The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • I’ve been unable to serve my wife divorce papers – Obasanjo tells court

    Son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday told an Ikeja High Court that he has been unable to serve his estranged wife, Mrs Temitope, divorce papers

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Temitope nee Adebutu, is the daughter of popular Premier Lotto magnate, Sir Kessington Adebutu alias “Baba Ijebu”.

    The couple were, however absent in court, while there was also no legal representation for Temitope.

    Counsel to Olujonwo, Mr Olayinka Kujembola, informed the court that several fruitless efforts had been made to serve Temitope.

    “We have made several attempts to serve her in Abeokuta, Ogun State, but failed.

    “Even at her residence located within an Estate in Ikoyi, the court Sheriff complained that he was unable to effect service because of the tight security,”Kujembola said.

    Justice Bisi Akinlade noted that proceedings in the divorce suit were always reported in the media and that efforts should be made to serve Temitope in Ogun where she works and resides.

    “The issue between this couple is always reported in the papers.

    “The respondent stays in Ogun State, why do you want me to grant an Order for substituted service for Lagos where she does not stay?.

    “I will adjourn this case to ensure that the bailiff serves her personally so that we can be sure that we have exhausted all options.

    Read Also: Don’t use me to seek media spotlight – Obasanjo’s son tells mother

     

    “This is a very simple matter, it is a very simple divorce. This case is adjourned till Oct. 2 for hearing of pending applications,”Akinlade said.

    NAN reports that during proceedings of May 23, Olujonwo’s counsel, Ms Omo Omofoma also told the court that Olujonwo had made several attempts to serve Temitope to no avail.

    Justice Akinlade had noted during the proceedings that other means of service like an alternative address and courier service should be explored by the petitioner (Olujonwo).

    NAN reports that Olujonwo and Temitope got married on May 11 and 13, 2017 in a grand wedding which attracted the ‘creme de la creme’ of the society. The marriage, however, came to a halt a few months later.

    Weeks leading to the May 2017 wedding, Olujonwo’s mother, Mrs Taiwo Obasanjo had filed a suit at an Ikeja High Court seeking the postponement of the wedding of her son to Temitope.

    According to her, she had received various warnings and prophecies from men of God that her son should not be involved in any elaborate celebration before his 34th birthday which was June 1, 2017.

    Justice Lateefa Okunnu in a ruling on April 10, 2017 had dismissed the suit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it because Olujonwo, then 33, was an adult.

     

    (NAN)

  • Fayose left N57bn unpaid workers’ salaries, pension arrears, says Fayemi

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti on Tuesday said that the workers in the state civil service were currently being owed N57billion as arrears of unpaid salaries and emoluments.

    The governor said this at a meeting he had with the civil servants as well as a cross-section of labour leaders at the Government House, Ado Ekiti.

    He said that his administration was making frantic efforts to defray the backlogs which he said would be done in phases.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayemi claimed the trend was caused by irregular payments of salaries and pensions by the immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose.

    He said the arrears covered outstanding salaries, pensions, promotion arrears, leave bonuses and other emoluments from 2014 till October 2018 when he assumed office.

    The governor also said he was not part of the people that were opposed to local government autonomy.

    He said the local governments in the state were currently being given unfettered access to administer their own funds without interference from his government.

    He said he would honour his earlier pledge to pay all the outstanding workers’ benefits.

    He clarified that some would be given immediate attention, while some would be defrayed by instalmental.

    He said, “It is sad to reel out such a homongous figure, because it can create panic for you and I.

    ” But let me say that we cannot pay everything in one fell swoop, but the 2019 promotion arrears will be given immediate attention while others will be defrayed by installment.

    ” It becomes difficult to pay once because Ekiti gets a little above N5billion monthly, with the state getting like N3billion, while the local governments receive little above N2billion monthly “, he said.

    On the issue of local government autonomy, Fayemi said he was never opposed to the idea of giving financial independence to the third tier of government, being the closest to the grassroots.

    “I am not opposed to it. Since I came back as governor, not even one naira of the local government money was being administered by me.

    ” I have allowed the councils to manage whatever comes to them.”

    Fayemi said that the state under him was considering alternative power supply option to shore up the one being supplied to the state from national grid.

    He said he was planning the alternative because the current supply was grossly inadequate and crippling economic activities in the state.

    He also said that he had earmarked some funds for the Ministry of Environment to undertake erosion and flood control projects in some towns.

    Fayemi said that this was because of the recent flooding that ravaged Ado Ekiti and other towns, of which many civil servants were major victims.

    Read Also: How Fayemi can make difference, by PDP chief

    He also said that he would discuss the acute shortage of manpower in the health sector with the Health Management Board (HMB) when it was raised by the labour leaders.

    He said that he would ascertain the actual statistics and how to fill the missing gaps in the health sector.

    The Chairman of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Kayode Fatomiluyi, had called the attention of the governor to the chronic shortage of manpower in the health sector.

    Fatomiluyi said, “Over 1,000 nurses were at HMB in 2014 during your first term, Your Excellency Sir.

    “But today, we have less than 500 to manage 22 health facilities across the state.

    “The Governor must do something about this,” he said.

    Some of the other labour union leaders in the state that attended the meeting include: Kolapo Olatunde of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Sola Adigun of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    They also pleaded that issues that had to do with the benefits of workers must be given utmost priority.

    They urged the governor to use his connection as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to fast track the implementation of the new minimum wage for workers. (NAN)

  • UPDATED: South Africa grants landing permit to Air Peace — Mission

    South African authorities have granted landing permit to Air Peace Flight B777 to enable it to evacuate some 320 Nigerians escaping from xenophobia in that country, a Nigerian consular officer has confirmed.

    Nigeria’s Consul- General in Johannesburg, Mr Godwin Adama, made the confirmation in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

    Adama spoke against the background of a complaint by the Managing Director of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema.

    Onyema had said that the refusal of South Africa to grant the permit made it impossible for the flight to leave Lagos at 1a.m. for Johannesburg to convey the second batch of returnees.

    But Adama said the permit had been granted the airline and that the flight would be late in the night of Tuesday.

    Adama said, “They want Nigerians to arrive during the week, they are taking-off from here midnight.

    “I do not know the exact time but they will be leaving (South Africa) midnight.

    “I do not know why they were denied the landing permit. I think it is an airline operational issue. They did not get it yesterday but they told me that it came late yesterday (Monday).

    Read Also: Xenophobia: 320 Nigerians to return from South Africa on Tuesday – Mission

    “It was weekend and they were going to get it this morning; the airline did not tell me it was deliberate, but they explained to me that they have gotten it.

    “Our manifest arrived last night towards the close of work and they were to take-off 1a.m. Nigerian time yesterday (Monday) but they did not because it was late.

    “I have gotten it now so they will be able to make me know the time of their arrival here so that we can know when to take-off.”

    Adama said buses provided to convey Nigerians wanting to return home were still at the mission premises and everyone was there.

    “We are still really working on the number (320) to see how we can fill up the airline capacity with anyone that is readily available.

    “We have more than enough, we are even trying to ensure that the aircraft is filled up that is why we are readily taking people who are on ground now.

    “We have more than enough to fill the aircraft, the delay has also helped us because as we call names to board we see some people cleared at the last minute.

    “The truth is they are people who have not been cleared, those who are ready to go are all here and we are trying to queue them up.

    “We may not even be able to take all of them who are hopeful,” he added.

    Adama said that the next batch of evacuation would be based on the Federal Government’s directives. (NAN)

  • Xenophobia: S/African authorities again frustrate evacuation of second batch of Nigerians

    The evacuation of the second batch of Nigerians from South Africa owing to ongoing xenophobic attacks, suffered an interruption on Tuesday following the delay in granting landing permit to Air Peace.

    The airline has volunteered to evacuate Nigerians willing to return to the country following the recent violence against foreigners in the southern African country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airline in collaboration with the Federal Government had on Sept. 11 evacuated the first batch of 187 Nigerians from South Africa.

    There was a plan for the airline to evacuate another batch of 320 Nigerians who had indicated interest to return home, with the flight expected to arrive in Lagos at 7.00p.m on Tuesday.

    However, Mr Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, told newsmen in Lagos that the airline’s B777 aircraft deployed for the operation was still on standby at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

    According to him, the aircraft is supposed to have departed Lagos at 1.00 am, but was denied landing permit by the South African authorities.

    “We did not take off at 1:00am as scheduled because South African authorities are yet to give us landing permit.

    Read Also: Xenophobia: 320 Nigerians to return from South Africa on Tuesday – Mission

    “We are hopeful that they will give us the permit. Our crew waited till 3:00 am, but when the permit did not come, they went back to the hotel.

    “Once we get the permit we will set off to South Africa. We don’t want to speculate but we are hopeful they will give the permit,”Onyema said.

    NAN reports that the South African authorities had on Sept. 11 also prevented some Nigerians from leaving the country, by insisting on a fresh profiling exercise in spite of the one earlier conducted by the Nigerian High Commission.

    The situation led to several hours of delay before 187 of the more than 300 Nigerians were successfully evacuated.

    (NAN)

  • Five die in Ondo auto-crash

    No fewer than five people, including two children, have died in a road crash involving a bus and a truck on Tuesday morning in Ore Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, the Head of Operations, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview.

    Ogungbemide said that five out of the 13 passengers involved in the accident died instantly while seven other people sustained various degrees of injury.

    He said that FRSC operatives had taken the victims to Adeola Hospital, Kajola and Opeyemi Hospital, Ore in the area.

    “On Sept. 17, 2019 at about 7:15 a.m. along km 46, Adekunle area in Ore, a bus, Toyota Hiace, marked AKL 930 YY and one articulated vehicle, Man Diesel, marked FGB 747 XA, were involved in a crash”.

    In the accident, “five people died instantly while seven others sustained injuries,” he said.

    The head of operation, who explained that excessive speeding and wrongful overtaking were the causes of the accident, said that efforts had been made to clear the road.

    Read Also: Three die, five injured in auto crash on Lagos – Ibadan expressway

    He, therefore, warned motorists to be more careful and shun speeding and wrong overtaking, especially during these “ember” months.

    “The motoring public should be more careful during these “ember” months. There is increase in vehicular movements on the highways and unnecessary agitation by drivers, mostly commercial drivers.

    “The passengers too, have major role to play in cautioning their drivers. Commuters are advised to be vigilant and avoid sleeping during a trip.

    “Never allow a reckless driver to waste your life. All hands must be on deck to keep safe from all these carnage,” Ogungbemide advised.

     

    (NAN)

  • Neymar’s European suspension reduced from three to two games – CAS

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport has reduced Paris St Germain striker Neymar’s suspension from three to two UEFA games for insulting match officials, CAS said on Tuesday.

    PSG and the Brazilian had appealed against the three-game ban imposed by European governing body UEFA in June, and CAS partially upheld the appeal.

    Neymar labelled the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system “a disgrace” after PSG were eliminated from the Champions League last 16 by Manchester United after the Premier League side were awarded a decisive last-gasp penalty in a 3-1 win at the Parc des Princes.

    Read Also: Barcelona set to dump Neymar interest for Kylian Mbappe

    Neymar will be eligible to play in the Champions League in the third round of matches, when PSG travel to Club Brugge on Oct. 22.

    The 27-year-old made his PSG season debut last Saturday after his failed transfer to Barcelona, scoring the only goal in stoppage time against Racing Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

    He is suspended for PSG’s Champions League start against Real Madrid on Wednesday. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Tribunal upholds election of Gov. Makinde

    The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan on Monday, upheld the victory of Gov. Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Adebayo Adelabu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had filed petition against Makinde in the March 9 Governorship election in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adelabu and his party APC challenged the declaration of Makinde by INEC as the winner of March 9 governorship election in Oyo State.

    Makinde polled 515,621 votes to defect his closest rival, Adelabu who had 357,982 votes while PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are also respondents.

    The petitioners said that Makinde was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes, adding that election was marred by over voting and failure to comply with the provision of Electoral Act.

    Adelabu, therefore, prayed the tribunal to declare him the winner of the election, adding that he scored the highest number of lawful votes or alternatively, the tribunal should nullify the election and order a re-run.

    The Chairman of the tribunal three-man tribunal, Justice Muhammed Sirajo who delivered the unanimous judgment said the testimonies of the ward and local government agents, called by the petitioners could, not be relied.

    According to the tribunal, the agents were not speak the truth but and only relied on what they were been told by the polling units agents

    He said that 32 pieces of evidence, out of the 69 witnesses called by the petitioners were hearsay because the petitioners were ward and local government collation agents while the remaining 37 were polling unit agents.

    Sirajo said that the petitioners called 69 witnesses and tendered 4,164 exhibits while the respondents called 15 witnesses, adding that said the testimony of an eye witness must come from the polling units agents who witnessed all that happened from the beginning to the end during the election.

    The tribunal said that the petitioners also failed to tender necessary documents that would assist members of the tribunal in proving ballot paper accounting.

    Read Also: Seyi Makinde: A child of circumstance

    He said that it was not only the responsibilities of petitioners to tender documents but also to prove that the alleged irregularities in the election substantially affected the outcome of the election.

    Sirajo said that the petitioners failed to prove that the respondents were not validly elected by majority of lawful votes.

    “The petitioner failed to prove the allegation of non-compliance, non-accreditation, over voting and corrupt practices that would warrant the tribunal to nullified the election,“ he said.

    Sirajo, who said that the petition lacked merit and stood dismissed, awarded N200, 000 cost against the petitioners..

    In an interview, the counsel to the petitioners, Mr Akin Oladeji, said they would decide on next line of action after studying the judgment

    (NAN)

  • Obasanjo writes Buthelezi, says attacks will cripple investment in South Africa

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday said it was a “fallacy” for South Africa to believe that xenophobia would make more jobs available to its citizens.

    Obasanjo, in a letter to the Leader of South-Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, said that such attitude would rather cripple investment in the country.

    “As it is being touted that xenophobia will give South Africans more jobs, I dare say, it is fallacy.

    “Xenophobia will make investment in South Africa more difficult, which will lead to lack of job creation and loss of existing jobs,” Obasanjo said in condemning the recent xenophobic attack against Nigerians in South-Africa.

    Obasanjo noted that Nigerians had played great roles in the liberation of different peoples in different parts of Africa, including fighting against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

    He said such kind gestures were not motivated by praises or positions but by sense of duty and obligation as Africans towards fellow Africans.

    The former president condemned what he described as “incompetence or collusion” on the part of South African Police for standing aloof watching miscreants and criminals committing crimes against fellow human beings in the country.

    “This was experienced in South Africa in recent times and it shows either incompetence or collusion on the part of the police.

    “We believe that Africans living in any other part of Africa must be treated as brothers and friends.

    “If they commit any crime, they should be treated like citizens of that country will be treated when they commit crime which will mean applying judicial process,” he said.

    He advised South African government to send emissaries to the countries concerned to explain, apologise and agree on the way forward for mutual understanding, accommodation, reconciliation to promote brotherhood in Africa.

    “Repatriation of Nigerians from South- Africa is obviously not a permanent solution. At best, it is palliative because the hurt will still remain for some time and revenge is also not the desirable solution.

    “Mutual understanding and acknowledgement of what needs to be done on all sides is imperative and getting down to doing them is the solution that will serve Nigeria and South Africa and indeed Africa, particularly in this era of Africa Continental Free Trade Area opportunities.

    Read Also: Xenophobic attacks: Returnees relive ordeal, demand revenge against South Africa

     

    “In the final analysis, if South- Africa fails to initiate appropriate and satisfactory steps to deal with the issues to pacify affected victims and work for reconciliation, the countries concerned should come together to table appropriate motions at the African Union level first and consider other measures if the situation is allowed to continue,” he said.

    He said that most migrants did not migrate to other countries with total emptiness, adding that some had education, skills, experience, expertise, entrepreneurship which could help economies of host countries.

    “What has helped most developed countries in the world is openness and receiving migrants with open hands and open minds.

    “In any case, all of us in the world are migrants, no matter where we live, depending only on how far back you want to go,” he said.

    Obasanjo urged African countries to develop programmes that would provide livelihood for its
    terming youth population.

    He noted that such measure would discourage the youths from embarking on hazardous journeys to places where their lives would be endangered.

     

    (NAN)

  • Foundation advises FG to appoint citizen with integrity to head Police Trust Fund

    Cleen Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has advised the Federal Government to appoint a citizen with integrity to head the Police Trust Fund (PTF) as the Executive Secretary.

    Mr Benson Olugbuo, Cleen’s Executive Director, who gave the advice on Monday in a statement in Abuja, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute the Board of Trustees of PTF in line with the powers and functions enshrined in the PTF Act.

    This, he said, would prevent conflict in the powers of the Executive Secretary, the Minister of Police Affairs, Inspector General of Police and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission.

    He urged the Board of Trustees when constituted, to ensure accountability and transparency in the operations of the trust fund.

    “The Board of Trustees should ensure that the disbursement of funds is based on needs assessment duly prepared by the Nigeria Police in a transparent and accountable manner.

    “They should also tackle the issues of lack of comprehensive needs assessment data by the Nigeria Police to enhance budgeting, planning and the overall development of police personnel,’’ he said.

    Olugbuo said that the issues of absence of an oversight body and a mechanism in the PTF’s Act for checks and balances should also be addressed by the board.

     

    Read Also: Buhari assents to Police Trust Fund bill, others

     

    He said that addressing the issues would reduce the vulnerability of the trust fund from corruption, embezzlement, fraud, nepotism, mis-allocation and diversion of resources that erode public good, efficiency and legitimacy.

    According to him, the government has long underfunded the Nigeria Police and the funds appropriated for it are quite different from actual funds released.

    “All relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should be directed to release all levies and monies due to the fund and should also comply with the act.

    “The budgetary provisions for the management of the fund should commence through the 2019 supplementary budget by the National Assembly,’’ he said.

    Olugbuo urged the Ministry of Justice to correct typographical errors in the PTF Act before publishing the law in the official gazette of the Federal Government.

    “The PTF Act can be subjected to holistic amendment or reviews in the future to address gaps that have been identified or that may emerge from implementation,’’ he said.

     

    (NAN)

  • Court sentences ex-convict to 6 months in prison for stealing car battery

    An Ajegunle Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday sentenced a 20-year-old ex-convict, Adisa Ojo, to six-months imprisonment for stealing a truck battery valued at N65,000.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Joy Olorunfemi, sentenced the convict to six-months imprisonment without an option of fine.

    Olorunfemi said that the convict had previously been arraigned and sentenced to 30 hours of community service by her on another charge of stealing in January.

    Read Also: We support state police to curb crimes

    According to her, the defendant had been charged with a different name, Sunday Abraham, but I have confirmed his identity from the community service officers.

    “Having considered the facts of this case, and that the defendant is not a first time offender, I hereby sentence him to six-months in prison starting from the date of his arraignment,” she said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convict, who resides in Okota area of Lagos, was arraigned on Sept. 11 and had pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the convict committed the offence on Sept. 7 at Shehu Bus Stop, Ago Palace Way, Lagos.

    Aigbokhan said that he stole a black Indigo 205 amp truck battery valued at N65,000, property of Port Express Cargo Terminal.

    “The defendant removed the battery from a truck and mounted a motorcycle to leave with it and was caught by a security guard.

    “He confessed to have stolen the battery and said that he always come around the area to steel batteries,” the prosecutor said.

    According to Aigbokhan, the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

     

    (NAN)