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Bayelsa Poll: I would’ve relocated my mother to Abuja if Diri had lost re-election – Jonathan

Published

6 months ago

November 18, 2023

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has hailed Governor Douye Diri’s efforts at tackling insecurity, saying the Bayelsa leader’s re-election means the state would be a lot safer.

Jonathan, who is a former governor of the oil-rich state, spoke on Friday when he visited Diri in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, almost one week after the governor stormed to victory in a keenly contested poll.

While congratulating Diri for winning the exercise, the former president said if Douye had lost, the gains made in curbing insecurity would have been lost.

“We don’t want to go into unnecessary crisis in the state. Results have been declared and we believe the election was conducted. We believe the governor won the election and we plead that people should accept it and work with the governor. Let all of us support him so that the state will move ahead,” he said during the gathering.

“There should be nothing that will push the state backward. We should think about the development of the state starting from the issue of peace and security in the state which within this last period, three years plus, there are significant improvements in terms of cultism and kidnapping and so on and so forth.

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“I was saying before this election that if Diri loses this election, I would have relocated my mother to Abuja.”

While recounting how his cousin was kidnapped and killed, Jonathan expressed optimism that with Diri returning as the governor of the state, the situation would soon be a thing of the past.

“My cousin was kidnapped two times on one of those occasions, one of my cousins, Solo, was killed because they threw him into the river and he didn’t know how to swim,” he added.

“So, we’ve passed through hell in this state and we’ve seen a little light at the end of the tunnel. So, people should calm down, and allow Diri to focus on governance so that he will be able to propel this state forward so that we will benefit as citizens of the state.”

Diri had earlier in the day received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a second term in office. He will be sworn in for another four-year tenure next year.

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JUST IN: Tinubu, Shettima to pay toll at airport gates

Published

10 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima will now pay the required toll whenever they use the gates at airports.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, announced this to journalists after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting chaired by Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday.

Keyamo said he presented two memos which were approved by the council.

Details later…

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Tinubu suspends 0.5% cybersecurity levy

Published

10 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has suspended the 0.5 percent cybersecurity levy after criticism and protest trailed the announcement.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, announced the suspension.

Idris said Tinubu directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the implementation and review the modalities for its implementation.

Details later…

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Minister to sue Niger speaker over plans to ‘marry off’ 100 girls, says it’s ‘totally unacceptable’

Published

17 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, has petitioned the inspector-general of police (IGP) and sought a court injunction to halt the marriage of 100 girls in Niger state.

Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, speaker of the Niger state house of assembly, announced last week that he would sponsor the wedding of 100 girls, some of whom were orphaned by insurgency, as part of his Maringa constituency project.

He said he had procured materials for the event scheduled for May 24, and promised to pay dowries for the bridegrooms.

Following the outcry that trailed the announcement, the speaker explained that he was only financing the wedding — not forcing the girls into marriage.

However, Kennedy-Ohanenye said the plan is unacceptable, and that the future of the girls should be a priority.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, the minister said a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issue will be carried out.

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She said the ministry will take responsibility for the girls’ education and vocational training.

“I want to let the honorable speaker of house in Niger state know that this is totally unacceptable by Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.

“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.

“These children must be considered, their future must be considered, the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.

“So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of police.

“And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th, until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them.

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“As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially.

“The women affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.

“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make up her mind who and when to get married.

“If for any reason the speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned, there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”

The minister added that based on the Child Rights Act, every child belongs to the state, hence the rights of every child will be protected from harm and violence.