The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

Adeleke warns against ‘ghost membership’ as PDP commences registration

As the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) commenced online registration of its members across Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke has warned against ‘ghost membership’.

Adeleke during the PDP stakeholders meeting held at the party secretariat in Osogbo, expressed confidence in the unity of disgruntled members within the party left for All Progressives Congress.

“A lot has happened in government and our Party, PDP. We are all aware of recent developments. The one or two leaders who left failed to even take their wives with them. I salute the faithfulness of party leaders and members to remain steadfast. PDP is the home of true friends of the people. We are the real Progressives with massive delivery of good governance to the people, ”Adeleke said.

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He commended Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Senator Oluwole Alabi, Fatai Akinbade, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, and several other party leaders who have reunited with the mainstream of the party.

“There is no “Anigba” again. From ward to state level, we must embrace each other and forge ahead to build a united victorious party ahead of 2026.

“To that end, we must urgently update our register in line with the directive from the national headquarters. The registration exercise must be thorough and real. We should not act like another party that falsified their party membership register. We must ensure real men and women rather than ghosts are registered as party members. PDP is not a party of ghost members and workers.”

June 8, 2024
Oyo courts jail 36 internet fraudsters in Ibadan

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentence of 36 internet fraudsters to various jail terms before Justices Uche Agomoh and E.U. Akpan of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State; Ladiran Akintola, K.B. Olawoyin, Bayo Taiwo and O.S. Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.

The convicts are Ayodele Victor Ayodeji; Adebayo Kazeem Akanbi; Ajayi Charles Temitayo; Rokeeb Olamide Taiwo; Olaleye Adedolapo Emmanuel; Emiade Azeez Ayotunde; Azeez Ademola; Afolabi Mayowa Akinbobola; Shittu Waheed Adeleke; Franklyn Ibeh Kelechi; Olanrewaju Olaitan Quadri; Olawale Elijah Seyi Awofolaju; Samuel Olayemi Ademeso; Akindele Timothy Olatunde; Sholeye Gideon Olamilekan; Waheed Olamide Ahmod; Lawal Paul Jelili ;Asaju Muhammad Numan and Badejo Adefemi Emmanuel.

Others are: Gomina Dennis Ozaveshe; Adio Hassan Taiwo; Adio Kehinde Hozaine; Adewunmi Adeboye Gabriel; John Oluwatimilehin Moses; Odeniyi Faruk Idowu; Owodunni Monsuru Abiodun; Sanwiyu Niyi Owonifari; Adeyinka Adewale Olujobi’; Ogunbiyi Segun Joseph; Ayomide Oniyitan Oluwatosin; Badmus Faruk Kayode; Jimoh Sylvester Enahoro; Azeta Sunday Osaremeh; Lukuman Olatemo; Emmanuel Ebgiri Ogah and Ayomide Ibrahim Ishola.

The charge against Ayomide Ibrahim Ishola read in part: “That you, Ayomide Ibrahim Ishola on or about October 2018, in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, falsely represented yourself as a female from the United States of America with the name Lawrence Janet to one Ralph Wells via your Google Chat account, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

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They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, impersonation and aiding in committing an offence upon arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC between April 24 and May 29, 2024.

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them in court as prosecution counsel: Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Shamsuddeen, Umar Abiso, Abiddeen Muhammad, Adamu Sahabi, Fatima Baba, David Olubode and Favour Adewunmi prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Consequently, Justice Agomoh convicted and sentenced Joseph, Oluwatosin, and Kayode to one-year imprisonment each without an option of fine, Enahoro to ten months imprisonment, while Osaremeh bagged six months imprisonment and Olatemo to four months imprisonment without an option of fine.

Also, Justice Akpan convicted and sentenced Owonifari to one and a half years imprisonment and Abiodun to one year imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.

Also, Justice Olawoyin convicted and sentenced Ishola to one and a half years imprisonment or a fine of N1.5 million and Olujobi bagged six months imprisonment or a fine of N400,000.

Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced Hozaine, Gabriel, Idowu, and Ogah to six months of community service each without an option of fine, as Idowu forfeited a silver coloured Toyota Camry car with registration number: GBE – 334 – AE to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Justice Taiwo convicted and sentenced Ozaveshe to four months community service or a fine of N150,000 and Taiwo to five months community service or a fine of N150,000.

Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Adedolapo Emmanuel, Ayotunde, Ademola, Kelechi, Quadri, and Moses to one-year imprisonment each or fines of N50, 000; N100, 000; N20, 000; N30, 000; N150, 000 and N120, 000 respectively.

Also, Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Olamide Taiwo, Akinbobola, and Adefemi Emmanuel to six months of community service each or fines of N50, 000; N150, 000 and N60, 000 respectively.

Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Ayodeji, Akanbi, and Adeleke to three months of community service each or a fine of N20,000.00 each, while Temitayo, Awofolaju, and Jelili bagged three months of community service each or a fine of N30, 000 each.

Also, Olamilekan, Ahmod and Numan were convicted and sentenced to three months community service each or a fine of N25,000 each, while Ademeso also bagged three months of community service or a fine of N50,000 and Olatunde to three months of community service or a fine of N40, 000.

June 8, 2024
Ondo faults AGF’s suit at Supreme Court on LGs autonomy

•Describes AGF as meddlesome interloper in LGs administration
•Insists no one can query how states run LGs or apply their funds

The Ondo State Government has faulted the competence of the suit filed before the Supreme Court by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on Local Governments autonomy.

In a notice of preliminary objection filed for the state by its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), Ondo State argues that it is not within the constitutional powers of the AGF, who filed the suit in the name of the Federal Government, to query how a state runs its LGs or administer their funds.

It is also Ondo State’s contention that it is only the National Assembly or the state House of Assembly that can query the manner Local Governments are being administered and how their funds are deployed.

While describing the FG as a meddlesome interloper in the matter of LGs administration, Ondo State also argued that the Supreme Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the case.

It added that the plaintiff has been unable to establish that a dispute exists between it and the 36 states to warrant the invocation of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court as required under Section 232(1) of the Constitution.

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Ondo State, listed as the 28th defendant in the suit, urged the apex court to decline jurisdiction over the case.

In a separate motion, Ondo State equally faulted the averments contained in some paragraphs of the affidavit filed by the plaintiff in support of the originating summons and urged the court to strike them out.

It stated that the affected averments contravened the provision of Section 115 of the Evidence Act 2011 (as amended).

In the preliminary objection, Ondo State is contending that the Supreme Court “lacks the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine this suit, same having been filed in flagrant violation of Section 232(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) (‘the Constitution’), Section 1(1)(a) of the Supreme Court (Additional Jurisdiction) Act. No. 3, 2002 and Order 3 Rule 6(1) of the Supreme Court Rules (as amended 2014).

“Section 232(1) of the Constitution only permits the invocation of the original jurisdiction of this honourable court where there is a dispute between the federation/plaintiff and the defendants/states which involves any question of law or fact on which the existence or extent of the legal right of either the federation or the defendants/states depends.

“The proper parties in any action where the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is invoked are persons listed in Section 232(1) of the Constitution and Section 1(1)(a) of the Supreme Court (Additional Jurisdiction) Act. No. 3, 2002 vis-à-vis the respective legal rights of the parties, and no other person whatsoever – whether natural or artificial – is allowed to be a party to the suit under any guise whatsoever.

“The federation/plaintiff has no locus standi to institute and/or maintain this suit as the funds complained of in the instant suit belong to the local government councils created by the Constitution as a distinct and different tier of government independent of the Plaintiff.

“The legal import of Section 162(3) of the Constitution is to the effect that any amount standing to the credit of the Federation Account shall be distributed among the Federal and State Governments and the local government councils in each state on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

“The distribution of the said funds between three distinct tiers of government is not subject to the discretion or any terms and conditions of the plaintiff

June 8, 2024
Bill for Southeast Erosion Control Commission passes first reading

A bill aimed at establishing the South East Erosion Control Commission has passed First Reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, sponsored by Hon. Emeka Martins Chinedu, seeks to address the critical issue of erosion affecting the South East region of Nigeria.

Chinedu, representing Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency, introduced the bill with the intention of developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to combat the severe erosion problems that have devastated farmlands, homes, and infrastructure in the region.

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The lawmaker said the proposed commission is designed to provide an institutional framework to effectively manage and mitigate erosion, ensuring the protection of the environment and the livelihoods of the affected communities.

With the passage of the bill through its First Reading, it now moves to the subsequent stages of the legislative process, where further readings, debates, and considerations will take place.

Chinedu said he was committed to addressing pressing environmental challenges and improving the quality of life for residents in the Southeast re

June 8, 2024
ITF trains 4000 Nigerian youths in various skills

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) says it has trained a total of 4000 Nigerian youths in various skills in the year 2024.

The training was carried out in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Budgeting and Economic Planning under the ITF’s National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP).

Director General of ITF, Dr Afiz Oluwatoy Ogun stated this in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State on Friday during the graduation ceremony of a fresh batch of graduates of the programme.

He noted that so far, 100 youths in the state participated and benefited in the three months of technical and vocational training.

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According to him, the beneficiaries underwent two months of intensive learning and one month of practical/hands-on training.

“The ITF – NERGP programme is aimed at equipping our youths with the technical and vocational skills, knowledge, and attitude that will enable them to become self- employed or employers of labour.

“The ITF-NERGP is aimed at upskilling and re-skilling our youths in different trades thereby addressing skills gap challenges in our dear country,” he explained.

Represented by the Acting Area Manager of ITF in Ebonyi State, Mr. John Chukwuelue, Mr. Ogun noted that the ITF-NERGP training covers the following trades: – furniture making, plumbing and pipe fitting, electrical installation, and beauty care.

“All the participants were given start-up- packs in accordance with the trade each learned. The training was a huge success as most of the beneficiaries are able to demonstrate and practice what they have learned without supervision,” he said.

June 8, 2024
‘Embracing family planning has reduced maternal mortality in Enugu’

A non-governmental organization, the Society for Family Health, has hailed women in Enugu State for embracing family planning, which it said, has seen the state witnessing significant reduction in maternal mortality rate.

The Assistant Chief Programme Officer, the Society for Family Health, Dr. Anthony Nwala, who made the commendation to newsmen at a dissemination meeting of stakeholders in the Delivering Innovation in Self Care (DISC) project held in Enugu, the state capital, said the development was as a result of the project it started in September 2022 in the state.

The initiative, which was funded by the Children Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), aims to demonstrate a self-care, beginning with contraceptive self-injection.

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Nwala disclosed that the initiative had equally assisted in the exponential growth in uptake of women who had accepted the family planning method and had learned and were self-injecting.

He expressed happiness that Enugu women now understood that it is in their best interest to have children by choice and not by chance, urging more women in the state to key into the family planning method to save lives.

According to him, the project supports women to assume greater control over their sexual and reproductive health by using contraceptive self-care methods like self-inject (Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate- Subcutaneous DMPA-SC), which can help in delaying or preventing pregnancy if a woman so desires.

“I must tell you that we have recorded a very high impact from this project. We’ve seen exponential growth in uptake and we’ve seen a very serious reduction in all those indices (mortality) we met at baseline.

“At baseline when we came into Enugu State in July 2022, the uptake of DMPA (depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate), was as low as 419. Just six percent conversion to self-injection. The maximum was about 20 percent conversion.

“But by the time we started working in September 2022, we started seeing exponential growth to the extent that as we’re speaking today, we have well over 3000 uptake of this method monthly, translating to over 60 percent conversion. That is women who have accepted this method and have learned and are self-injecting. The general impact of this is a huge reduction in maternal mortality.”

June 8, 2024
Five persons feared trapped in Abia building collapse

There was palpable apprehension in the Umumbi Autonomous Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State as five persons working at a construction site were said to have been trapped under a three-storey building.

The three storey was said to have collapsed on them Friday afternoon as the workers were working in the building.

It was gathered that three carpenters working on the roof survived the building collapse.

The three workers were said to be plastering the ground floor when the building collapsed on them.

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Two of the workers under the rubble were said to be blood brothers who just arrived at the construction site yesterday to begin work today, only for them to be trapped less than 8 hours after they began work on the site.

The owner of the building is said to be outside the country while the project is being supervised by his siblings.

A building expert, Engr. Chinedu Okwara said the collapse of the building may not be unconnected with the use of substandard materials and the inability of the owner of the building to use the services of a qualified and certified building engineer.

The chairman of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Newman Azu, in a telephone interview confirmed the collapse of the building.

Azu, who disclosed that he was already on the site with his team, said that arrangements were ongoing to bring heavy-duty equipment to the scene to begin excavation as quickly as possible to see how they could rescue those trapped in the rubble.

June 8, 2024
EEDC threatens to disconnect Govt Houses, army, others over debt

Some parts of the Southeast states in Nigeria risk being plunged into darkness as the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has threatened to disconnect them for failure to clear their accumulated energy bills.

Government Houses, the University of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, the Nigerian Army, and others could be affected if EEDC carried out its threat.

In a disconnection notice, EEDC advised them to clear the bills on or before June 10, 2024.

The notice by the company sighted on Friday reads: “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to notify her customers with outstanding electricity bills, that effective from 10th June 2024, the company will commence the disconnection of electricity supply to these indebted customers.

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“This exercise has become necessary considering the huge unpaid electricity bills and accrued arrears, which has consistently put the company in a precarious revenue deficit position, making it difficult to meet up with its power purchase obligations.

“For EEDC to continue providing services to its esteemed customers, it is pertinent that electricity bills, which are for energy already consumed, are paid in full.

“If this is not done, it will be difficult for the company to keep up its operations to serve customers and enhance the quality of service.

“Some of the indebted customers include Enugu State government, Ebonyi State Government, Anambra State Government, Abia State Government, Imo State Government, Innoson Technical & Industries, University of Nigeria (Enugu & Nsukka Campuses) and Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd. Others are Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Railway Corporation, National Drug Law Enforcement, UNTH, Enugu, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria Coal Corporation Quarters, Federal Secretariat & Establishment, GMO Rubber Division, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Ebonyi State Govt. (Ecumenical Centre 1), Nigeria Prisons Training School, Central Bank of Nigeria offices, Concorde Hotel, Owerri, and Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

“The rest are Enugu High Court, Reliable Steel & Plastic Ind. Ltd., Jilnas Industries, BENGAS Nigeria Ltd., CIFO Petroleum Ltd., STANEL Filling Station, Highlift Pumping Station, FINOC Industries Ltd., Aluminium Extrusion Industries Ltd., VIN VAL Limited, Local Government Council offices, Saint Davids Porter Nigeria Ltd., Gees Denver Company Limited, the Federal Controller of Works, Hospitals Management Board and DONLINK Plastic Industries.”

June 8, 2024
Clinical Nutritional Care, aspect of medical care being neglected – LUTH CMD

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof Lanre Wasiu Adeyemo has said that nutrition is an aspect of medical care that is being neglected.

Adeyemo said this at a conference of the West African Society of Parenteral and Entral Nutrition (WASPEN) conference on Thursday, at LUTH, Idi-araba, Lagos.

Speaking on the theme of the conference: “Advancing Clinical Nutrition Care: Regional Guidelines and Standards for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition,” the LUTH CMD, represented by Dr Ayodeji Oluwole, who is Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), said the WASPEN Clinical Conference is significant because the convener called the hospital’s attention to a significant area.

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He said with the conference, LUTH also launched a committee in charge of nutrition because nutrition is important to everyone.

President/Founder of WASPEN, Teresa Pounds, said the theme of the conference underscores collective dedication to elevate standard of practice in clinical nutrition.

“The objectives of the conference are ambitious, yet attainable, to pilot clinical nutrition care programmes, develop nutrition support teams and training programmes, conduct trial research and establish systems for continuous improvement.”

“Additionally, WASPEN seeks to address crucial issues such as product availability and affordability, as well as including clinical nutrition products in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) programmes.” She said.

President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Cyril Usifoh, expressed hope that the government would make nutrition affordable, especially for vulnerable persons.

“When medical experts gather and discuss things, hopefully they take some of these messages home to the appropriate quarters, and might be able to see emergence of policy that would help the average Nigerian,” he said.

June 8, 2024
Specialised agricultural institutions needed for food security – Abbas

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has stressed the need for the establishment of more specialised agricultural institutions in the country.

The Speaker said the specialised institutions were necessary to accelerate the federal government’s drive for food security, mechanised farming and diversification of the economy.

Speaker Abbas made the submission on Friday in Abuja through his Deputy, Hon. Benjamin Kalu at a public hearing of the House on nine agriculture related bills.

The Speaker explained that three of the bills seek the amendment of the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act 2010 to establish Federal University of Agriculture in Oyo, Delta and Enugu States while the remaining six bills are seeking the amendment of Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, 2004 to pave way for the establishment of Agricultural Colleges and Institutes in Ekiti, Bauchi, Enugu, Delta, Nasarawa and Ogun States.

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He said: “To fast-track the Federal Government’s drive for food security, modern and mechanised farming and diversification of the economy, the need for more specialised agricultural institutions that are innovative and research-based has become imperative.

“This understanding informed the listing of agricultural reforms in the 10th House’s Legislative Agenda to address the nation’s high cost of food items. We believe that if these Bills are well processed with robust inputs from you, they would strengthen the nation’s quest for food sufficiency and socio-economic development of our country.”

He encouraged the stakeholders to make valid contributions that would enable the House arrive at an informed conclusion on the bills.

“Let me state that public hearing is a key legislative programme designed by the parliament to ensure that the feelings, sentiments and aspirations of the critical stakeholders and other members of the public are reflected in the laws made by the legislature.

June 8, 2024