Jide Orintunsin, Tony Akowe, Abuja and Kolade Adeyemi, Jos

 

THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, his deputy, Ahmed Idris Wase and Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong have felicitated with Senate President Ahmad Lawan on today’s celebration of his 62nd birthday.

A statement on Monday in Abuja by the National Secretary of the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpan Udoedeghe, said: “On behalf of the CECPC Chairman and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni and teeming members of our great party, we join family, friends, associates, constituents and Federal lawmakers of the Ninth National Assembly in celebrating the President of the Senate and Chairman of the ninth National Assembly, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, who turns 62 on January 12, 2021.

“The APC family celebrates an experienced, cerebral, dexterous and patriotic Federal lawmaker who, as Chairman of the Ninth National Assembly, is enshrining a best practice, particularly in Legislative-Executive relations in Nigeria.

“In partnering with the executive, the Ninth National Assembly under the watch of Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan has chosen to work for public good and national interest.”

Gbajabiamila described Lawan as a worthy partner and dependable ally in the task of nation-building.

In his congratulatory message, he said: “I consider Distinguished Senator Lawan …a democrat and a patriotic Nigerian who believes in delivering good governance to the Nigerian people, using the Legislature.

“I must say that the President of the Senate comes across as a very committed and dedicated lawmaker to the Nigerian project. In the past one and a half years, we have worked harmoniously to take the country forward.

“As you mark your 62nd birthday, I wish you God’s guidance and protection.”

Wase described Lawan as “a conscionable leader and consummate politician” whose leadership has brought changes to the National Assembly.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Mohammed Puma, the Deputy Speaker said: “Being an astute administrator, ingenious lawmaker, perfect gentleman, patriotic politician and charismatic leader, Senator Lawan has steadied the apex chamber, maintaining mutual respect and collaboration with the other arms of government without compromising the independence of the parliament.”

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Lalong, who is the Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, described Lawan as an erudite legislator and scholar who has brought his experience to bear on the Nigerian parliament.

In a statement in Jos, the state capital, by his spokesman Dr. Makut Simon Macham, Governor Lalong said Lawan has remained consistent in pursuing the enactment of quality legislations and conduct of robust oversight that have strengthened the nation’s democracy.

He described the Senate President as a worthy partner in the development of the Northern Region and assured him that the governors would continue to work with him in addressing the challenges of the region.

Bisi Olaniyi, Benin

 

THE Justice Yunusa Musa-led three-member Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Monday began hearing of the four remaining petitions in Benin, the state capital.

It will determine the fate of Governor Godwin Obaseki; his running mate, Philip Shaibu and their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The four remaining petitions were filed by Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel; Action Peoples Party (APP), without joining its governorship candidate, Amos Areloegbe; Allied Peoples Movement (APM), excluding its governorship candidate, Igbineweka Osamuede, and Tracy Agol, without joining her political party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

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On December 11, 2020, the tribunal unanimously dismissed the petition by Action Alliance (AA) and its governorship candidate, Ukonga Onaivi, against Obaseki, the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for failing to file pre-hearing notice.

The four petitions are seeking the nullification of the September 19, 2020 re-election of Obaseki and Shaibu, while asking INEC to hold a fresh election.

 

 

 

Faith Yahaya, Abuja

 

THE Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed that over 60 per cent of those working on the Lagos-Ibadan rail project have been infected by COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the infection rate on the project site underscores the sacrifice the workers have made and the importance they attach to the project.

Following the surge in the number of infected persons across the country, the minister said the set date for the inauguration of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project was no longer feasible.

Before the outbreak of the second wave of the virus, the minister had said that the project would be inaugurated in January 2021, but he explained that the project would be inaugurated two weeks after the surge in the second wave reduced or stopped.

He spoke on Monday in Abuja on a television programme monitored by The Nation.

Amaechi said: “First, let us admit that over 60 per cent of our workers, not the Ministry of Transportation employees, but the officials working on the rail project have been infected by COVID-19. Luckily, nobody has died and I pray nobody dies, but you see the kind of sacrifice everybody is making to get the rail to function.

“People who take pictures and say we can compete favourably with the people outside the country should know that people are sacrificing their lives to get to that point.

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“As far as we are concerned, we need to learn how to live with COVID-19. I want to praise those that achieved that feat to get the Lagos-Ibadan rail project to where it is now.

“As we are talking now, we were to inaugurate it in the first or second week in January, but we had to stop those doing minor completion work because of the rise in COVID-19 transmission and allow just the train to run.”

He said the train operation may stop if the number of cases continues to rise.

“If we see that we are conveying passengers who have COVID-19 from Lagos to Ibadan or Ibadan to Lagos, we will stop it, just as we are threatened to stop Abuja to Kaduna if people don’t comply with the COVID-19 protocol.

“If all the routes where we are operating flout the COVID-19 protocol, we will stop operation. We convey about 4,000 passengers daily on Abuja-Kaduna route, so, imagine that about 20 per cent have COVID-19, they can transmit it to other passengers on board and the rate of transmission will be high and we cannot continue that way.

“So, for us, we insist that everybody must obey the COVID-19 protocol by wearing their masks till the end of the journey.”

On the timeline for inauguration, he said: “The timeline will be dependent on COVID-19. If COVID-19 stops tomorrow or reduces, we will inaugurate two weeks after.

 

 Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

 

OGUN State Government said on Monday that it had scaled up its preparedness to contain the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic with the setting up of an oxygen therapy centre, to avoid a situation of scarcity of the life-saving consumable.

Health Commissioner Dr. Tomi Coker, who made this known in Abeokuta, said the oxygen therapy centre is at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Iberekodo, Abeokuta and has 20 beds of high dependency capacity.

She said the state and nation were in the depth of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the new strain of it as being highly infectious.

“The Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) Isolation Centre is at 90 per cent capacity right now, which means people have to take cognisance of being responsible for their own health.

“Our positivity rate prior to December was roving around 0.7 – 0.8 per cent, but since December, particularly January, our positivity rate has gone up by about eight per cent, which means this second wave is real. Hence, we all have to pay attention and do the necessary things needed to protect ourselves.

“We are more concerned as a state, but we are prepared. We have OOUTH, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ikenne Isolation Centre all available.

“Our Oxygen Therapy Centre in Iberekodo, Abeokuta will help to ensure that we do not run out of oxygen like some states are experiencing at the moment. We are responding appropriately to contain and curtail this second wave,” Coker said.

The commissioner, however, said Ogun State has tested over 50,000 residents, which is the one per cent of its population as stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

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“Ogun is one of the leading states in the number of tests carried out. We’ve actually hit one person of our population, which is the stipulated number prescribed by NCDC for all states.

“We have tested over 50,000 residents of Ogun State given that our population is about 5.8million. We are now heading to two per cent. Out of the over 50,000 tested, we have about 2,500 positive,” she said.

“We are responding appropriately to contain and curtail this second wave, but success of our response has to be a collaborative one between the government and the individuals,” the commissioner said.

 

 

 Justina Asishana, Minna, Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja, Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi and Fanen Ihyongo, Kano

 

THE former military administrator of Benue and Kogi states, Col. Aminu Isah Kontagora, has died of COVID-19 complications.

Kontagora, 65, reportedly died on Monday morning at a health facility in Abuja.

He was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in 2015.

Niger State Government described the deceased as a respected officer who spent his life in the service of the state, country and humanity.

It said his death was a tragedy and a monumental loss to Niger State “at this very critical period of our history.”

The Secretary to the Government of Niger State (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, in a condolence message said: “On behalf of the government and people of the state, I want to convey my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the late Col. Aminu Isah Kontagora, the Sarkin Sudan, Kontagora, Alhaji Saidu Namaska, people of Kontagora Emirate and Nigerlites as a whole on this huge loss.”

He prayed that the Almighty Allah (SWT) grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest, reward him with Jannatul Firdausi and give the entire family the courage to bear the irreparable loss.

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the family of Col. Kontagora.

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He urged family, friends and associates to accept the will of God, and seek solace in Kontogora’s good work.

The President’s message was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

PDP has commiserated with the government and people of Niger State over the death of Col. Kontagora.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday in Abuja also commiserated with the Kontagora family, describing the death of the retired military officer as a huge national loss.

Benue State Government has declared today as a work-free day to mourn Kontagora. Governor Samuel Ortom directed that flags be flown at half-mast in honour of the deceased.

Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has condoled with the Niger State Government and families of Kontagora.

Former Minister of Communications Maj.- Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju yesterday mourned the passage of Col. Kontagora.

He described him as a patriot and a star in the Artillery Corps.