The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have directed the public service workers in Kogi State to stay off work on November 2 to protest against non-release of bailout funds by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The directive is contained in a statement issued by the two unions in Lokoja today.
The statement, signed by the State Secretary of the NLC, John Faniyi, and his TUC counterpart, Joseph Kolawole, expressed dissatisfaction with the non- release of the N50.8 billion bailout fund due to the state.
“This directive is to serve as protest against the non-release of the money.’’
The unions said that they were surprised over the silence by the CBN and the Federal Government.
While asking workers to fully comply with the order, the labour unions warned commissioners, permanent secretaries, directors and other categories of senior public offices not to report for work to avoid embarrassment. [myad]
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has changed from ‘judicial gang-up’ against him to having absolute confidence and respect for the same Judiciary.
He said that he was sure that the judiciary will do justice in the state governorship legal tussle even as he said that based on the April 11 election, his mandate would be upheld in the course of Appeal process
Speaking at the Stakeholders meeting at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Nyesom Wike advised the people of the state never to criticise judges despite the judicial setback, pointing out that the appeal process will correct the judicial opinion of the state tribunal.
Governor Wike dissociated himself from a statement from one of his aides describing the tribunal judgment as judicial terrorism and gang-up. He said the aide had no mandate to issue such a statement, noting that as a lawyer he respects the judiciary and knows the appellate process to seek redress.
“Be assured by the Grace of God our lawyers are working hard to file the appeal within stipulated time. I have told people that it is not in our character to cast aspersions on judges. I have also told people not to speak on my behalf to castigate judges. The tribunal is not the final appellate court on this matter. There is no need of castigating the judiciary.
“We are not one of those when judgment favours you, you says you have confidence in the judiciary. When it does not favour you, you lose confidence in the judiciary.
“I want to say in the past two days, you must have read where they quoted me as saying judicial terrorism or judicial gang-up, I never said so. And I never authorised anybody to say so on this matter”.
The governor noted that his team of lawyers are working round the clock to complete the process of filing an appeal against the judgment.
He assured the people that he is not distracted by the judgment. The governor said he is emboldened by the support of key stakeholders and the ordinary people to continue to discharge his responsibility to the people. Governor Wike told the stakeholders the Appeal Court judgment of Thursday striking out the paragraphs of the APC petition that alleged violence and crime against named and un-named security agents and political thugs has strengthened his case that will shortly go on appeal.
Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus gave assurance that the people are behind Governor Wike against the struggle by external forces to invade the state.
This was even as Senator George Sekibo insisted that Governor Wike was duly elected and his election will be updated in the course of the appeal. [myad]
Wonders will never end as Liverpool came from behind to beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Philippe Coutinho scored twice to nail the much-prized Chelsea and pile pressure on under-fire manager Jose Mourinho.
The Blues have endured a torrid start to the season – winning just three times – and headed into the game with questions persisting over Mourinho’s future, though Ramires opened the scoring with a fourth minute header.
The Reds hit back, however, with Coutinho curling a brilliant effort past Asmir Begovic from the edge of the box to level the scores prior to half-time.
Coutinho then grabbed his second in the 74th minute, his effort deflecting off John Terry, before Christian Benteke completed the scoring with a low finish from just inside the box 10 minutes later. [myad]
Imo State-born screen diva, Genevieve Nnaji, a single-mother has confessed that she is still single because she is afraid of divorce.
“If I get married, I really want to stay married and staying married is not an easy thing. It means you are completely in tune with your partner.
It means you have found your soul-mate because you will have to be able to stand a lot of disappointments that would definitely come but then again you have to learn to forgive,” she said in an interview. [myad]
The Kogi state governor, Captain Idris Wada has given an undertaken to ensure that the next governor of the state after him comes from one of the minority areas of the state.
Wada said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under which he is contesting the November 21 governorship election, will break another ground by being the first to actualize the aspiration of the people for power rotation. Addressing a crowd of party supporters who thronged the rally ground in Okene for the PDP Governorship Campaign Flag-off in Kogi state, the governor asked the people of the state to re- elect him for a second term.
He said that his administration has fulfilled most of the promises made to them and is in the process of consolidating on the gains.
At the campaign rally, which saw most of the PDP chieftains canvassing support for Wada, the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekerenmadu, Ondo state governor Olusegun Mimiko and former Chairman of the party, Dr. Ahmadu Ali extolled the virtues of the incumbent governor and urged the people to vote him rather than the APC candidate whom they said cannot be trusted with power. [myad]
Angry staff members of the Lagos State University (LASU) are celebrating the exit of the embattled Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor John Obafunwa.
The tenure of the Vice Chancellor, who was appointed the 7th Vice Chancellor of LASU by the immediate past governor, Babatunde Fashola on November 1, 2011 bowed out as his tenure ended.
Four staff unions have begun a week-long activities to celebrate his exit which include prayer and fasting and would end on Monday, November 1. Within a year, Professor Obafunwa experienced violent students protest in January 2013 and was rescued and smuggled out in disguise by the police to escape the wrath of the angry students over the closure of the registration portal. His administration settled down after the protest and Obafunwa was able to hold two convocations uninterrupted, but the third one was marred by a violent protest by the four staff unions over unmet demands and arrest of their members. On November 2014, in what appeared to kick start his second term ambition, the VC rolled out the drum to celebrate 3rd year of his administration. But the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) faulted the achievements and credited some of it to the former VC, Professor Lateef Hussien. According to the VC, on assumption of office, his administration set out and has continued to pursue without distraction, a strong mission on the LASU project, meant to reposition the university for excellence and re-package its academic programmes for the purpose of fulfilling the contemporary academic needs and challenges of the 21st Century and producing graduates that are employable and also as employers of labour. In the 48-page document titled “1095 days in office,” the VC said his administration worked tirelessly at ensuring prompt response to students matters, scholarships and bursary, regular matriculation exercise for newly admitted students, staff and students identification cards, review of students handbook, LASUSU e-voting system, management interactive session with students while on accreditation, he disclosed that relevant bodies accredited its professional courses. On establishment, resuscitation and repackaging of academic programmes, he said some rested courses were repacked which include, LASU External System, LASU Foundation, open and distance learning institute, pre-degree science programme, internal part-time programme. Other achievements are staff promotion, prompt payment of salaries, production of 56 doctorate degrees, provision of loan to staff, payment of 17 months arrears of salary increment, resuscitation of TETFUND, renovation of staff quarters, robust welfare package, promotion of sports and recreational activities, improved internet services, beautification of LASU, hosting of Governor Fashola’s 2,200 days in office. On March 16, 2015 Prof Obafunwa was chased out of the campus by the workers, he has not used his office till date. He has been operating from his personal office at the Lagos State University College of Medicine. The two large banners were placed at the Main gate along the Badagry Expressway and the Iba Expressway of the university and every day the date is changed by an unknown person to reflect the number of days remaining for Professor Obafunwa’s tenure to end. At a briefing as part of activities to mark his exit, the four staff unions appealed to the governing council to appoint an acting VC to replace Obafunwa whose tenure ended today, October 31 to avert a vacuum in the administration of LASU. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have spoken glowingly about the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro III who died yesterday, Friday, in Germany after a brief illness at the age of 77.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President sympathized with the late Emir’s family and the people of Borgu Emirate over whom he said the deceased ruled for many years with “commendable wisdom, benevolence and an uncommon dedication to duty.”
The President also sympathized with the government and people of Niger State on the death of the traditional ruler, saying he would be long remembered and honoured for his notable contributions to the development of his community, state and country,
The statement reads in part, “The President joins them in mourning Alhaji Haliru, a friend and associate of many years, with whom he shared the vision of a peaceful, politically stable, united, progressive and prosperous Nigeria to which every citizen will be proud to belong.
“President Buhari will forever treasure his memories of the late Emir as a great patriot, indefatigable unifier and bridge-builder who did his utmost best as a political leader and traditional ruler to strengthen the bonds that bind all Nigerians together in the interest of national peace, harmony and progress.
In a statement issued by Tinubu’s media unit, the former Lagos governor said that it was unfortunate that the Emir passed away less than 48 hours after he visited him and witnessed how he was gradually recovering.
Tiubu lamented that the Emir’s death is ”most painful coming at such a critical time when Nigeria was in dire need of his forthrightness and wisdom.”
Below is full statement:
I received with shock, disbelief and great sadness the death of the Emir of Borgu in Niger State, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro Kitoro III [Mai Borgu]. It is a upsetting that the Emir passed away less than 48 hours after I visited him and witnessed how close he was to full recovery. He was full of life, jovial and eager to return to Nigeria this weekend . I feel a profound sense of personal loss on the sudden passing away of my royal father, a friend, brother and above all a confidant and supporter.
His death is most painful coming at such a critical time when Nigeria was in dire need of his forthrightness and wisdom. He was a man who loved Nigeria truly. His patriotism was never in question. His loyalty was never in doubt. Nigeria for him was a nation of promise with diverse people bound together in one fate. He did not just dream of a totally united nation in word and deed; he worked tirelessly,day and night to seek to build bridges where there were none and to unite friends and foes. He was a people’s person and everywhere in Nigeria for him was home. He was highly progressive in his orientation and practice.
Whenever the history of this epoch is written, he will be reserved several pages for his sacrifice for Nigeria, his love for country and its people and his unmatchable contribution to building a better and just society. Through his career as a public servant , a Senator and later a prominent royal father, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, Kittoro III made sacrifices and contributed immensely to nation building. He will not be forgotten because his likes are rare.
I came to know him very personally before he turbaned me the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom. But thereafter, we became brothers, just like family. He never left me alone and I never left him alone either. We shared a common bond. A common patriotic desire to see Nigeria rise up to her full potentials. We were fired up in our belief that though the journey to nation hood may be long and tortuous , Nigeria had what it takes to attain greatness. We both shared the responsibility of contributing our time, resources and intellect to these onerous task.
He was a major team player in the struggle for the new political dispensation we now enjoy in Nigeria today. He died a fulfilled man even though he went away early. I condole with the President Muhammadu Buhari, who has also lost a friend and brother and the people of Nigeria and also my condolences to his fellow Emirs and Obas.
Above all, I condole with his family and relatives and also with his friends across the length and breath of this country. May Allah grant his soul eternal peace.” [myad]
The Nigeria Immigration Service in Kogi has reminded foreigners that they have no voting right in the November 21 governorship election in the state.
The Controller of the Service in the state, Baba Zakari, who addressed representatives of Ghanaian and Nigeriene nationals resident in Kogi advised them to steer clear of the polling centres and units on the Election Day, saying that immigrants had no right to vote in any government-organized elections in the country.
The Controller said that though nationals of ECOWAS countries who have genuine travel documents could reside in any part of the country to carry out their legitimate businesses, but that they have no voting rights.
“You have no right to take part in any elections in this country. If any of you has registered, it is illegal and you should not take part in the election because Immigration officials will be at all the polls.”
He made it clear that violators would be promptly apprehended and arraigned accordingly.
He said that all the registered political parties in the state had, at a meeting with the Police Command, pledged to promote free and fair election.
“The parties were told not to mobilize non-nationals to vote for them.” [myad]
In raising this point of observation, there are one or more questions that need to be answered. We may also need to do some kind of calculations to enable for reasonable conclusion to be drawn without any bias, for the objective minds. First of all, what period of time does the current corrupt charges against Senator Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal cover? What did the then General and now, President Muhammadu Buhari say about the period from where his war against corruption would commence if he won the Presidential election? Let’s attempt answers: In clear term, Saraki was governor of Kwara state between May 29, 2003 and May 29, 2011, four clear years before Buhari formally assumed the position as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Code of Conduct Bureau’s 13-count-charge of corruption and false declaration of assets covered only that period (2003 – 2011). Part of the charges in the charge sheet, number ABT/01/15, dated September 11, 2015, and filed before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, included offences ranging from anticipatory declaration of assets to making false declaration of assets in forms he filed before the Code of Conduct Bureau while he was governor of Kwara state (up to 2011, over four years ago).
According to the charges, the Senate President is also accused of failing to declare some assets he acquired while in office as governor, also within the same period. He is also accused of allegedly acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings and operating foreign accounts while being a public officer – governor and senator. The offences, the charge said, violated sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended. He is also said to have breached Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. What was the position of Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) before the election? On March 12 this year, shortly before the election, Buhari said in Kaduna that he would not probe leaders who had been overseeing Nigeria’s affairs from 1999 till date.
Buhari who took his campaign to Kaduna, for the zonal rally held at the International Trade Fair said in Hausa language: “On the issue of past corrupt leaders facing trials in various courts across the country, I would allow the courts to decide on those cases, but whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of searing-in, would be pardoned. I am going to draw a line. Anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will face the music.” Also the All Progressives Congress (APC), through its National chairman, Chief John Oyegun said that Buhari will not immediately launch into probes of past leaders, politicians and officials who have stolen from the country when elected president, insofar as they repent. Oyegun, who spoke in Benin said that Buhari will concentrate primarily on solving Nigeria’s many problems left behind by past leaders, adding: “his message will be clear: whatever you did before that was detrimental to the people of this country, please stop it, change has come.” Oyegun stressed that while Buhari would be willing to give officials who stole in the past a chance to mend their ways, he will come down hard on those bent on continuing with corruption.
APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun
Now the question: is it true that the Code of Conduct Bureau carried out verification of the assets and ascertained the claims made by Saraki when he was governor? Why should the Bureau wait till 12 years later to be pointing out an alleged inconsistencies in a document submitted to it in 2003? Is it true that Saraki submitted asset declaration form to the Bureau in 2007, 2011 and 2015? If Buhari and APC promised, before elections that a line would be drawn between the past and the future in the battle against corruption, why would the agency of the government now look backward to corruption allegedly committed before May 29, 2015? Where was Code of Conduct Bureau between 2003 and 2011 when the then Governor Saraki was said to have made false declaration of his assets? Why would the Bureau not take him to task in all that period? Why did the Bureau never write to Dr. Saraki to complain of any inconsistency in his asset declaration forms in all these years? Even more appropriately, why did Bureau not frame the same charges against him all through the period he was campaigning in his Kwara constituency for the senate between 2014 and 2015, even up to the time he won the senate seat? Why now that he is the Senate President? [myad]
“Of course, Nigeria is broke,” was the answer which President Muhammadu Buhari gave when he spoke with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Channels Television in New Delhi, India, where he attended the 3rd India-Africa Summit. The President asked: “Where is the money? “This country was materially vandalized and morally so and you are in a position to know even more than myself unless you are testing my knowledge whether I know it or not.” Buhari, who defended his administration’s slow pace in the development of infrastructure, insisted that there is no money to embark on projects and that the government could not even afford to pay salaries, a situation which he said, degenerated to a level that the Federal Government had to help 27 of the 36 states to pay salaries. “You must have known that the Federal Government had to help 27 of the 36 states to pay salaries. Nigeria cannot pay salaries. “The Federal Government itself had to summon the governor of the Central Bank to see how it would pay salaries not to talk of the agreements we signed with foreign countries, counterpart funding and so on.
Also a news conference after the Summit in India, Buhari stressed that would like to be remembered as a Nigerian president who fought corruption to a standstill and has therefore asked Nigerians who are not involved in corruptly enriching themselves with public funds not to be afraid. President Buhari said he would not lose sleep over criticism that he was being selective in the fight against corruption even as he called on the elites to encourage him to get whoever had compromised his position and the trust given to him. He assured that he would remain resolute in the fight against corruption and would want to be remembered for that when it is all said and done. He listed his administration’s three main focus to include security, economy and the fight against corruption. On the economy, critics of his administration said he was too slow in addressing economic and infrastructure challenges in a country yearning for development, a criticism he has responded to, saying: “They call me baba go slow, but I will go slow and steady.” [myad]
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