The Yoruba Council Worldwide has appealed to Nigerians to support the presidential ambition of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The council noted that Nigeria urgently needs a president like Tinubu to address restructuring, put a good governance system in place in compliance with the foregoing circumstances and modernity.
President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, Aare Oladotun Hassan, stated these in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
The statement reads in part: “Having critically considered all presidential candidates and their political parties beyond ethnic or primordial sentiments, that the Northern Hausa-Fulani would have served and completed eight years by 2023 under President Muhammadu Buhari, these are no times for any ethnic bigots and political opportunist to take advantage of our precarious situation.

“We therefore settled for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, being a thoroughbred, experienced nationalist and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023 based on his uncommon intellectual acumen and eagle eye to pick the best cabinet ministers and parastatal heads from all geopolitical sections of the country, without any iota of political, ethnic, religious vengeance and biased sentiments to progressively serve and drive the nation forward.

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“Nigerians urgently needs a presidential candidate like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address restructuring of the Constitution and succinct governance system in compliance with the foregoing circumstances and modernity; by putting up positively driven aggressive master plan on job creation and mass employment opportunities for all our teaming youths, spartan agricultural revolution, ensuring education right is guaranteed with adequate multi-funding system, best health care delivery systems, aggressive information technological advancement, while rebuilding a stronger FDI predicated on stable and continuous confidence.

“He will commit himself to positively reinforcing and reinvigorating Nigeria’s foreign policy partnership base, and most importantly fight insecurity, insurgency and other wanton crimes to a standstill, ensure strategic security framework and laws, provide uncommon economic sustainable growth and national stability.

“Unity, security and national development are key driver towards attaining the Nigeria of our dream, while 2023 election should not be made a do or die affair, hence the need for all presidential candidates, political parties and other candidates and citizens not to overheat the polity with hate speech, but to extol the virtues of peace and sportsmanship qualities before, during and after the general elections.

“We therefore appeal to all Nigerians from the 36 states of the country, particularly our home calling appeal goes to all “Oodua Nation Agitators” should rethink 2023 general elections predicated on the “Yoruba Agenda and national development” and rally round supports and vote massively for our own worthy son and dependable Nigerian: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of Nigeria, while we use this medium to implore all political parties to as a matter of necessity balance religious and ethnicity related issues, so as to protect and sustain the tenets, sanctity and values of democracy in Nigeria.”

Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde has ordered the relocation of the office of his Deputy, Rauf Olaniyan to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

The relocation notice was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun.

The two paragraph letter with reference number SP/S326/T/71 was dated June 17th.

The letter puts to rest insinuation as to who was behind an earlier signpost installed at the Ministry of Environment indicating the Office of the Deputy Governor.

The Nation reports the Deputy Governor recently dumped the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The development confirmed the widening rift between the Governor and his Deputy.

The letter titled reads: “Relocation of the office of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources” reads in part “I have the directive to inform Your Excellency that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde (FNSE) has approved the relocation of the Office of the Deputy Governor to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Secretariat, Ibadan.

“I thank Your Excellency.”

For almost three months, Olaniyan has been using his private office owing to the midnight rainfall that blew off his office roof and got part of it damaged.

But sources hinted that most reconstruction job of the office had been completed, safe for the finishing and awaiting the arrival of office furniture.

The Police Force on a Friday said claims by a Twitter user @Ameerah_sufyan that she had been abducted at gun point along with 16 others, including three pregnant women, was suspicious.

Amira Safiyanu on June 14 tweeted: “Please whoever has my WhatsApp number I sent a broadcast message of my location, we were abducted at gun point by ppl with police uniforms and a van from our houses from different parts of abuja, we’re 17 including 3 pregnant women and two little kids, they didn’t see my phone.”

The tweet generated various reactions with many blaming the security outfits for their inefficiency in responding to such situations.

However the Police on Friday said the Amirah, who raised the alarm had been found and her kidnap claim was suspicious.

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The Police on its verified Twitter handle @policeNG said: “ALLEGED KIDNAPPING OF AMEERA: SCENARIO RAISES SUSPICIONS, As Police Interrogate “Victim” Amira Safiyanu who claimed to have been kidnapped along with 17 others by some policemen at gun point on 14th June, 2022, has been found.

“We have some suspicions about her claims as much as we debunk the kidnap of 17 others. We have some findings to make in order to get a clearer picture of the whole scenario and take proper decision as and at when due.

“We will keep the general public abreast of our findings as soon as possible. Thank you.”

Security operatives, comprising police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Army and Fire Service have been deployed at the INEC headquarters located along new Iyin road in Ado-Ekiti, to ensure the smooth conduct of the governorship election scheduled for Saturday.

The Nation observed police and other paramilitary vehicles were stationed at the entrance of the commission while security personnel had taken charge of movements in and around the premises.

Army personnel in their vehicles were also seen at strategic positions on the major road leading to the INEC state office and within the city centre keeping a watchful eye on events.

Read Also: LIVE UPDATES: Ekiti Decides 2022

A K-9 dog belonging to the operatives of NSCDC was also seen sniffing around the premises of the commission.

Some local government have received the sensitive materials distributed by INEC.

The Nation observed corps members, electoral officers were at their designated councils to check for their place of posting.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in the First Quarter 2022 Q1 2022, aggregate Value Added Tax (VAT) increased by 4.4% to N588.59 billion from the N563.72 billion in Q4 2021.

Its report: “VAT Q1 2022,” which made this disclosure, said local payments recorded were N344.04 billion in the period under review while Foreign VAT Payment contributed N117.99 billion.

NBS said: “On the aggregate, Value Added Tax (VAT) for Q1 2022 was reported at N588.59 billion, a growth of 4.41% on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N563.72 billion in Q4 2021. Local payments recorded were N344.04 billion in Q1 2022.”

It added that Foreign VAT Payment contributed N117.99 billion.

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On a quarter-on-quarter basis, according to the report, the Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies recorded the highest growth rate with 469.32%, followed by Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities with 47.62%.

The report said on the other hand, agriculture, forestry and fishing had the lowest growth rate with –31.04%, followed by real estate activities with –18.74%.
NBS noted that in terms of sectoral contributions, the top three largest shares in Q1 2022 were Manufacturing with 32.84%; Information and Communication with 17.10%; and Mining and Quarrying with 11.85%.
The report said “Conversely, Activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use recorded the least share with 0.04%, followed by Activities of extraterr

The military on Friday retired 316 senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) with a charge to them not to fall prey to subversive elements who may want to make use of their expertise.

The personnel comprising 283 from the Nigerian Army (NA), 27 Nigerian Navy (NN) and six from Air Force (NAF) were discharged from service after a three-month intensive reintegration to civil life and entrepreneurship trainings at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi.

Thanking them for their unblemished service, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Lucky Irabor reminded them that the country was facing myriads of security challenges and required their loyalty even in retirement.

He urged the retirees to use the available feedback mechanisms to report criminals lurking around, who may want to use them to foster their ill intentions.

 

“It is our expectation that after your graduation, the service and this centre will continue to get positive feedback as you gallantly soar through post service life. Be bold and courageous, remain disciplined and focus, the sky is your beginning
“It is important at this point to let you know that the level of insecurity is high in our nation. So, as you retire into the larger society, please beware of subversive elements within your environment and do not associate with them in any form. Your loyalty to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Federal Republic of Nigeria is non-negotiable.

“You will from now on take full charge as planners and executors of your personal daily activities. This may sound exciting and promising but beware; you need to properly manage your freedom and make good use of your resources in order to be successful.
“The society will expect a high moral standard and discipline from you. You will also have to prove in your relationships that you passed through a highly disciplined system. As our ambassadors, always remember that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains your primary constituency. I believe in your capabilities to do us proud,” said the CDS.

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He urged the retirees to be proactive in their conducts to avoid or overcome post service challenges, adding they should utilise the various skills garnered during their pre-retirement training for peaceful and productive economic life.

On the gains recorded in fighting insecurity, Irabor said collaborations with relevant security agencies were very effective and better than it used to be.

He added that they were trying to go beyond government security agencies partnership to engaging other security stakeholders in a more meaningful manner to escalate the achievements currently being made.
“The armed forces and other security agencies are collaborating very effectively and much more than we have had in the past.
“What we are now trying to do is beyond the government security agencies and it is necessary to engage with other security stakeholders in a more meaningful manner so that progressively we will be able to escalate the achievements that we are having currently.

“Only yesterday (Thursday), I spoke to the press and some reporters were there in Abuja for you to be kept abreast as to what we have done in the last two weeks.

 

“Essentially, we have made huge progress and of course there still remains a lot more to go and we will make everything possible such that the state of peace will incrementally improve. It is a very important exercise that the nation will go through and it will be peaceful,” said the CDS during an interview with reporters.

Aside the discharge ceremony, The Nation reports that the defence chief inaugurated a state-of-the art diagnostic centre built beside NAFRC hospital with medical equipment donated by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oludayo Amao who was represented at the ceremony by NAF’s Chief of Logistics, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Olatokunbo Adesanya.

Photo caption:
1) From left: CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabor, his wife, Mrs. Anwuli Irabor, NAFRCOWA Coordinator, Mrs. Naomi Lubo and NAFRC Commandant, AVM Idi Lubo…yesterday.

2) CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabor (left) and NAFRC Commandant, AVM Idi Lubo…yesterday

3) Group photograph