Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has confessed that if he were Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, he would not have contested the 2015 Presidential election, which he said was the only mistake he made.
But speaking on Channels TV programme: Sunday Politics, Fayose said: “In my opinion, the only thing Jonathan did that I keep saying, that I hardly want to say, is that if I were him I wouldn’t have contested.”
The Governor said that those who encouraged Jonathan to contest the election in 2015 did not even allow him to get back home, after the defeat, before saying they had retired from politics.
“The people that went to tell Jonathan, that convinced him to run, making him to understand that at 58, when he would be done, how would a young man be 58 and say I’m done with presidency, they were the first set of people who said we have retired from politics.
“They didn’t even allow him to get home, before they said that. All leaders are coming out today to say they want to rebuild. Rebuild what? What you destroyed? You don’t have capacity to do it.” [myad]
Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on media and communications, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has warned the state governors to either reduce workers on their payroll or face the collapse of the economy.
In a statement he issued in Abuja today, Monday, Dr. Okupe blamed the dwindling financial resources of almost all the 36 states to what he called over-bloated civil service.
“Firstly, virtually all state governments in the country have over bloated civil service. At some point between 2008 and 2009, Ogun state received N2 billion monthly from the federation account and paid out N1.8b as staff salaries, wages and overhead costs!
“The total staff strength was about 50,000 while the population of the state was about 5,000,000.
“An obvious socio economic absurdity and incongruity therefore existed where 10 per cent of the population was consuming 90per cent of the wealth of the state.
“We do not need a soothsayer or an economic guru to foretell that this is unsustainable. In many States the percentage of the resources of the state that is consumed by the civil service ranges between 70 per cent to 80 per cent by not more than 10 per cent of its population.
“A basic economic dictum says ‘if expenditure cannot be controlled, then internal demands must be curtailed’.
“Without doubt, therefore, all state governments must immediately start the process of downsizing their workforce with reasonable cushions for those who will be affected.” [myad]
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has opened up on what he and President Muhammadu Buhari agreed on before they agreed to work together as President and Vice President of Nigeria.
Osinbajo who spoke at a non-denominational talkshop, The Platform organized by the Covenant Christian Centre in Abuja said that the President and himself knew and agreed on what had to happen to bring change to the nation.
“We both believed that our country needed to change. We argued about how and what needed to be done. We reached consensus on many of the major issues. “Certainly our country need a different set of values; a new way of doing business; an economy that is able to give opportunity to young people to work in their chosen professions and to build strong and profitable businesses.
“We knew that we had to provide social protection for the poorest and the most vulnerable. “We recognized that innovation and change will be key, and that we must implement and not just talk about diversification of our economy. So we led our party’s campaign on that single, simple, but profound word, CHANGE!” The Vice President said that a year after the two of them took over the mantle of leadership, many Nigerians have asked where is the change and that is this the change they voted for?
Even some fifth columnists in our midst have suggested bring back corruption! “But let me just say here for the records that the government of Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to change. “We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success. “Today we have the best opportunity in decades for profound change. It is an opportunity in a generation. A revolution whose time has come! Everything around us tells us that the moment is now! Can this change happen, yes indeed, it can! “What do you have in your hands to make it happen? We have a country that is tired of corruption, tired of leadership without values, tired of an economy that is neither designed to accommodate enterprise, nor to create opportunity and wealth for the majority. “But we have a leadership and we have a leader that is prepared to challenge the rotten status quo, one who has said that he is prepared to kill corruption rather than let it kill us,” Osinbajo declared. [myad]
Six members of the National Assembly Service Commission have described their colleague, Alhaji Idi Adamu Ningi as a liar, a traitor and a man who cannot stand by his word.
The commissioners, in a counter statement against Ningi’s claim that he did not sign any document disassociating himself from the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori as acting Clerk of the National Assembly, said that they were disappointed at his inability to stand by his word.
The statement reads: ”It has come to our attention that a member of the commission, Idi Adamu Ningi, has denied rejecting the appointment of Mohammed Sani-Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly.
“It is unfortunate that he could speak from both sides of the mouth, an action which speaks of how much of a liar and traitor he is.
“We expect that a man of his age and standing should know better than to publicly deny a position he had earlier taken in the last meeting, which held between us and the Senate President in the interest of the commission which has been brought to disrepute owing to the crisis rocking the commission.
“More so, to think that Idi Ningi could fall so cheap for financial inducement shows that he is not one to call a dependable ally, neither is he in anyway worthy of confidence. His recant demonstrates a lack of maturity that glaringly tells about his character. He is a betrayer and sellout.” [myad]
One of the Federal Commissioners of the National Assembly Commission, Alhaji Idi Ningi, has revealed how his signature indicating an attendance at a meeting with the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki was turned into a document in which he was said to have disassociated himself from the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori as the acting Clerk of the National Assembly.
Sani-Omolori’s appointment was announced through a letter by the Chairman of the Commission, Adamu Fika, last Wednesday. But Senator, who is also the Chairman of the National Assembly, in a letter to Fika, argued that Benedict Efeturi should have been considered for the position since he (Efeturi) is currently the Deputy Clerk
Sani-Omolori and Efeturi are Clerk to the House of Representatives and Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly respectively.
Ningi, in a statement said that he only signed the attendance register at the meeting held in the residence of Saraki over the appointment of Sani-Omolori and not a document disassociating himself from such appointment
The statement, titled: “I did not sign any protest letter,” reads: “On Tuesday, 26th April, 2016, I was informed of a meeting of the Commission with His Excellency, the President of the Senate in his house at 7pm of that day.
“Myself and one of my colleagues – Alhaji Rufai Tuta arrived after 7pm, having missed our way trying to locate the Senate President’s house. On arrival, we met four of our colleagues already seated – Elder Yepwi, Funmilayo Lamuye, Paul Oweh and Joseph Oru. About five minutes later, His Excellency, the Senate President walked in and after exchanging pleasantries, he spoke about the way the issue of the appointment of the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly was handled by the Commission and essentially expressed displeasure about it. My colleagues, who all spoke before me recalled their contributions at the meeting of the Commission where the decision on the appointment was taken. I spoke last and only offered apologies to His Excellency as it was apparent that he was not happy with the Commission; assuring him that we cannot annoy him intentionally. Mid-way into the meeting, the Deputy Senate President walked in and joined us.
“While I was speaking, one of my colleagues (amongst the four we met at the residence) walked towards my seat with a sheet of paper which he gave to my colleague sitting close to me – Alhaji Rufai Tuta to sign and thereafter gave it to me. I noticed the paper was merely to write our name, the zone we represent and signature to indicate our attendance at the meeting and I signed accordingly.
“I am therefore shocked and surprised to learn that I signed a document. No document was presented at the meeting and I did not sign any document but an attendance sheet.
“I could not have signed any document dissociating myself from the decision of the Commission as I had earlier (on the 19th April, 2016) in a hand written note – attached – expressed my support for the appointment of Alhaji Sani Omolori as the Clerk to the National Assembly in Acting capacity.
“Let me seize this opportunity to express my deep and sincere respect and loyalty to His Excellency, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Deputy President of the Senate – Mr. Ike Ekweremadu and to pledge my unflinching loyalty to and confidence on the Executive Chairman of the Commission – Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika.” [myad]
Republican Presidential hopeful, Donald Trump has made it clear that he is on his way to victory as he hopes to trounce rival Ted Cruz on Tuesday in Indiana.
The billionaire Presidential aspirant is given the “stop Trump” movement a moment of truth in the Midwestern state, where his campaign is struggling to win over voters ahead of a potentially decisive primary.
Trump told CNN today, Monday: “We are going to win.”
The real estate mogul told a rally in Indiana that his campaign was soaring “like a rocket ship,” and that with a new NBC poll showing him 15 percentage points ahead of his main challenger, Cruz.
“If we win Indiana, it’s over,” he said in Terre Haute.
Cruz was counting on Indiana acting as a Trump firewall, blocking him from receiving the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the nomination at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July. The Texas senator has openly stated that his goal is to snatch the nomination on a second ballot, when most delegates become free to vote for whomever they choose — but which will only be held if Trump falls short of a majority.
Trump has so far amassed 1,002 delegates, according to CNN’s tally. He now needs just under half of the 502 in play in the remaining 10 contests in order to secure the nomination on the first ballot in Cleveland.
Indiana’s winner-takes-all primary could hand the frontrunner 57 in one swoop. With momentum favoring Trump — he has won the last six contests — Cruz put on a brave face, telling reporters “the stakes are enormously high” and that he would stay in the race regardless of the Indiana outcome.
“I am in for the distance,” Cruz said, adding: “as long as we have a viable path to victory, I am competing to the end.”
Should the conservative senator fall short in Indiana, even his supporters see an extremely steep road ahead. [myad]
The Federal Inland Revenue Service has shut down the no fewer than ten companies in Port Harcourt due to their failure to remit their taxes to the Federal Government.
The state coordinator of the Service in Edo and Delta states, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, in a statement today, Monday, explained that the clampdown was in line with the directive of the FIRS management to ensure zero-tolerance for tax defaulters.
Joel-Onowakpo said that FIRS is bent on utilizing all available options to recover all liabilities from defaulting taxpayers, stressing that FIRS would not hesitate to effect the arrest of the chief executive officers and directors of the defaulting organizations.
“This exercise is being carried out throughout the country and will be enforced in all the three states within my jurisdiction starting with Rivers, followed by Edo and Delta states.
“My simple advice to the tax-paying public is that they should quickly go to the FIRS office nearest to them to file their returns, reconcile and pay up any outstanding liabilities to avoid unnecessary embarrassment because FIRS is determined to collect every kobo due to government.
“We want to stop the lukewarm attitude to paying taxes. Time has changed and the attitude towards the payment of taxes must change. Tax is the only sustainable revenue source that can help government fulfill its obligations and must be supported.” [myad]
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has asked the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to stop their demand for 56,000 Naira as a new minimum wage.
The recalled that similar salary increase in the past had not really helped the situation of the average Nigerian worker.
Addressing a congregation of Anglicans in Abuja, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh said that the agitation for salary increase can only be done when there is an improvement in the nation’s economy.
He also advised the federal government to urgently address the issue of armed Fulani herdsmen causing havoc in some parts of the country. He added that it will not augur well for the country if various communities are allowed to resort to self-help. [myad]
The ex Sunderland Cats midfielder, Adilson Tavares Varela, known as Cabral, has opened up on the alleged rape, telling the Hull Crown Court that he had consensual sex with the woman at his flat.
He denied the allegation by the woman that he was “persistent, forceful and aggressive,” adding that he stopped having sex with the woman when she asked him to.
The woman has told the jury that Varela pinned her down on his bed and raped her after they met during a night out in Newcastle.
But the footballer said there was an attraction between them and told the court they kissed and danced together before going back to his home with friends, including retired French international Anthony Reveillere.
He said the woman asked him to go into the bedroom, where they began to have sex.
When asked about her behaviour, Varela said: “It was normal. It was a normal girl who wanted to have sex with me.
“It seemed to me she was used to doing this as she was in no way ashamed.” [myad]
The Federal Government has condemned calls by some individuals and groups in the south-east geo political zone for herdsmen to leave the region.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has cautioned fellow Igbo people, especially the youths in the South East not to take law into their hands by molesting the Fulani herdsmen in their midst.
Ogbonnaya Onu, who spoke today, n Sunday at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi, said that the for the herdsmen to leave South East, with an ultimatum. This is even as he said that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed relevant agencies to take appropriate actions in halting the killings by suspected herdsmen.
The minister, who addressed news men on the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South-East stakeholders meeting said: “this situation is not pleasing to anybody but the Federal Government is desirous to achieve a peaceful, strong and united nation.
“The government appeals to south-easterners especially youths, not to take laws into their hands as a result of the development.
“The people should exercise patience, as the president has categorically condemned the herdsmen’s actions and directed that no effort should be spared in checking the situation.
“The Igbos are known globally to be peace loving and abhorrers of violence, as I enjoin them to maintain such virtue.”
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Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has confessed that if he were Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, he would not have contested the 2015 Presidential election, which he said was the only mistake he made.
