President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed not to joke with matters relating to women even as he directed the women affairs ministers to prepare a special needs of women for his government to do. The President, who felicitated with all Nigerian women as they join the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day today, reaffirms administration’s commitment to the promotion of women’s rights and the well-being of women in all geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Buhari said that the theme of this year’s International Women’s day, “Pledge for Parity,” is consistent with the promise by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to remove all impediments to the realization of equality by Nigerian women and he assures them that his administration will continue to do all within its powers to fulfil that pledge. President Buhari directed the ministry of women affairs to move quickly to identify critical issues militating against the well-being and progress of Nigerian women, with a view to rapidly devising adequate plans, programmes and strategies to address them. He wished all Nigerian women a happy International Women’s Day. [myad]
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced the immediate rehabilitation of some strategic roads within the City Centre as a way of ensuring smooth vehicular movement in and around the capital city. Some of the roads under the first phase of the programme include the total rehabilitation of M20, the hitherto dilapidated road leading to the popular Utako Motor Park; rehabilitation of road shoulders along the Shehu Shagari Way in Maitama District and Ring Road I (Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway) respectively. Others are the trimming of overgrown trees and beautification of ornamental flowers along the road leading to Defence House and IBB Way both in Maitama District, Abuja, and the provision of kerbs at the famous Unity Park close to Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Maitama, Abuja. Speaking on his plans to ensure a clean and filth free city, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello insisted that Abuja under his watch must be restored to its original clean and green concept. The minister said that he has a mandate from President Muhammadu Buhari to restore Abuja to its original Master Plan in line with the vision of its founding fathers. He, therefore, solicited for support and cooperation of residents, development partners and key stakeholders in the Abuja project to ensure that the city is kept clean at all times. Conducting Newsmen round some of the on-going works in the city, Acting Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Hajiya Safiya Umar said that the minister had ordered the Agency to ensure prompt evacuation of all refuse whether liquid, solid or construction waste. The Coordinator, who observed that the Federal Capital City has become dirty prior to the coming of Muhammadu Bello, however attributed the uncleanliness to the problem of transition period. She warned that after this massive cleaning exercise embarked upon by the Administration, anyone found dumping construction waste indiscriminately would be prosecuted accordingly. The Coordinator said that even trucks used in the indiscriminate disposal of construction waste in unauthorized places would be confiscated if found. Meanwhile, following the rehabilitation of the road leading to the Utako Motor Park, there was wild jubilation by motorists and commuters at the park who welcomed the development. They commended the FCT Administration for fixing the dilapidated road, which has not been motorable for years. [myad]
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has called for a constitutional provision to create better space in the parliament, judiciary and the executive arms of government for Nigerian women. Ekweremadu, who felicitated with Nigerian women as they mark international women Day today said that the constitutional provision would make women populate the governance of the country The Deputy Senate President was contributing to a motion moved by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (All Progressives Congress, Lagos Central) on the International Women’s Day Celebration. Ekweremadu regretted that the Eight Senate has fewer women than the Seventh Senate even as he paid glowing tributes to Nigerian women vis-a-vis their leading role in building the home and the society. “Women have done so much in our lives. Without them, many of us would not have been where we are today. Our women are loving, caring and submissive. “When God created man, He discovered that there was a gap in mankind and so He created the woman and since then, there has been a balance. The woman has been a great caregiver, has helped emotionally and has helped economically. “The African woman in particular has been most caring, loving and has done so much in our lives. I therefore join in celebrating our women for their kindness; for what they have given us; for the security in our homes. “In the last Senate we had more women than we have now and it is time for us to consider it in our constitution, a provision of proportional representation so that we can have special seats for our women in parliament, in government and also even in the judiciary, so that we will be able to ensure that at all times, like our counterparts in the Southern part of Africa, we have enough women in the governance of our country.” [myad]
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has accused universities in Nigeria of operating contrary to their missions, one of which is for them to impact positively on the Nigerian society rather than just admitting students and awarding certificates at the end of their academic exercise. The Governor who spoke today at the fourth and fifth convocation ceremonies of University of Osun at its convocation arena, main campus, Osogbo insisted that university education should impact on the society which has been bedevilled with life threatening challenges of wars, hunger and diseases. The governor who named the university auditorium after the former Governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, emphasised: “our universities are primarily suffering from the crisis of mission. “While they may have beautifully crafted mission statement, in practice, they are giving the impression that their raison d’etre is to admit students and award certificates to them at the end of their studentship. ”How impactful on our society and governance have these institutions been? We are daily beset with life threatening challenges in wars, hunger, diseases that are defying medical solutions, homelessness and just anything imaginable. Of course, it could have been worse. ”Where there is no vision, the people perish, says the holy writ. Lack of mission consciousness inevitably leads them to in-fighting and other self-inflicted crises. “It is therefore the case that apart from graduating students, another veritable product of Nigerian universities is jostling for power, influence and resources with factions as many as there are faculties and petitions as powerful and numerous as academic journals. Where there is no vision, the people perish, says the holy writ,” Aregbesola said. The Governor blamed most Nigerian University for relying on grants and subventions, adding that no serious institution will think of surviving with subventions. “Most universities are underfunded. They rely mostly on subventions from their proprietors. Yet, there is nowhere in the world where a good university lives only on subvention. “One of the disingenuous ways to fill the gap is to charge exorbitant tuition fees. While tuition is universal, it is lazy and unimaginative to make this the basis for generating revenues to sustain a university. “Universities must learn also to generate revenues through endowments and creative revenue yielding ideas in patents, copyrights and so on.” The Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Jelil Oguntola Alamu said that the University has been sustaining it’s reputation as an institution purposely established to promote academic excellence and sound moral education. He said that the institution has continued to grow in leaps and bounds with the recent accreditation of six more programmes by the National University Commission, bringing the programmes the school is running to 32 mature academic programmes. Professor Oguntola said that the university has become a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and had signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). According to the Don, the school also excelled both nationally and internationally as students of the state, who participated in debating competition organised by African Regional Inter-University Debate Competition organised by UNESCO, came 3rd overall. “Osun State University continues to sustain it’s reputation as an institution established to promote academic and moral standard. “My greatest joy today is the relative peace and high level of academic excellence attained by the institution since I became the Acting Vice Chancellor about a year ago. “Barring all odds, the University successfully completed 2014/2015 academic session promptly without any form of interruption in our academic calendar,” Prof Oguntola said. [myad]
Yunusa Dahiru, popularly known as Yellow, who alleged abducted a 14-year old Bayelsa girl, Ese Oruru, has been charged to court in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital. Dahiru is facing a five-count charge at the Federal High Court, sitting in Yenagoa. The charges included abduction, illicit sex and unlawful carnal knowledge of Oruru among others. He was alleged to have abducted Oruru and took her from her home in Bayelsa State to Kano State in August last year. Oruru, who was also alleged to have been forcefully converted to Islam, is also believed to be pregnant for Dahiru. [myad]
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has emerged the African Leadership Magazine Person of the Year, 2015, ahead of many other high-profile nominees drawn from all over Africa.
The nominees includes Strive Masiyiwa, founder, Econet Wireless; Tony Elumulelu, Chairman of Heirs Holding; Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women; Akinwunmi Adesina, President, African Development Bank; Koffi Anan, former UN Secretary General, and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader, All Progressives Congress.
The news was communicated to the former President in a letter signed by Cletus Wortoson, former Liberian Protem Senate president and chair, 2015 African Leadership Person of the Year Selection Committee.
He noted that the selection committee and the African Leadership Advisory Board placed a very high premium on Jonathan’s commitment towards deepening democracy on the continent.
“There is no one best suited at the moment than Your Excellency, to advise the continent’s leaders on the merits of good governance and enduring democracy,” the letter read.
“Your popular mantra of ‘one man one vote’ and ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’ is a message that must be preached loud and clear on the continent, hence our endorsement.
“In adopting you as our choice, we placed a very high premium on your commitment towards deepening democracy on the continent – a characteristic which is uncommon among most African leaders at the highest level today.
“Chief among the many factors we considered was your efforts towards promoting good governance in Africa-through the promotion of free and fair elections across the continent. Your recent assignment to Tanzania received accolades and international acclaim, because, you discharged the responsibility most creditably.” [myad]
Family members of the late Minister of State for Labour and productivity, James Ocholi have indicated that they smelly rat in the death of their bread winner. Ocholi died on Sunday in a road crash along with his wife, Blessing; and son, Joshua as well his driver.
The driver was accused of taking photographs and posting them to the Internet after the accident even as the family members said that he should have been unconscious. They also queried the behaviour of the driver and Ocholi’s orderly who they accused of allowing the scene of the accident to be turned into a photo session one with several photographs of the accident. The family is also working on the theory that the door by which Ocholi sat was not locked; hence he was flung out of the vehicle as it somersaulted and he could barely be recognized
The family members, led by Ocholi’s uncle, Abdallah Ali, asked the minister of labour, Dr. Chris Ngige who visited the house of Ocholi in Abuja to investigate how the driver, who eventually died, was employed and if truly some incidents happened during the trip.
“When James Ocholi was told to work with you, I knew he was in good hands because the last time I saw you was in Anambra State, we ate with you in your house as a governor. This man that just died is not a lone person. We leave this responsibility in your care. “Whoever recruited the driver and posted him should be investigated. It can happen to anybody. It can happen to any minister. It can happen because it has happened. “So, we want to know who recruited the driver and at what speed (he was driving during) to the extent that the corpse of the deceased cannot even be recognized. Can you imagine that? “I am worried. It is worrisome.” In his response, Ngige said: “The acting Permanent Secretary is here. She is the one in charge of human resources. We will find out and investigate it. “We will do, but I can tell you that our personal drivers are known to us and we both keep our personal drivers. We will find out and investigate this.” [myad]
The clerk to the then House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Boniface Emenalo has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Lugbe, how he collected $100,000 from billionaire, Femi Otedola in 2012 as part of the alleged $3 million bribe promised to the then chairman of the committee, Farouk Lawan.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) is prosecuting Lawan for allegedly “corruptly” collecting $500,000 out of the $3m bribe he requested from Otedola in exchange for the removal of the name of the businessman’s company from the list of firms indicted by the House committee for abusing the fuel subsidy regime in 2012.
Emenalo, testifying as the first prosecution witness before Justice Angela Otakula, today, said he collected the sum of $100,000 from the businessman in $100 bills.
“I came across Femi Otedola during this assignment on April 24, 2012. I received persistent calls from Mr. Otedola in the morning and reported to Lawan and he asked him to play along with him and that he was with him the previous night.
“When Otedola called again, he asked me to come over to his house, gave me the description. When I got there, he also confirmed that he was with my chairman the previous night. He gave me two bundles of dollar bills in $100 denomination. Each bundle was $50,000 making it $100,000 that were not converted.
“When I got back to the office, I wrote a memo forwarding the money to my chairman that same April 24, 2012 which he took from me.”
A copy of the memo was tendered before the court and marked Exhibit PW1 C.
The defence led by Mike Ozekhome (SAN), did not object to the admissibility of the document.
During cross-examination, Emenalo told the court that he was surprised when he read in the newspapers that Otedola actually gave him $120,000.
Emenalo, who was led in evidence by the lead prosecuting counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, said Otedola’s three companies: Zenon oil and gas, AP and Forte oil were named in the subsidy report.
Ozekhome, however, sought an adjournment to serve the prosecution notice to produce additional statement made by the witness as contained in their proof of evidence.
The judge adjourned the case to April 12 and 13, 2016 for continuation of trial and cross examination.
Justice Otakula, had on February 2, overruled the objection of the defence counsel, Mr. Sekop Zumka, to the admissibility of the documents over non-payment of the certification fees.
Emenalo was initially charged along with Lawan with respect to the bribery charges.
Both of them were first arraigned before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, then of the FCT High Court on February 2, 2013.
But a later amendment to the charges by the ICPC saw Emenalo’s name removed as a defendant.
Lawan is now the sole accused person in the case.
The case was re-assigned to Justice Adebukola Banjoko after Justice Oniyangi was elevated to the position of a Justice of the Court of Appeal.
The case was further re-assigned to Justice Otakula in Lugbe Division of the FCT High Court following the withdrawal of Justice Banjoko from the case in November 2014.
The amended charges now comprising three counts instead of the previous seven now indicate that Lawan corruptly asked for $3m from Otedola and did corruptly collect $500,000 from the business man.
The offences are said to be contrary to sections 8(1) (a) and 17(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under sections (8(1) and 17(1) of the same Act. [myad]
A 29-year old Pastor in charge of Christ Command Mission in Onicha-Igboeze, Onicha local government area of Ebonyi state, David Ibe, has been alleged to have raped one Miss Nnenaya Okute, a member of his congregation in an uncompleted building.
According to the Ebonyi state police Public Relations Officer, George Okafor, who confirmed the incidence today in Abakaliki, the state capital, the pastor lured the victim to an uncompleted building at Umuobunna Uburu and raped her. “The suspect is an impostor who is among those claiming to be pastor but dent God’s image through their atrocities.
“He has been arrested and has confessed to committing the crime, though he claimed that she refused to marry him after investing heavily on her.
“It is terrible that he choose to rape the girl for refusing to marry him, as he will be used to set example to others who commit such crimes.”
He said that investigations in the matter was still ongoing even as he warned the public to be mindful of “evil men in cassocks.’’ [myad]
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has assured Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is the leading opposition in Nigeria, would not allow the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) government to degenerate into totalitarianism.
Ekweremadu, who is the highest elected public office holder in the PDP, gave the assurances today while welcoming leaders of the party to the National Executive Council (NEC), meeting of the PDP, held at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.
“PDP has won almost all the bye elections conducted all over the country so far. I would like to thank Nigerians for their confidence and faith in PDP. I would like to assure the people that PDP would continue to serve them better and we are going to ensure that there is veritable opposition in the land.
“We are going to ensure that the government of Nigeria does not degenerate into totalitarianism. We are going to protect the rights of Nigerian citizens and hold the government responsible for their promises to the people of Nigeria.
“As a party, we will continue to be responsible in our conduct. We are going to ensure that we lead by example in the states that PDP controls.
“Once more, I would like to congratulate our National Chairman. Our party men and women all over the country and beyond believe that with you, they are going to have credible congresses and convention that will ultimately reposition our party. You can count on the support of our party members.
“We would like to enjoin the press to continue to support the PDP and to partner with us to ensure that there is good governance in our land.” [myad]
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President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed not to joke with matters relating to women even as he directed the women affairs ministers to prepare a special needs of women for his government to do.
