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PDP crisis: Wike, aggrieved governors form ‘Integrity Group’

Published

1 year ago

November 20, 2022

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The five aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and some other party stalwarts, on Sunday, announced the formation of the Integrity Group within the party.

The Wike-led G5 governors have been clamouring for the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, shortly after the party presidential ticket was won by a northerner, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Other governors in the group are Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

The governors and some aggrieved party leaders are currently having a strategic meeting in Lagos, which may not be unconnected to the agitation for the removal of Ayu.

Addressing newsmen before going into a closed-door session, Makinde said the Integrity Group remained the face behind the struggle within the PDP.

Makinde said, “We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the Integrity Group within our party, the PDP. We have been of the G5 – that is, the five PDP governors. The G5 is all about the Integrity Group.

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“You can see us, five serving governors, as the face of this struggle, both the leaders and elders of the party that you see here are the people behind those faces.

“We are in the South-West to review the situation within our party, to review where we are and to also look at what is going to happen in the coming elections,” he said.

Makinde noted that at the end of the deliberations, the group would fully brief the media on their stand on all the burning issues within the main opposition party.

“On behalf of our leaders and elders in the South-West, I want to welcome members of the Integrity Group and wish us well,” he said.

NAN reports that other PDP leaders at the meeting were former governors; Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo State), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Donald Duke (Cross River), Jonah Jang (Plateau) and former deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George.

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Also present are, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke; deputy National Chairman South of the PDP, Taofeek Arapaja; Seator Nasif Suleiman, Nnena Ukeje, Senator Sandy Onor and Senator Mao Ohabunwa.

The party leaders have repeatedly maintained that Ayu must resign for the sake of fairness and justice so as to bring peace to the party.

The aggrieved group maintained the need for the South to produce the party’s national chairman after Abubakar because the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general election is from the North.

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UPDATED: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

Published

6 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

Ngelale said Tinubu believes that Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience to ensure that no Nigerian student suffers a paucity of funds in the quest for tertiary education.

On April 3, Tinubu signed the student loans amendment bill into law to provide Nigerians with quality and accessible education.

The law will allow Nigerian students in tertiary institutions to access low-interest loans for tuition and other academic needs.

Subsequently, the president appointed Akintunde Sawyerr as the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of the fund.

Tinubu also appointed Frederick Oluwafemi Akinfala as the executive director of finance and administration, while Mustapha Iyal will serve as the executive director of operations of NELFUND.

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JUST IN: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

Published

8 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

More to follow…

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ICPC detains TETFund boss ‘over questionable N7.6bn project’

Published

12 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has detained Sonny Echono, executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, confirmed the development on Friday.

Bakare said that Echono was invited by the anti-graft agency on Thursday.

“The executive secretary of TETFund is here with us. He has been invited for questioning. He is still in custody. He was invited yesterday.” Bakare said.

“He was invited on Thursday. He has not been released. He’s still with us. Investigation is still ongoing.”

It was earlier reported that TETfund awarded two contracts to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing (PGM) within two months at the cost of N3.8 billion respectively without the approval of the federal executive council (FEC), which is required for the contract size.

The contract was to provide capacity building course and learning management systems to about 2 million students across higher institutions in the country.

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In a rejoinder, TETFund said it did not award N7.6 billion contracts to two companies without due process.

The agency said it was wrong to say they were contracts, whereas they were ICT projects implemented under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which doesn’t require competitive bidding in public procurement.

TETFund further said its disbursement guidelines were approved by the president on the recommendation of the “Fund’s Board of Trustees and concurrence of the Honourable Minister of Education in line with the TETFund Act 2011″.

In an interview with TheCable, Echono said there was no form of irregularity in the N7.6 billion project.