News

Newspapers Headlines: Wike raises fresh allegations against Ayu

Published

2 years ago

October 15, 2022

admin

1. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State yesterday, raised fresh allegations against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, saying the Chairman collected N100 million and N1 billion from a governor, he stated this during a media chat.

2. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has distanced itself from reports in a section of the media that it has called for applications from members of the public for job opportunities. This is contained in a statement by the council’s Acting Head, Public Affairs, Mrs Moyosola Adesina, and issued to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

3. The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has asked the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to assure that he will resign after the 2023 election. Addressing journalists in Abuja, PDP BoT Chairman, and former President of the Senate, Adolphus Wabara said Ayu should give a firm commitment that he will resign after the 2023 election.

READ Major Newspapers Headlines: Hushpuppi to be sentenced on Monday

4. A Federal High Court sitting in Yola has nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election which produced Senator Aishatu Binani as the party’s governorship candidate for Adamawa State. Ruling on suit FHC/YL/CS/12/2022 filed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the court declared Binani’s candidature invalid and unlawful.

5. The National Security Council, on Friday, said it was “considering the appropriate action to be taken” on the recent release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. It also backed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who clarified that Kanu’s release was not equivalent to an acquittal.

6. The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has declared that he turned Lagos from a jungle to a megacity during his tenure as the governor of the state from 1999 to 2007. Tinubu in a TV program said he laid the foundation that all other Lagos State governors after him built upon.

READ Nigerian men are better than Kenyans in many ways, says Kenyan socialite Shakilla

7. The National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State, be reopened immediately. The council gave the directive at a meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

8. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, on Friday said no state governor has the authority to acquire high-calibre weapons for use by quasi-security outfits.

9. Kogi State Government on Friday said it would drag Dangote Cement Plc to court and reclaim what rightfully belongs to the people. The decision to go to court was taken at an emergency meeting on Thursday night between key government officials, led by Governor Yahaya Bello and stakeholders representing the different ethnic groups in the state.

10. The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu on Friday, denied collecting N1 billion from anyone as claimed by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, warning aggrieved persons to leave his family out of the controversy.

READ EFCC denies its official stole N10.9bn from NIA funds found in Ikoyi, says Jafaru Mohammed not its staff

News

JUST IN: Obaseki increases minimum wage to N70k in Edo

Published

2 mins ago

April 29, 2024

admin

Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, has approved a new minimum wage of N70,000 for civil servants in the state.

The governor made the declaration on Monday while inaugurating the Labour House.

Obaseki named the Labour House after Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north and immediate-past governor of Edo.

Details later…

READ Major News Headlines In The Papers Today: Senate to debate CBN money withdrawal limit policy Tuesday

News

‘Breach of law’ — Oshiomhole condemns Ododo for ‘rescuing’ Yahaya Bello during EFCC siege

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

admin

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, has faulted Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, for his interference in the saga involving Yahaya Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC is accusing Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi, of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion.

BACKGROUND

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege to Bello’s Abuja residence in a bid to arrest him for grilling.

While the operatives were at Bello’s residence, Ododo arrived at the scene.

Shortly after Ododo left the residence, the EFCC operatives ended their siege. There were reports that Ododo had surreptitiously whisked Bello away in one of the cars in his convoy.

Amid the drama, the Kogi high court delivered judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, restraining the commission from “harassing, threatening to arrest or detaining” the former governor.

On the same day, the EFCC obtained a warrant of arrest against Bello from a federal high court in Abuja.

READ Police arrest pastor over links to kidnap syndicate in Adamawa

Subsequently, the anti-graft agency declthe former governor wanted, while the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) placed Bello on a watchlist.

Bello was also absent for an arraignment that was initially scheduled for April 18, citing fear of arrest.

‘WRONG USE OF IMMUNITY’

Speaking on Saturday at the national integration conference, Oshiomhole said Ododo’s “rescue” of Bello and the former governor’s refusal to show up in court constitutes a breach of the law.

The conference which had ‘Revisiting the national question: Nigeria’s elusive search for national integration’ as its theme, was organised by the Kukah Centre.

The senator also urged citizens to speak up against breaches of the law — irrespective of who is involved.

“If you are afraid, given the fact that you are very vocal, you are independent, you cannot be dismissed, you cannot be promoted or demoted… if you are afraid to mention the name of a former governor who breached the law and a sitting governor who used his immunity to cover a governor that lost immunity, where will the courage come from?” Oshiomhole said.

READ Nigerians should be proud of 2023 polls, says British Envoy

“This sophistry of saying we can name the child of a poor man who steal(s) a goat but we are afraid to mention the name of a big man who breached the law, that for me is at the root of our problems.”

‘ALL CHILDREN MUST HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION’

Bello had also allegedly paid $760,910 in advance fees to the American International School Abuja (AISA), for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

The children are in grade levels 2 to 8 at the school.

Oshiomhole said during his spell as Edo governor, his colleagues denied children of the poor access to education.

“As a former governor, I was a member of the national economic council (NEC) where some state governors argued that they did not have the resources to pay 50 percent subsidy in order to ensure that the children of the poor go to school even when those governors are sending their own children abroad,” Oshiomhole added.

READ Major Newspapers Headlines For Today: Fears of another strike grow as ASUU meets over half salary today

The former Edo governor said leaders must possess the political will to implement laws they enact.

“What I consider to be the most important investment, namely, that never should a child be born in this country and be denied access to go to school,” he said.

Kogi ranked 27th across states in Nigeria with the highest number of out-of-school children (ages 6–15).

News

PHOTOS: Lagos commuters stranded as fares spike by 50% amid petrol scarcity

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

admin

Commuters in many parts of Lagos were on Monday left stranded at different bus stops in the metropolis, amid the lingering petrol scarcity.

Fares were hiked by 50 percent as motorists filled up dispensing stations for the scarce commodity.

Some filling stations were shuttered, while others still selling petrol were encircled by long queues.

Some motorists said they bought petrol at N700 and N800 per litre at filling stations. Roadside dealers now sell the product for N1000 and N1200 per litre.

The petrol scarcity triggered a 50 percent increase in fares across Lagos.

From Abule Egba roundabout to Agege, commuters were asked to pay N300, which was previously N150 or N200. From Agege to Alausa in Ikeja is now N400, which cost N300 last week.

From Berger to Ikeja, commuters pay as high as N1000 in fares.

In most of the bus stops visited by TheCable on Monday morning, survival of the fittest was the prevailing philosophy as hordes of commuters were seen running after a few commercial buses

READ Newspapers Headlines: Australia, Canada issue travel advisories to citizens in Nigeria