Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has mourned the death of some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Monday’s accident.
The deceased were on their way to Abuja for a national assignment.
Governor Uzodimma, who described the incident as sad and unfortunate, also commiserated with the deceased’s families. He prayed for the repose of their souls and quick recovery of the injured.
Lawmaker representing Aba in the Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, has been elected speaker of the Eighth Assembly.
Okezie Augustine (Umuahia East) was also elected Deputy Speaker. They were both elected unopposed after being nominated by Akachukwu Uche (Aba Central) and Emeka Obioma (Umuahia South State).
Emeruwa, in his acceptance speech, thanked his colleagues for their confidence in his ability to lead the House and discharge his duties with the fear of God, integrity and without fear or favour.
He promised that the Eighth Assembly under his watch will make laws for the people’s wellbeing. Emeruwa, who described their election as ‘a call to serve’, promised that the lawmakers would not fail the trust the electorate reposed in them, adding that they would support the Dr. Alex Otti-led government to make the state governable and to achieve their dreams.
Governor Otti reminded the lawmakers of the people’s expectations of them, saying they should not disappoint the people who elected them.
Otti said ‘his administration will not have room for excuses, but will be action-packed’, and promised to partner the House to deliver democratic dividends to the people.
Elvert Ayambem, who represents Ikom II in the Cross River State House of Assembly, is speaker of the 10th Assembly. Ayambem was elected unopposed after the House was inaugurated by Governor Bassey Otu.
Sylvester Agabi (Obudu) was elected deputy speaker.
Clerk of the House, Jerry Akabisong, administered the oath of office on Ayambem and Agabi.
Ayambem, in his inaugural speech, appealed to his colleagues to begin to function as lawmakers representing their people rather than tow political lines. He said the lawmakers must be steadfast to assist in building a stronger and greater Cross River.
He said: “Whatever vehicles facilitated our coming this far must lose its relevance to the bipartisan conversation of a greater Cross River. The joy of this day is replete with burdensome expectations from men and women who braved the elements in long queues as votes were cast.
“The least we can do to reward these patriots is to get our institutions to work at optimal level, to assuage the pull of a downward socio-economic realities on the people that have shown a determination in championing a change that will be for generations.”
Otu, represented by Deputy Governor Peter Odey, appealed to the lawmakers to work assiduously in passing relevant bills that the Ninth Assembly could not pass.
There was tension in major towns in Anambra State yesterday following the closure of petrol stations by the Independent Petroleum Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
The development, which might not be unconnected to the planned demolition of some stations, led to a hike in transport fare, forcing motorists to trek.
But Chairman of IPMAN (Enugu depot), covering six states including Anambra, Chinedu Anyaso, said the shutting down of filling stations was to ensure compliance with an emergency meeting scheduled for Awka, the state capital. According to him, the meeting would deliberate on the recent marking of about 16 filling stations in Ekwulobia, to give way for a proposed flyover.
He said: “Sixteen filling stations were marked for demolition in Ekwulobia axis by the Anambra State government to give way for a proposed flyover and adjourning roads. Our members are willing to comply but the government needs to reach an agreement with them on compensation because the facilities are the only source of income to the owners.
“We have written to the state government over the development, but yet to receive a reply, hence the meeting, which will discuss further engagements for the overall interest of members and the public.”
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki yesterday proclaimed and inaugurated the Eighth House of Assembly, with the first session to be held tomorrow.
The proclamation is coming four years after 14 APC-lawmakers elect were stopped from sitting with their colleagues.
Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, in a June 14 letter to Clerk of the House, detailed the planned inaugural sitting of the 24 newly-elected lawmakers.
In the 2023 elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 15 seats; APC won eight and Labour Party one seat in the 24-member Assembly.
Recall that only 10 of the 24 members elected in the 2019 election have been sitting, with the APC lawmakers not allowed into the Assembly complex by Obaseki, who claimed he was acting on court orders.
The governor has said Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, will excel in office and contribute to moving Nigeria forward.
Obaseki, in his congratulatory message, said: “Abbas brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new position, having served diligently in various capacities within the legislative sphere.
“As Speaker, I trust he will uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness, fostering productive debates and promoting effective legislation to improve the lives of the Nigerian people and advance our country’s development.
“I am confident that Abass will effectively steer the affairs of the House, engendering harmonious working relationships between the executive and the legislature, in the overall interest of Nigerians.”
To achieve global standards, governments at all levels have been urged to support private schools .
The support, the Director, Tabithas Kids Early Years Center, Dorcas Ikya said, is to go beyond monitoring.
Ikya said this in an interview with The Nation on the School’s early years art exhibition event holding today in Abuja.
She said parents should also be involved in observing their children at an early age for proper guidance.
Ikya said: “I think in private schools , we are on our own. Where the government plays a role is on inspections and trying to get you to do what they want to maintain the standards in education.
“We do not get the support we expect to get from the government. Most times because we are on our own that is why some of us are playing outside the circles of what the government expects.
“The danger of the government not being involved is that the children will not be at par with those in public schools. Children in private schools are ahead of those in public schools.
“The Art exhibition is our first major event and we are tagging it based on our tag life for our school, which is tinning hands with big brains. So, our exhibition is titled: ‘look what our tainin hands can do. So, it is basically to show kids to parents about the potentials children have starting from the early years…
Most times people look at it and assume that things like Arts, Music should probably come when the child is a little bit older from age five, but working in this field, I have come to realize that starting from age 1 you can actually tell what the children are capable of doing.
“So, from our art works in school which we actually have proper act secessions. We have an arts teacher, and we are seeing early artistic skills being exhibited by the children. We are seeing paintings coming out like 5 year old or 6 year old have done them and these are works done by 2 year old, and 3 year old. So we know that there is a lot of potential that is showing early. Art is a mandatory aspect of our curriculum that we offer so we have expressive arts and design which usually you will find embedded in all the other learning years.
“We have taken arts out and tried to restructure it as a proper subject for the children. The exhibition is happening on Thursday in Abuja, June 15th. The exhibition is open to parents and those who have indicated interest to enroll their children to come in and look at what we can offer. Our Target is between 70 and 80 children so that we are able to fully maximize our potential. Early years are from birth to 7 years. Some art works are animals, colours and many more”.
The Hope Behind Bars Africa has said that most awaiting trail inmates in Nigeria were languishing in Custodial facilities for petit crimes like loitering and hawking.
The organisation said apart from such petit and misdemeanor cases, one would also find civil cases like disagreements between business partners that was given criminal correlations.
Executive Director, Hope Behind Bars Africa, Mrs. Funke Adeoye, revealed that 40% of the cases so far handled by the organisation were simple cases.
Adeoye said Nigeria’s prison population was 76,982 on May 30, adding that the number spread across 240 custodial facilities, had about 69.3% awaiting trail inmates.
She said this yesterday in Abuja, during the organisations five-year impact report/strategic plan launch and press conference.
She said: “40% of the cases we have handled are actually simple cases. Cases like people arrested for hawking, loitering and a lot of cases that the sanctions are less than three years. We also find very frequently people arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for armed robbery but when we go into the nitty-gritty of the case, we find there is no evidence, most of the cases are stalling for years on ending because their is really no evidence against the person on trial.”
“We also find a lot of civil cases that have been given criminal correlations, for instance someone having a contract with another person and he gets the police to pick up the person, the person gets arrested and remanded.
“In the past five years, our organisation has dedicated major aspects of its work to providing free legal services to indigent pre-trial detainees, engaging in welfare, empowerment, reformation and reintegration interventions…
Plateau State Police Command has arrested seven suspected vandals over alleged theft, vandalism of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company’s (JED) properties within the state.
A statement yesterday by police spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, said the patrol team of Rantya Division, in collaboration with the Divisional Crack Team and Neighborhood Watch, arrested Tijani Bala of Last Gate Dadin Kowa, who was found to be in possession of JED’s 75-mm armoured cables.
“In the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed to have received the items from one Nura of Atiku Street, Rayfield, whose surname is unknown and is now at large. The said Nura is believed to have vandalised the JED armored cables somewhere in Rantya, known as Lodih, and brought them to him for sale.
“The suspect, after his arrest, tried to bribe the police and Neighborhood Watch officers with the sum of N15,000 to cover his crime. The suspect is currently being detained at the Rantya Divisional Headquarters for further investigation while efforts are on top gear to ensure that the said Nura is found and brought to book.”
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have whisked away seven off-campus students of the University of Jos.
The students were abducted around 1am on Tuesday while they were studying for their ongoing second semester examanition.
It was gathered that the students resided at a private hostel close to the former Nigerian School of Accountancy along Bauchi Ring Road, Jos North local government.
The kidnappers, numbering about five, stormed the hostel, broke into the room where they were reading, forced them into a waiting vehicle and zoomed off.
Another student resident at the hostel who pleaded anonymity said the kidnappers sneaked into the hostel and held the seven students hostage at gun point for close to thirty minutes before they were forcefully led out of the premises.
The source said that other residents could not come out until the kidnappers left the scene, adding that the incident had been reported to the police and the school authority.
It was also gathered that University of Jos representatives visited the off-campus hostel yesterday for first-hand information on the unfortunate incident.
A source close to the family of one of the victims disclosed that the kidnappers called the family in the early hours yesterday and demanded an undisclosed ransom.
Contacted, spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the incident, adding that operatives had been deployed and were presently combing the bush to rescue the students.
Plateau State, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has congratulated Rt. Hon. Moses Sule and Rt. Hon. Dalyop Gwottson Fom on emerging as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly.
In a statement, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Governor, Gyang Bere: “Governor Mutfwang, who received the new Speaker and other members of the House in his Office at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, described their victory as divinely inspired.
He applauded other members of the House for entrusting Sule and Fom with the leadership of the House. He described them as men and women of integrity.
The governor solicited a robust collaboration with the legislature to build a united and prosperous state.
He said: “We are determined to build a new Plateau; we are determined to build a united Plateau where religion and ethnicity will no longer be used as tools for division. It should, rather, be used as a source of inspiration and strength.
“I wish to reassure you that the government, under my watch, will be committed to peaceful coexistence and will work assiduously to secure the boundaries of Plateau.
“Our state is a choice destination in Nigeria and it remains so. It is time for us to work together in the interest of our people.”
While congratulating the new Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, Mutfwang urged them to bring to bear their legislative competence to enhance good governance in the state.
All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja, to dismiss a suit seeking his disqualification.
Ododo, through his lawyer, M. Y. Abdullahi, told the court contrary to allegations, he resigned from the government legally and is qualified for the poll.
At the hearing yesterday, the candidate maintained he broke no law when he picked the Expression of Interest form and at the time he won the primary.
He noted he tendered his resignation letter on March 8, through Office of the Governor and it was received same day.
Ododo said regarding Section 306 of the constitution, whether his resignation was acknowledged, accepted or not, it took effect from date of submission.
He said the plaintiff could not contradict his claim of resignation with any evidence, especially with pay slips or salary payment.
Besides, the candidate argued the plaintiff jumped the gun, adding the cause of action had not arisen awhen the case was filed.
He asked the court to rely on his 19-paragraph affidavit and dismiss the case for lacking in merit.
This position was adopted by APC, through its counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, who prayed that the suit be dismissed with substantial cost.
At the proceedings before Justice Obiora Egwatu, plaintiff’s counsel, Daniel-Ebune, relied on 16 exhibits in support of his case.
He insisted Ododo breached sections 20, 21, 124, 147 of the constitution and Section 159 of Evidence Act and urged the judge to disqualify the candidate.
Justice Egwuatu, after taking arguments, fixed July 18 for judgment.