Presidential candidate of The Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has questioned the rational in declaring the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB a terrorist group by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In an interview with Channels Television today, October 5, Peter Obi said that IPOB members live around him and do not constitute a threat to the country.
“The only thing I disagree with is naming IPOB terrorist; they are not terrorists. “Those who took the decision may have information that I don’t have.
“I stay in Onitsha, and I can tell you that they are people. I pass them on the road every day.
“I meet and live with them; in fact, I usually see people gathering, and I have never had the sense of threat or molestation from them, even when they gather,” he said.
The Nigerian government had long proscribed IPOB, declaring it a terrorist organization for pursuing the creation of Republic of Biafra out the Nigerian state, and doing so violently.
Members of the group have killed many police officers, soldiers, destroyed government structures, including police stations across Igbo land.
Congress of University Academics (CONUA), an academic Union in the Nigerian universities just registered, ostensibly as rival to the embattled Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has resolved not to allow university education to be traumatized by academic Union.
In a statement today, October 5, the National Coordinator of CONUA, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, described the registration of the Union as monumental and historic.
“The registration of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), as a trade union in the Nigerian university system, is monumentally historic. The hurdles we have faced to get here, since 2018 when we submitted our application for registration, have been seemingly insurmountable.
“The registration is therefore the validation of the power of the human will. It asserts the value of courage, initiative, focus, tenacity, patience, forbearance and persistent positive thinking.
“We are immensely grateful to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, and his team of diligent staff for insisting on merit, due process and thoroughness all through the processing of our application for the registration of CONUA. “The very strict and dispassionate review of our application brought out the best in the membership of the union.
“We regard the registration of CONUA as a sacred trust, and pledge to reciprocate by devoting ourselves unceasingly to the advancement of university education in this country.
“We would make the details of our programmes available to the public in due course. “For now, we are giving the assurance that we would work to ensure that the nation is not traumatised again by academic union dislocations in the country’s public universities.
“We are also deeply grateful to the numerous personalities and well-wishers whose good counsel and concrete actions have facilitated the success we have witnessed today.
“We believe in the saying that to whom much is given, much is expected. “We would therefore constantly strive to make them all proud of CONUA.”
A Nigerian constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN has cried foul over the registration of splinter academic unions of universities which he said will neither dismember nor disorganize the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Falana, in an interview today, October 5, in Arise TV’s Newsday, described the registration as illegal and a desperate measure by the government to break the strike.
According to Falana, ASUU has been at the forefront of sanitizing the Nigerian university system looking for funding to power the universities.
“Government has tried various measures but the latest one is perhaps going to embarrass the government because it is an illegal exercise and won’t work. ASUU is today one of the most organised and united trade unions in Africa.
“Under the current Labour Law regime in Nigeria, you cannot have two unions or three unions in the same sector. In other words, within the academia in Nigeria, there can only be one registered trade union that is the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) registered pursuant to the Trade Union Act as amended.”
He said that the development will result in proliferation of academic unions, adding that the economy will suffer for it.
“We are going to have to have a mushrooming of trade unions, which threatens industrial peace in the country. We cannot have two unions in the university nor can we have two unions in other unions in the country. Politically it wont work.”
He advised the government to return to the drawing table and ensure that proper advice is sought in order not to expose the country to ridicule.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has said it does not bother over the registration of two new unions by the government for academic staff in the university system.
The National President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, while reacting to the registration of the two new unions said: “that does not in any way affect us. We are a disciplined and focused union and we know what we are doing and what we are after. Let them register as many unions as they like. That is inconsequential as far as we are concerned.
“We are not also in any way threatened. The sky is big enough for birds to fly.
“We know our members, we know our strength and we also know what our vision and mission are. Our members are not saboteurs or bootlickers . “Our struggle is for a better educational system in the country. If the system is good, all of us will benefit and it is not only ASUU members’ children and wards that are going to benefit from improved funding and the provision of better facilities in our institutions.”
The Federal Government has dealt a mighty blow on the embattled Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by giving official recognition to splinter groups; the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).
The new university-based academic unions were presented with certificates of registration yesterday, October 4, at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who announced this in his office in Abuja, said the two unions would operate along with ASUU, whose members have been on strike, abandoning classrooms in the last more than seven months.
Reacting to the development, the National Coordinator of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, described the registration of the body as historic.
Sunmonu in a statement said: “The registration of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, as a trade union in the Nigerian university system is monumentally historic.
“The hurdles we have faced to get here, since 2018 when we submitted our application for registration, have been seemingly insurmountable. The registration is, therefore, the validation of the power of the human will. It asserts the value of courage, initiative, focus, tenacity, patience, forbearance and persistent positive thinking.
“We are immensely grateful to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and his team of diligent staff for insisting on merit, due process and thoroughness all through the processing of our application for the registration of CONUA. “The very strict and dispassionate review of our application brought out the best in the membership of the union.
“We regard the registration of CONUA as a sacred trust and pledge to reciprocate by devoting ourselves unceasingly to the advancement of university education in this country. We will make the details of our programmes available to the public in due course. “For now, we are giving the assurance that we will work to ensure that the nation is not traumatised again by academic unions’ dislocations in the country’s public universities.
“We are also deeply grateful to the numerous personalities and well-wishers whose good counsel and concrete actions have facilitated the success we have witnessed today. We believe in the saying that to whom much is given, much is expected. We will, therefore, constantly strive to make them all proud of CONUA.
“We appreciate the entire membership of the union for believing in the righteousness of the CONUA cause and for believing in the leadership of the union, and thereby remaining salutarily steadfast, even when disconcerting and demoralising situations arose.
“In this journey, the invaluable role of the media cannot be discounted. We are truly grateful to the media and look forward to furthering mutually beneficial interactions as we strive for the development of this nation. Above all, we are absolutely grateful to Almighty God for granting us this grace.”
It will be recalled that public universities in the country have been shut down since February,14, as ASUU proceeded on a one-month warning strike, which later snowballed into an indefinite strike.
In 2016, the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife chapter of ASUU was enmeshed in a crisis and as usual, leaders and members of the union took the matter to the national leadership for resolution. However, instead of the crisis being resolved, some of the members felt the national leadership took sides with the leaders of the local chapter that they had grouse with. The issues dragged till 2018 and when the aggrieved members waited endlessly for a solution that did not come, they formed CONUA. Since it was formed, it struggled to get registered until that was done yesterday. The body now has members in 12 universities across the country, including OAU, Federal University, Lokoja, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Federal University, and Oye-Ekiti in Ekiti State, among others. The incessant face-off between ASUU and the government no doubt hastened the registration of CONUA.
Nigeria has been re-elected as a Council member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is the United Nations specialised agency that oversees global telecommunication operations.
With the election yesterday, October 3 in the capital city of the Republic of Romania, Nigeria will serve on the Council again from 2023-2026. The election was the highpoint of the Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 (PP-22) in Bucharest.
A statement today, October 4, by the Director of Public Affairs of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Reuben Muoka, said that the Nigerian delegation was led to the global event by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
He listed other members of the delegation to include the Chairman, Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Adeolu Akande, and the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta.
“At the conference, which started on September 26, 2022 and scheduled to end on October 14, 2022,, member states at the event voted on the composition of the next ITU Council and the 12 representatives to serve on the Radio Regulations Board (RRB) for the next four years.
“The 21st Plenipotentiary Conference of the Council, also saw the election by member states, of Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the United States of America as the organisation’s next Secretary-General.”
The statement said that others that were elected into the Council are Bogdan-Martin, as the first woman to lead ITU in its 157-year history and Houlin Zhao who would have completed his second final term of four years in office as ITU Secretary General.
It said that the seats in ITU Council are divided into five regions, A to E. Nigeria was elected into the ITU Council, Region D for Africa, which has 13 seats. Other 12 countries elected alongside Nigeria are Algeria; Egypt; Ghana; Kenya; Mauritius; Morocco; Rwanda; Senegal; South Africa; Tanzania; Tunisia; Uganda.
“Elections of member states also took place into the Region A for The Americas (nine seats); Region B for Western Europe (eight seats); Region C for Eastern Europe & Northern Asia (five seats); and Region E, for Asia and Australasia with 13 seats as Africa.
“Commenting on Nigeria’s re-election as ITU Council member, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Umar Danbatta, thanked the ITU member states for the confidence it has in Nigeria expressed by the re-elected into the ITU Council, in which the country has been playing critical role over the years.
“The re-election of Nigeria as a member of ITU Council for the next four years, again, points to the globally-recognised leadership role Nigeria is playing in Africa and at the level of ITU Council in the area of telecommunications policy formulation and technical regulations development to drive ITU’s mission and vision,” the NCC Executive Vice Chairman said.
It said that the ITU, originally established in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union and became a United Nations specialised agency in 1947, was set up to coordinate telecommunications operations and services throughout the world. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Nigeria became a member of ITU on November 4, 1961. The USA joined on July 1, 1908; United Kingdom, February 24, 1871, and UAE on June 27, 1972.
“The ITU is governed by the Plenipotentiary Conference and the Administrative Council. The Plenipotentiary Conference is the supreme organ of the Union. It is the decision-making body which determines the direction of the Union and its activities.
“The Council, on the other hand, acts as the Union’s governing body in the interval between Plenipotentiary Conferences. Its role is to consider broad telecommunication policy issues to ensure that the Union’s activities, policies, and strategies fully respond to today’s dynamic, rapidly changing telecommunications environment.
“ITU Council also prepares a report on the policy and strategic planning of the ITU, and it is responsible for ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the Union, coordinating work programmes, approving budgets, and controlling finances and expenditure.
“The Council also takes all steps to facilitate the implementation of the provisions of the ITU Constitution, the ITU Convention, the Administrative Regulations (International Telecommunications Regulations and Radio Regulations), the decisions of Plenipotentiary Conferences, and where appropriate, the decisions of other conferences and meetings of the Union.”
The Federal Government has given assurance that the second Niger Bridge will be ready for use by Christmas this year.
Ag Controller of Works in Anambra, Mr Seyi Martins, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka today, October 3, said that the first phase of the Bridge, measuring 1.6km, has reached 95 per cent completion.
The Controller said that contrary to the news making the round that the project would be ready by 2024, it would be ready for use for travelers during Christmas, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari administration is determined to ensure that travelers enjoyed stress free motoring over the River Niger.
He assured that motorists that they would not be subjected to gridlock experienced on the existing bridge during Christmas this year.
“The first phase of the project, which was the bridge itself, is substantially completed.
“The bridge project is 95 per cent complete and it is expected to be ready by December 2022.
“The steel guard rails are complete, the roads are set for vehicle traffic; the toll plaza area is almost completed, and what is left is the installation of toll booth canopies.”
The Controller said that the bridge could be accessed from the interchange at Obosi on the Onitsha-Owerri road and that a road was being constructed to connect traffic on the Asaba-Benin expressway to it pending the completion of the second phase.
“The second phase of the project is yet to commence, but the government has deemed it fit that upon completion of the first phase it will be open to traffic.
“At the Onitsha end, there is an interchange at Obosi along the Onitsha – Owerri highway where you can access the bridge.
“On the Asaba end, there is a link road we are constructing to enable travelers to access the bridge from Benin-Onitsha road.”
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Foundation has emerged as a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility at the just concluded 10th anniversary of the Marketing Edge brands and advertising excellence awards which was held in Lagos.
The initiatives of the UBA Foundation such as the annual National Essay Competition; Read Africa; Each Teach One; the Foodbank, amongst others, are believed to have reached many people across the African continent every year.
Through its National Essay Competition, which was initiated more than nine years ago, hundreds of African students have received grants to study at tertiary institutions in Africa and the ripple effects are being felt within their communities as more children get a chance to go to university.
Speaking on the leadership award, the Chief Executive Officer of the UBA Foundation, Mrs. Bola Atta, said: “There is a lot of work to be done across the African continent to improve lives and we are doing this one step at a time and in different countries across the geography where the United Bank for Africa operates. It is fundamental for people and organisations to give back. It is also very African to nurture one’s communities and uplift others around you. So we do what we do with a lot of passion and focus on developing and nurturing.”
She said thanked the organizers of the Marketing Edge award for excellence, saying: “It is good to know we are doing it right and to be reminded that we must do even more. One of my favourite initiatives at the Foundation is the National Essay Competition because I have seen first –hand, how it changes lives. The award we are receiving is for all the children across Africa who are aspiring for a better life.
“With the start of a new academic year, the 2022 edition of the National Essay Competition has commenced and we are increasing the prizes by as much as 40 per cent.
“The first prize winner will now receive an educational grant of N5 million to study at any African university of their choice, whilst the second and third prizes now stand at N3 million and N2.5 million respectively.
“This takes into consideration, the rising cost of living. We want our students to study well, worry-free, so that they may excel.”
The Managing Director and Publisher of Marketing Edge, John Ajayi, commended the UBA Foundation for its strong footprint across Africa.
“Through its Read Africa Initiative and the scholarship grants the UBA Foundation has consistently done exceptionally well to transform the lives of many on the continent of Africa. These initiatives are truly impactful.”
Ajayi said that the awards were borne out of the need to recognise outstanding Game Changers whose relentless support has helped give hope to Africa and at the same time, drive sustainable development. “These organisations clearly understand that agility, innovation, flexibility, decisiveness and commitment needed to accelerate the pace of change Africa craves for.”
The awards nights attracted dignitaries and business leaders, from different industries across Nigeria.
PDP National Chairman, Ayu | Photo credit: Premium Times
A group calling itself Forum of PDP Candidates and Aspirants,has given the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, and Deputy National Chairman (North) Umar Damagum a 48-hour ultimatum to resign at the risk of legal action.
The Forum passed a vote of no confidence in the three officers, even as it petitioned the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party on the unanimous demand of candidates for the resignation of the above-mentioned officers.
The candidates, who held meeting in Abuja today, October 3, alleged that the leadership of the party extorted several aspirants during the congresses, primaries and national convention of the party after primaries swapped the names of candidates with the names of persons who did not win.
It said the “underhand actions of the leadership of the Party are largely responsible for the nullification by the courts of the Governorship primaries in Zamfara State and all primaries held in Ogun State and many more are still pending in Court.”
Chris Ogbu, who presided over the session as the Forum Coordinator and House of Assembly Candidate, read the communiqué.
He was flanked by Dauda Yusuf, the Forum’s Secretary and former governorship aspirant as well as several other members.
He demanded Ayu, Anyanwu and Damagum step down immediately or be sacked by the party within 48 hours or face legal action to force them from the office which will commence on Wednesday.
The candidates/aspirants said that Ayu allegedly sharing money paid as nomination form instead of utilising it for the prosecution of the historic 2023 election of the party, was very provocative and indicting on the image of the party.
“Voters now see them as a come and chop or share the money party and that removing Ayu and his gang of party treasury looters will go a long way in showing that PDP is now a party that is intolerant of corruption.”
The Second Session of the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission began in Abuja, Nigeria today, October 3, with the Nigeria’s minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada expressing a strong commitment to further boost the existing historical ties between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The First Session of the Commission was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 11th -12th March 2013. The second session was supposed to have been held two years later but could not take place until now due to a number of reasons, including the recent COVID19 pandemic.
Speaking at the opening o the session, the minister said that the outcome of the Joint Commission meeting would uplift and further strengthen all aspects of the long-standing bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefits of both countries.
“It is pertinent to recall that our two friendly countries signed the General Agreement for Cooperation between them on the 20th October 2003 in order to promote mutually beneficial cooperation for both parties. This birthed the establishment of the Nigeria-Saudi Joint Commission.”
Zubairu Dada hailed the far-reaching socio-economic transformation currently taking place in the Kingdom under Vision 2030, saying that Nigeria is similarly pursuing a number of reforms aimed at liberalising and digitalising the economy, as well as creating more opportunities for Nigerian women and teeming youth aimed at paving the way for a more sustainable future.
He also commended the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the successful conduct of the 2022 Hajj operation, the first after the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that Nigeria looked forward to the return of full normalcy in the conduct of the pilgrimage in 2023.
“We believe that our collective endeavours would positively impact on Nigeria-Saudi relations with a view to raising them to a strategic level.
“We thank the Kingdom for hosting the First Session of the Commission in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 11th -12th March 2013. The 2nd Session which was supposed to have been held two years later could not take place until now due to a number of reasons, including the recent pandemic. It can further be recalled that during the First Session, a number of MoUs and Agreements covering various aspects of bilateral cooperation were signed by the two sides.
“By hosting the 2nd Session of the Joint Commission today, Nigeria which attaches great importance to her relations with the Kingdom is demonstrating her strong and unwavering commitment to further boost and elevate the existing historical ties binding our two countries to a new height.
“We hereby also affirm our determination to ensure that these relations are transformed into a win-win partnership for our mutual benefits.”
Zubairu Dada assured the Saudi Arabian delegation of Nigeria’s full commitment and cooperation throughout the meeting to ensure that the 2nd Session of the Joint Commission is successful.
He said that both countries and people were eager for the session to produce the desired positive outcome which will bring a new era in Nigeria-Saudi cooperation as we also create the necessary mechanism for the implementation of the agreed frameworks with minimum delay.
On his part, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Bin Sakeh Al-Khamshi, said the meeting came as an extension of what both countries agreed upon during the first session of the Committee aimed at developing relations between both countries.
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Presidential candidate of The Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has questioned the rational in declaring the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB a terrorist group by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Congress of University Academics (CONUA), an academic Union in the Nigerian universities just registered, ostensibly as rival to the embattled Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has resolved not to allow university education to be traumatized by academic Union.
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Foundation has emerged as a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility at the just concluded 10th anniversary of the Marketing Edge brands and advertising excellence awards which was held in Lagos.
The Second Session of the Nigeria-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission began in Abuja, Nigeria today, October 3, with the Nigeria’s minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada expressing a strong commitment to further boost the existing historical ties between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
