The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has expressed shock and sadness over the death of Alhaji Tijani Adeyemi, who was the Senate Correspondent for Tribune Newspapers.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, the Senate President regretted that Adeyemi’s death had robbed the nation of one of the richest handlers of the institutional memory of the National Assembly.
Quoting from a letter to the widow, Alhaja Mamunat Adeyemi, Akpabio said: “Though your husband and I were not particularly close, but my information is that he was a very peaceable and gentle in all his dealings.
“To his colleagues, he was a very diligent journalist whose assiduous dedication to duty made him one of the most established journalists in the National Assembly.
“I am informed that he qualifies to be so described as the doyen of the National Assembly Press Corp, having covered the Fourth National Assembly from about its establishment.
“Though he has crisscrossed the media terrain from broadcast to print under different organisations, it was the outstanding streak in legislative reporting that made the various organisations he worked for to post him to the National Assembly.
“The institutional memory of the National Assembly and his rich flair in legislative reporting shall surely be missed.

“On behalf of my Distinguished Colleagues, I pray God to comfort you and your four children.
“I join you to pray for the repose of his soul in Aljannah Friddaus.”

Presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Atiku Abubakar has asked Nigerians join him in the campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and morality for the leaders of the country.
Atiku spoke to newsmen today, October 5, on the issues he said “define the future of elective government and legitimate leadership in our country.”
He reminded Nigerians that he is a democrat by conviction and he is a citizen of “a country that I love.”
According to him, the issues at stake (President Bola Tinubu’s certificate matter) require the citizens to re-dedicate themselves to both the country and the constitution.
“This quest is not for or about Atiku Abubakar. It is a quest for the enthronement of truth, morality, and accountability in our public affairs.
“In line with this, therefore, I am calling on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thought, our religious leaders, our traditional leaders, our community leaders, our political leaders, and in particular, Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP and, the leaders of every political party in Nigeria, and, indeed, every single person who loves this country, as I do, and who wishes nothing but the best for the country, as I do, to join me in this campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and the basic principles of justice, morality and uprightness in our country and in our government.
“This is a task for each and every one of us.”

Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris has expressed wonder why Nigerians would put up the leadership structure they still don’t trust.
He said that when he assumed office, the first thing he assured Nigerians was that he would tell them the truth about the activities of the government of Bola Tinubu.
The minister, who addressed members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers GOCOP today, October 5, at its 7th Annual Conference which ended in Abuja today, said that the first reaction he got was for some social media to say that it was the beginning of lies.
“You have to trust the person you have elected, and that’s the only way you can hold him accountable when he goes overboard.”
He called on members of GOCOP to be the vanguards of promoting positive reports on Nigeria on social media, saying that it is crucial to the Socio-Economic growth and development of the country.
The minister said that one strategic component of the roadmap for socio-economic recovery and sustainability should be the projection of the country in a good light.
He said that by so doing, foreign direct investment and other developmental plans of the country would be achieved.
“If you say you want foreign direct investment, you want Nigeria to grow, and you want every good thing that happens to all great countries in the world to happen in this country, you must be prepared to project your own country; nobody else will do it for us.”
The Minister asked GOCOP members to carry out their responsibility with patriotism and professionalism.
He said that the good things happening in the country far outweigh the bad things, and that they should be projected.
“As Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, you have this great responsibility to ensure that you report only the truth and to help government officials to also tell the truth; it is your responsibility and you have to uphold it.”
The minister urged the Guild not to relent in its quest to sanitize and get rid of fake news carried by online media but to continue to sustain its peer review system and disciplinary measures against erring members.
Mohammed Idris reiterated the government’s commitment to return credibility to the business of government in the country while urging Nigerians to be optimistic with the present administration of President Tinubu.
The president of the Guild, Maureen Chigbo said that the Guild will continue to ensure that it upholds professionalism which its members are known for.
She said that not all online publishers are members of the Guild due to its insistence on a strict mechanism to check and sanction erring members who do not play by the rules.
“We will continue to work towards making sure that our members are professionals because professionalism is our watchword.”
The event had in attendance Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman; Registrar JAMB, and many others.

One of the ministerial nominees at yesterday’s Ministerial screening in the Senate, Balarabe Lawal, has said that he Collapsed because he exhausted.
Reacting to the trending news about his collapse
during the screening exercise at the Senate, Balarabe stressed that it was a result of exhaustion but that he is “alright now.
“I’m alright now. I’ve been treated, and I’m alright now. It was basically exhaustion,” he told journalists.
Balarabe, a native of Kaduna State, was screened alongside other nominees, Jamila Ibrahim (Kwara) and Ayodele Olawande (Ondo), to join 45 ministers previously approved by the Senate in August this year
The screening came after President Bola Tinubu forwarded their names in a letter read on the floor of the legislative chamber on Tuesday, seeking its confirmation of the nominees.
As the screening went on yesterday, Balarabe, who was the second to be called up after Ibrahim, collapsed after concluding his introduction, causing several people present to rush to his aid.
About an hour later, the nominee exited the chamber wearing a wry smile.
His nomination was later confirmed alongside his fellow nominees.

President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Maureen Chigbo has assured stakeholders that members of the Guild are professional journalists and mediaprenneurs.
“We are mediapreneurs, not just journalists,” adding that the Guild used to screen intending members well before admittance.
She emphasized that there is a peer review process within GOCOP that disciplines erring members.
Maureen Chigbo, who spoke yesterday, October 4, at a pre Annual Conference luncheon of GOCOP with the stakeholders in Abuja, said that the Guild is made up of seasoned journalists of thoroughbred practitioners.
She said that the luncheon is an opportunity for the stakeholders and Nigerians to meet GOCOP members one on one.
“We cherish the relationship we share with you people and we want it on sustainable or long-term basis.”
Maureen Chigbo, who was later re-elected for another two years, said that online publishing has come to stay.
“You need to know that we are not quacks but seasoned professionals. Some of us have managed the regular media houses successfully.
“You have a chance to tell us what worries you have in engaging with the media. You can put a face to the online organisations you interact with you.”
She emphasized that the Guild would continue to bring professionalism to play in all their roles.
She explained that the business luncheon with media managers is aimed at getting feedback from media managers, advertisers and sponsors of the yearly conference.
“You always invite us, so today, we invite you. You cant have this number when you invite us.

A police constable, Belasa Iyangedue, who allegedly confessed to have raped a 16-year-old girl while in detention has been dismissed by the Benue State Police Command.
The state Commissioner of Police, Batholomew Onyeka, who made this known at a news briefing in Makurdi, said that the Nigeria Police Force, as a disciplined organisation, would not tolerate such infraction on the ethics of the profession.
He said that the dismissed constable committed the crime at Tse Agbaragba Divisional Police Station in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state and that he is already facing prosecution.
“The police is a disciplined organ of government and being the statutory organ for crime fighting and crime management, people of such character cannot be allowed to be in the system. He was not only dismissed, he is facing prosecution.”
The victim was said to have been detained at the police station on August 15 over an offence bordering on defamation of character.
The case was reported against her by one Ngunan Iorhaa.
A First Information Report, (FIR) at the Magistrate Court Makurdi said that the constable committed the crime on August 16, 2023, around 2pm.
It said that while in detention, the constable went into the female cell and took her into an office where he forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.
The victim, after her release on bail the next day, reported the incident to the Divisional Police head.
The FIR indicated that during investigation, Iyangedue was arrested and he confessed to committing the offence, which is against Section 284 of the Penal Code Law of Benue State 2004.