounded and unrealistic expectations. He identified challenges in marriage as abdication of responsibilities, poverty and repulsive behavior.
Also a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Dr. Aminu Bello, observed that 15 to 20 percent of marriages dissolve within the first three years and blamed misunderstanding of the purpose of marriage among couples. He also identified misconduct and external interference among the culprits and advocated for fear of Allah among the newlyweds.
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, attended the lecture and delivered a goodwill message as well as Government officials, Wives of Governors, traditional rulers and Islamic scholars.
A faction of nPDP members led by Saraki, Dogara and Kwankwaso meet with Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
Responding to the protest registered by the leadership of new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), the Presidency, under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has risen to occasion.
A delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, is currently meeting with the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) faction. The APC delegation led by Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo is currently holding talks with the nPDP delegation led by the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, in Akinnola Aguda House. In FG delegation are Lawal Shuaib, Deputy Chairman of the APC, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ade Ipaye and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno. On nPDP side are the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki, SASpeaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal, Leader of the nPDP Kawu Baraje, Gov. Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara.
Others on the nPDP delegation are Senator Rabui Musa Kwakwanso, former Governor of Adamawa State Murtala Nyako, a former leader of the PDP Senator Barnabas Gemade, former governor of Gombe State Sen. Danjuma Goje and other House of Representatives members. Three weeks ago, the nPDP members issued a seven-day ultimatum, asking the party to address their complaints of marginalization. Their letter which was addressed to the National chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was signed by by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, former National Chairman of the former PDP bloc and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the group’s former National Secretary. Both signatories are known to be lukewarm to the alliance put together in 2014, with Oyinlola openly rejecting a board appointment and teaming up with Olusegun Obasanjo’s national coalition movement and Baraje being accused by APC members in Kwara state of being anti-Buhari. With the tone of the letter, the political bloc may just be preparing the ground to break away. The group accused the ruling APC of marginalising its members in cabinet positions, board appointments and working to block the emergence of Yakubu Dogara and Bukola Saraki as speaker and senate president in 2015. The group also listed five other sins committed against them by the APC, among them the lack of consultation of their members in decision making and the harassment of their members, which was not substantiated. They thus gave Chief John Oyegun, seven days to respond and arrange a meeting. “Given the constraining factor of available time and in the interest of our great Party, it is strongly advised that the said urgent meeting be held not later than Seven (7) days from the date of the receipt of this letter,” the letter read. Read the full text of the ultimatum here. However, after the expiration of heir ultimatum, nothing was heard from either the APC or the nPDP as regards their next line of action, save for the Leader of the nPDP to state that the faction was still part of the APC. Since the issuance of the ultimatum, this is the first meeting that is being held.
National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described both Femi Falana and Kunle Ajibade as two of kind.
He said that both of them are icons in their chosen fields with one being an outstanding lawyer and the other, an exceptional journalist and they were born in the same month, May.
In a birthday message to both personalities, the APC leader recalled that the month of May which in 1999 heralded the rebirth of democracy in Nigeria after almost 16 years of unbroken military interregnum had turned out to be significant in one other respect, and that it is the month of birth of many prominent Nigerians.
“Falana, born May 20, 1958, and Kunle Ajibade, born on May 28, 1958, recently turned 60. I say happy birthday to them and wish them long life, continued good health and renewed energy to continue to make invaluable contributions to our country.
“Both are close friends and associates, with whom I have interacted in our continuous struggle for the enthronement of true democracy, good governance and rule of law.
“Mr. Falana is a lawyer, pro-democracy and human rights activist who over time employed and continues to employ the instrumentality of the law to correct the ills of the society.
“His contributions to constitutionalism and jurisprudence know no bounds. He takes briefs from the rich to empower him to fight the injustices against the poor pro bono. Like his late mentor and comrade, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Falana is an advocate of the people, of the masses.
“Ajibade is that astute journalist and celebrated author who through his pen fought against the military junta and was particularly a thorn in the flesh of the late Abacha regime.
“He authored two popular books ‘Jailed for Life,’ his experience in prison to which he was clamped by the Abacha junta, and ‘What a Country,’ which speaks about the ills in the country.
“As both were united in their month of birth, there is also an unmistakable meeting point in their life trajectories. Both fought against successive military regimes to facilitate the emergence of democracy in the land and a country laden with respect for human rights.
“They fought to ensure Nigeria is a citadel of social justice and rule of law and generally a better place for the present generation and generations yet unborn.
“There is no doubt that both Falana and Ajibade had impacted Nigeria and Nigerians in the most profound ways.
“We thank them for their struggles. We thank them for their sacrifices. But we are not yet in the Promised Land. We enjoin the duo not to rest on their oars and to join hands with us in the All Progressives Congress, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, to make Nigeria a better place.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that in spite of daunting challenges, his government is on track to make the country great again.
“We have experienced rough times, but through good governance we have not allowed ourselves to be overawed by the existing of challenges. Overall, we are on track.”
President Buhari spoke today, May 27 at the 2018 Nigeria Democracy Day Lecture at the International Conference Centre in Abuja
The President concurred that a government elected by the people, must continually be in touch with the aspirations of the people, and work for their highest possible good.
He also agreed that weak governance is often at the core of rising inequality and unequal development resulting in social disruption and political unrest with negative impacts on growth and development.
He said that it is view of these facts that his government engaged in several rounds of dialogue and town hall meetings, targeted at peace building, between the aggrieved and in some cases warring factions and communities.
“We have worked hard to dialogue with and if they turn unreasonable decimate insurgents in various parts of the country.
“We are still grappling but successfully, with border disputes and restoring the much needed peaceful co-existence amongst our people and neighbouring countries. The rebuilding of the North East is ongoing, to return our internally displaced brothers, sisters and children to their ancestral homes.
“Our resolve to fight corruption was informed by the realisation that reducing corruption and ensuring the effective and just utilisation of public resources, are crucial for achieving sustainable growth and development in Nigeria. Corruption has been at the root of most of the development challenges of our country. There can be no progress in any facet of our national life unless we tackle and curb corruption.
“Good governance is the polar opposite to corruption. Accordingly, we will not relent in our efforts to eliminate it regardless of the opposition. It manifests itself in several forms including accelerating poverty, conflicts and civil disturbances, as those who feel short-changed, resort to violence and destruction.
“The security in the country today has considerably improved against the background of what we met in May 2015. Incidences of bombings in towns and villages have been drastically curtailed, series of plots have been averted and stopped and culprits arrested through the vigilance, patriotism and professionalism of our security agencies. The entire country has been freed from occupation of any of its parts by insurgents.
“While we grieve with our compatriots who have lost relatives and properties, we are unrelenting in equipping and preparing our troops to confront the agents of violence, who have been engaging in banditry and reckless killings in various parts of the country under whatever guise, until total victory is achieved. Again it is pertinent to note that insurgency and terrorism are world-wide phenomena affecting even the best policed nations.
“Our Economy is on the mend. We have achieved a good number of our set objectives, notably increased food production and food security; increased economic diversification into sectors that were hitherto neglected or under-explored.
“Our foreign reserves have reached new heights and the outcome in respect of investments in infrastructure expansion are manifest everywhere.”
President Buhari appreciated all those who have worked so hard with him to achieve these successes even as he assured Nigerians that they would continue to see and experience more progress, more prosperity and greater security.
He called on Nigerians to remain steadfast and to keep faith with his government, as it remains committed to peace building and good governance, to deliver the best of dividends of democracy to them.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has employed no fewer than 1000 jobless youths to clean up the state under the Enugu Clean Team Project.
Inaugurating the scheme at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, Governor Ugwuanyi said that the project was in keeping with his administration’s vision and promise to create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for the people of the state.
The governor said that the project will not only help reduce the risk of epidemics and other health hazards but will also help to improve the aesthetic outlook of the state, saying: “we are indeed hopeful that the project will help us achieve our aspiration of making Enugu the cleanest state in the country”.
According to him, the project is in line with the state government’s roadmap for generating employment and creating avenues to engage the teeming population of youths in the development process of the state.
“Accordingly, 1000 Enugu State youths have been recruited to participate in the project. This vision had also guided the creation of other youth development and empowerment schemes that are already being implemented in the state.”
Governor Ugwuanyi promised that the state government will continue to provide the team with the necessary equipment and other enablers that will it function effectively, the governor charged the newly recruited youths to approach their duties with patriotic diligence and commitment for the full actualization of the initiative.
The governor said that the task of keeping the environment clean should not be left to government agencies alone, urging residents, institutions and private agencies to join hands in ensuring a clean and healthy environment.
Earlier in his address, the Coordinator of Enugu Clean Team Project, Rev. Fr. Michael Amobi Ogbu expressed gratitude to Gov. Ugwuanyi for initiating the project and sustaining it thus far, disclosing that “we have been equipped with the needed paraphernalia for the project’s take-off, functioning effectively and efficiently”.
He added that members of the team have been trained and devoted to daily sanitation at their duty posts “on individual basis and collectively on weekends”, declaring: “There is no going back in the inner drive for “A Cleaner and Healthier Enugu State.”
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has made it clear that he was not aware of the meeting of members of new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) which was convened by of aggrieved members of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senator Saraki who spoke to Punch through his Special Adviser on Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu denied attending such meeting, adding that he was not even aware of it.
“I don’t know anything about that meeting . We learnt that Baraje issued a statement in which he made the claim. Ask him to speak more on his claims.”
Former nPDP Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje had, yesterday, Saturday, released a statement where he named the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and other APC top shots as having met to take final decision on their involvements with the ruling party.
Part of Baraje’s statement said: “The meeting was well attended by members of the nPDP including serving and former Governors, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, and other aggrieved APC stakeholders.”
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