The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has said that the outgoing Governor Olusegun Mimiko is planning to abscond before the expiration of his eight years tenure on February 23 that he is supposed to handover.

“Mimiko is making plans to relocate to Canada or China, thereby evading possible arrest by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for interrogation and prosecution and to launder his last minutes’ loots.

In a statement today, Tuesday by the publicity secretary, Abayomi  Adesanya, the party said: “If this happens, it will create complexities and pit-holes in the smooth take-off for incoming Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

“Mimiko’s plan is designed to create complexity and pit-holes in the smooth take-off of the new administration as against the seamless transition he once promised.

“The governor has concluded plans to proceed on a 10-day vacation and to delegate power to his deputy to act as governor prior to the handing over date.

“He had transmitted a notification letter the state House of  Assembly  under  the  leadership  of  the  former  Speaker, Ms Jumoke  Akindele,  some  days  before  her  removal  from  office  over  N15 million fraud  allegation.

“This arrangement failed because the  former  Speaker  could  not announce or read  the  governor’s  vacation  letter  at  the plenary  as  a  result  of  her  removal.”

Adesanya alleged that Mimiko planned to sneak out of the country to a neighbouring country through the land border, before travelling through a chartered flight to either Canada or China.

“We,  therefore,  call  on  security  agencies to beef-up security  and surveillance in and around the country’s borders to prevent the  outgoing governor  and  his  cronies from  escaping with alleged state’s looted funds,’’ he stated.

Reacting to the allegation, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, described it as the imagination of the writer.

He said, “I’m a member of the transition committee and am aware that the governor and the governor-elect met three days ago to fine-tune the transition programme and they had useful discussion.

“I am aware that there are lined up projects to be commissioned by the governor between now and the handover day, so if somebody is coming up that the governor is planning to proceed on vacation, that means such person is coming from outer space.

“This is concocted information. There is no outer of truth in what he is saying.”

NAN. [myad]

The Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu Gambari has said that traditional rulers will continue to rally support for President Muhammadu Buhari for the success of his administration.

The Emir spoke today, Thursday, when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, along with six other ministers paid him a courtesy visit in his palace. The visit was on the side-lines of the Federal Government Town Hall meeting for the North Central zone.

The Emir said: “speaking on behalf of majority of traditional rulers of this county, we will offer help anytime and anywhere we are called upon.

“We trust the president of this country, we know him to be a man of discipline and we hope he can tidy up things that are very rough now.

“We pray that on his sojourn to England, he will get better and return to us in good health so that he can continue the good work that the majority of Nigerians expect.”

The Emir also expressed confidence in members of cabinet of the president, particularly those on the entourage.

“When the names of ministers were made public, we said, yes, this time around, we are very serious and ready for good governance.

“Though it took time for Mr President to name his cabinet but it is better late and to select good hands that can deliver.

“We are very optimistic that this administration will make positive impact on the nation and the people.”

The monarch called on Nigerians to support the change agenda of the administration.

Earlier, the Information minister said they were in the palace to pay homage to the monarch after the town hall meeting for the North central states of Kwara, Kogi and Niger.

He also said that they were particularly impressed with the quality of traditional rulers that attended the town hall meeting from the three states.

The minister noted that the town hall meeting was a very robust engagement with the people and they would take the recommendations therefrom to the president for consideration.

He thanked the Emir for his role in ensuring peace in his domain and the country.

(NAN). [myad]

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, has narrated the issues he discussed on phone with President Muhammadu Buhari who is now going through medical attention in the United Kingdom.

“Let me first say the President is hale and hearty. I spoke to him just this afternoon and we had a fairly long conversation, he is in good shape and very chatty.

“The President was interested in knowing about the budget process and how far we had gone’’, especially with efforts aimed at taking the country out of recession.

“As you know we had a meeting today with the private sector on the economic recovery and growth plan and he was interested in knowing what was happening with that, with the economic recovery and growth plan and what we are doing with the private sector.”

“And of course I informed him of what we are seeing, the protest matches and some of what the feedback is, what people are saying about the economy and all of that,’’ Osinbajo added.

The Acting President, who spoke to news men today, Monday, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, said: “just as he has said in his letter to the National Assembly, he needs to go through a cycle of tests and once the test results are seen, he will receive medical advice. We should expect him very soon.”

The Acting President said that at the appropriate time the President will be able to discuss his health status, adding: “before you determine your health status, you must be able to run the necessary tests, and do what doctors have asked to be done, and await the outcome of that before one can talk about any kind of health status.” [myad]

No fewer than 285 drivers have been declared wanted in connection with the disappearance of 3.5 million truck tyres from the store of Dangote Group and other theft. The missing tryes have the company’s imprints.

The Coordinator of the company’s National Patrol Unit, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji, a retired Commissioner of Police, told newsmen in Lokoja that each tyre of the company had an identification number and the number was registered against the driver’s name at collection point.

”Already, 285 drivers identified to have collected 285 tyres have been declared wanted while a number of others are on the run. Already, we have stopped their salaries and we are looking for them. So far, about 3.5 million tyres are missing from the company and we believe they are in circulation within and outside the country. We are determined to recover them.

”We are appealing to those patronizing the drivers and who encouraged them to steal our tyres to stop forthwith. Dangote tyres are customized and marked. Dealers and vulcanisers should please beware.

”People should ensure that the tyres they buy either as new or second hand are not customized Dangote tyres. We have arraigned some drivers and dealers caught with tyres and efforts are being made to arrest vulcanisers involved,” he said.

According to Magaji, security agents are presently on the trail of an identified kingpin who comes to Obajana and Kano to buy the tyres of the drivers.

“Our appeal to vulcanisers is to always look out for our logo on the tyres and report accordingly,” the coordinator said.

He said that the president of the group of companies, Dr. Aliko Dangote, had expressed concern over the incident, adding that the company was trying by all means to stop the ugly development.

The former commissioner of police appealed to those in custody of the tyres to return them “quietly,” either to the company or to the nearest police station to avoid unpleasant consequences, if caught.

He expressed Dangote’s gratitude to the media for sensitizing Nigerians on the zero-tolerance disposition of the management of the company for reckless driving and illegal haulage.

Magaji noted that while illegal haulage had dropped by about 85 per cent, accidents involving Dangote vehicles had reduced drastically, adding that a silent revolution was going on in the company’s transport section to sanitize it.

(NAN). [myad]

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed the feeling of the Presidency to the hardships which Nigerians are going through.

Professor Osinbajo admitted, in his opening remarks at the consultative forum between the Economic Management Team (EMT) and the Private Sector on the Economic Recovery Growth Plan, which is to be launched later this month that Nigerians have the right to complain about the slowness of the economy.

“We hear you clear; those who are on the streets protesting the economic situation and even those who are not, but feel the pain of economic hardship. We hear you loud and clear. You deserve a decent life and we are working night and day to make life easier.”

The Acting President recalled the words of President Buhari a few months ago quoting Buhari as having said: “I know that uppermost in your minds today is the economic crisis, the recession for many individuals and families is real. For some it means not being able to pay school fees, for others it is not being able to afford the high cost of rice, millet, or of local or international travel. And for many of our young people the recession means joblessness, sometimes after graduating from university or polytechnic.

I know how difficult things are, and how rough business is. All my adult life I have always earned a salary, and I know what it is like when your salary simply is not enough. In every part of our nation people are making incredible sacrifices.”

Osinbajo said that the journey out of the damage caused by years of neglect and corruption is bound to be difficult but that there is a glorious light at the end of the tunnel.

“Let us work together, steadfastly and patiently for the economic change that will come very soon.” [myad]