The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Oyo APC accuses Makinde of denying responsibility for girl’s death in Ogbomosho

    Oyo APC accuses Makinde of denying responsibility for girl’s death in Ogbomosho

    By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan

    OYO State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed sadness and regret over what it described as a failed attempt by Governor Seyi Makinde to cover up his complicity in the death of a young girl by one of his supporters in Ogbomosho on Thursday.

    A statement by the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Ayobami Adejumo, said it was a height of insensitivity and irresponsibility for Governor Makinde to have made any attempt to deny the fact that innocent girl’s life was cut short by one of his core loyalists who drove recklessly to create fear in the mind of the people.

    The statement reads “The whole world was made to see the video clip of a bewildered man carrying the lifeless body of a little girl who was said to have been killed by a reckless driver in the convoy of Gov. Makinde. The man took the charred remains of the slain girl to the campaign ground of the PDP and nobody could challenge him because everyone knew his claim was right.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has said swift action is needed to apprehend the culprit of the killer of the young child in Ogbomoso on Thursday.

    Dare said the governor and the police should quickly investigate the brutal killing by a yet- to- be apprehended motorist.

    Mr. Dare said the tragic incident should not degenerate to an argument about the governor’s convoy,  but  the circumstances that led to loss of  life of a  precious child should be established.

    Also, Former Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala said in a statement in Ibadan  that the child was killed by a car suspected to be in Makinde’s motorcade in Ogbomoso on Thursday.

    The former governor described the incident as sad and unfortunate, saying it was heartbreaking to see the father of the little girl carrying the lifeless body of his once bubbly child in tears and anguish.

    He urged Makinde to ensure that a thorough investigation was carried out on the incident and the findings made public.

    Alao-Akala insisted that no matter how highly placed the person involved was, such individual must be brought to book.

    Makinde had, on his Twitter handle on Thursday , commiserated with the bereaved family but said  the car was not part of his convoy.

    His words: “I received with deep concern the report that my convoy ran over a child on our way to Ogbomoso, earlier today. Our preliminary investigation revealed that the child was hit by an individual driving a Toyota Matrix car who lost control of his vehicle. He was not part of my convoy.”

  • Two injured as another gas explosion rocks Ogun

    Two injured as another gas explosion rocks Ogun

    By Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

    A gas explosion yesterday rocked a construction yard at the Onikoko area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, less than 24 hours after a similar one occurred within the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), also in Abeokuta.

    The latest explosion left two persons seriously injured and they had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

    It was learnt that an idle cylinder, though with gas inside, suddenly exploded, injuring two within close range.

    Buildings along the Onikoko-Adigbe road and nearby vehicles were not spared as they experienced some dents.

    A teacher at St. Louis College, Abeokuta, was also affected by the explosion.

    Officials of the Ogun State Government including the State Commissioner for Special Duties,  Femi Ogunbanwo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, visited the scene to assess the situation.

    Meanwhile, the state government yesterday stopped sales of industrial gas to avert further explosion

    This was made known by the State Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Femi Ogunbanwo during a stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta, in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.

    Ogunbanwo noted that all major stakeholders in the gas sector were expected to comply with the directives.”

  • Sanwo-Olu sacks LASU’s Governing Council, orders fresh selection process for VC

    Sanwo-Olu sacks LASU’s Governing Council, orders fresh selection process for VC

    By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie and Oyebola Owolabi

    LAGOS State Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the immediate dissolution of the LASU Governing Council and removal of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council for flagrant violations of the extant laws and regulations of guiding the appointment of a VC.

    The governor also ordered a fresh selection process for the ninth Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university.

    The governor acted on recommendations of the special visitation panel on the appointment of the VC.

    A statement yesterday by Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso said Governor Sanwo-Olu also cancelled the second selection exercise for contravention of extant laws, breach of due process, failure, and total disregard to follow its own laid down criteria guiding the appointment of VC.

    He added:  “In due course, a new Governing Council for LASU will be constituted and which shall conduct a new process for the appointment of the ninth VC.  Members of the Joint Council and the Senate Committee who participated in the two failed exercises of 2020 and 2021 are exempted from participating in the new exercise. The Acting VC and university management are hereby directed to elect new council members from the Senate.

    “The Registrar and Secretary to Council is to proceed on leave immediately till the process is ended having failed to advise the Joint Council and Senate Committee against taking decisions which were against the law during the two failed exercises. An Acting Registrar will superintend over the new exercise.

    “The Acting Vice-Chancellor is to forward to the Governor/Visitor through the Surrogate Council (Special Adviser on Education) the list of all Deputy Registrars to appoint an Acting Registrar for the university.”

  • LG Poll: Oyo restricts movement, 9,000 policemen, 2,800 NSCDC operatives deployed

    LG Poll: Oyo restricts movement, 9,000 policemen, 2,800 NSCDC operatives deployed

    By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan

    OYO State government has announced the restriction of movement of persons and goods within the territory of the state between 6 am and 3 p.m on Saturday.

    In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun, the state government declared that the restrictions have become necessary to enable voters in the 33 local governments to participate freely in the May 22 election.

    The statement added that movement of persons and goods will be restricted between the hours of 6 am and 3 pm to enable officials of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) conduct the election without hindrance.

    It directed all registered voters in the state to freely participate in the election and remain law-abiding.

    Adeosun said: “In furtherance of the quest for a hitch-free local government election holding on Saturday, May 22, 2021, His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has ordered the restriction of movements between the hours of 6 am and 3 pm on the aforementioned date.

    “During the period of the restriction, security operatives will stop unauthorised movement of persons and goods in all parts of the state.

    “Only persons on essential duties would be exempted from the restriction order.

    “The general public is hereby advised to observe the restriction order avoid any form of brushes with security operatives.

    “Indigenes and residents of the state are as well enjoined to go about their duties peacefully while they go out to cast their votes inline with prescribed guidelines of OYSIEC.”

    Meanwhile, as parts of security measures for the election, the state police command said no fewer than 9,000 officers will be deployed across the state for the election.

    Additionally, 2,800 personnel of the state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp had been deployed for the exercise.

    This is just as all political parties participating in the council poll signed peace accord with the police to conduct themselves inline with the guidelines of the election.

    The peace meeting with leaders of all political parties in the state was facilitated by the state Police Command in conjunction with the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission.

    Addressing the party leaders and other stakeholders, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ngozi Onadeko cautioned politicians in the state against vices that could truncate the existing peaceful atmosphere warning that violators of the electoral guidelines would be dealt with in line with the provisions of the law.

  • Edo PDP crisis: Obaseki supporters plot sack of chairman, SWC members

    Edo PDP crisis: Obaseki supporters plot sack of chairman, SWC members

    By Bisi Olaniyi, Southsouth Bureau Chief

    THE teeming supporters of Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are plotting to sack Edo State Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, and other members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of PDP.

    The allies of Obaseki, especially the politicians who defected with him on June 19 last year from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to PDP, ahead of the September 19 governorship election, were yesterday angered by last Monday’s decision of Aziegbemi-led SWC to report Obaseki; his deputy, Philip Shuaibu; and the Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie; to the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC), of running the government without consulting the state’s leaders of the party.

    Members of the PDP faction, mostly from Edo South Senatorial District, who were defectors from APC, began the plot by removing the Senatorial Chairman, Nosa Ogieva.

    Politicians who attended the “Edo South Senatorial District Stakeholders’ Meeting,” accused Ogieva of not recognising Wilson Evbuomwan as the Edo South Secretary of PDP.

    Evbuomwan, who read the welcome address at the meeting, hailed Obaseki for his developmental strides; he lauded “the true friends” of PDP, while “the real enemies” of the governing party (PDP) in Edo South Senatorial District were berated, while urging the unnamed “enemies” to withdraw from activities that were frustrating the integration of all PDP members.

    He said: “A harmonisation committee, under the chairmanship of Senator Mathew Uroghide, was put in place by the stakeholders of Edo South PDP in a meeting held on April 18, 2021. Sadly, more than one month after the composition of the committee, aimed at ensuing the unity of all PDP members, no effort was made by members of the committee to pursue its agenda. The committee was frustrated by Nosa Ogieva, the Edo South Senatorial Chairman of PDP.”

    Edo Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chris Nehikhare, through the telephone yesterday evening, maintained that members of SWC of the party in the state were not aware of the meeting and news conference.

    It would be recalled that just last week Monday, the Aziegbemi-led SWC of PDP in Edo reported Obaseki to the members of the NWC of the party, over Edo governor’s plot to dissolve the party’s executives at the ward, local government and state levels, to accommodate the politicians who defected with him, which they (SWC members) described as undemocratic and unacceptable.

    On Wednesday, at Government House, Benin, Obaseki met with the members of SWC of PDP in Edo, while begging them to sheathe their swords, in order to move the party and the state forward, with some stakeholders insisting that Edo governor should not be trusted with the olive branch he extended to the SWC members.

  • No plans to increase price of Petrol, says Sylva

    No plans to increase price of Petrol, says Sylva

    THE Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, says the Federal Government has no plans to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol in June.

    Sylva said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

    “Once again, it has become necessary to assure Nigerians that despite the huge burden of under-recovery, the Federal Government is not in a hurry to increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) to reflect current market realities.

    “The current price of petrol will be retained in the month of June until the ongoing engagement with organised labour is concluded.

    “This clarification becomes necessary in the light of recent reports regarding the resolution of the Nigeria Governors Forum to increase the pump price of petrol,” he said.

    He further urged marketers not to engage in misconduct and urged the public not to engage in panic buying of products.

    “I would like to strongly urge petroleum products marketers not to engage in any activity that could jeopardise the seamless supply and distribution system in place.

    “I also urge members of the public to avoid panic buying because the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has enough stock of petroleum products to keep the nation wet,” he said.

    It will be recalled that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on May 20 at its virtual meeting considered the report of a committee headed by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

    The Forum accepted the committee’s recommendation that backs full deregulation of petrol, and suggested that the pump price of the product should hover around N385 per litre.

  • Reps receive report on alleged N1trn wasted on Constituency projects

    Reps receive report on alleged N1trn wasted on Constituency projects

    By Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

    THE House of Representatives on Thursday received the report on the allegation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that N1 trillion was wasted on constituency projects in 10 years.

    The motion of urgent national importance, sponsored by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, was referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges in November 2019.

    The details of the Committee’s recommendations on the allegation are expected to be made public on a day to be determined by the House Committee on Rules and Business.

    Elumelu called on President Muhammadu Buhari and ICPC to initiate a probe into the utilisation of the estimated sum of over N70 trillion appropriated for the Federation through the Executive in the last 10 years.

    He maintained that members of the National Assembly are not contractors, nor members of the Tenders Board of various implementing MDAs.

    He was piqued that the agency that generated the information failed to state that the sum has not been released.

    “I am not happy because the information is capable of giving me a bad name before my community. The ICPC that wrote this report failed to tell the truth of how much was actually released.

    “When you say N1 trillion is budgeted like the President said, if that money was released completely, there will be value commensurate to the money. I wonder why the ICPC man failed to look at what was released.

    “Why should ours be a subject of debate that they will tell Nigerians we received N1 trillion when that was budgeted, but not released. My message is that we should let them know that while N1 trillion was budgeted for constituency projects, by way of releases, we did not receive that because what was released was less than 40 per cent,” Hon. Elumelu stressed.

  • Ikpeazu hails ex-Rep member, Elendu-Ukeje, as Jewel of Abia politics

    Ikpeazu hails ex-Rep member, Elendu-Ukeje, as Jewel of Abia politics

    ABIA State practically stood still when former Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Relations, Hon. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, was hosted to a grand civic reception by youths in her Bende Federal Constituency.

    Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led a long list of dignitaries to the colourful event held at the Bende Stadium. Ikpeazu hailed Elendu-Ukeje as an invaluable asset to Abia people, saying she is the “jewel of Abia politics”.

    The governor further stated that Abia needs individuals like her to get involved in contributing their own quota to the development of the state. The governor noted that Elendu-Ukeje’s presence which made Abia visible in the National Assembly was being greatly missed. He emphasised that the greatest resource of Abia is the people and outstanding individuals like the former lawmaker.

    The former lawmaker, who has been basking in the level of success of the ceremony organised by Bende Youths Forum and Abia Democratic Initiative, described the love shown her as ‘unquantifiable.’

    She said: “I am very grateful to my people. My homecoming was such an elaborate event. We had the people coming out in their numbers. The people arranged such a successful event on their own. They taxed themselves; such expression of love doesn’t happen in the political space. It was a huge event with my people inviting the governor, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, the Deputy Speaker and the PDP state chairman and they all spoke glowingly of me. It was such a wonderful experience.”

  • Persons with disabilities protest alleged suspension of member by NDU

    Persons with disabilities protest alleged suspension of member by NDU

    By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

    The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Bayelsa State chapter, has protested the alleged discrimination and suspension of its member by the management of the Niger Delta University, Ammasoma.

    The group, in their large numbers, on Friday, stormed the Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa, to ventilate their grievances over the alleged ill-treatment meted out to their member, one Mr Numuworimi Yeitaribo, because of his disability.

    The state Chairman of JNAPWD, Mr Ikilowei Eric, said they were in Government House to present a protest letter over the NDU’s “inhuman and misguided action.”

    Eric said the criterion used in selecting the new Bursar of the university did not only deprive Yeitaribo, who until his suspension was the Deputy Bursar, but also contravened the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018.

    He appealed to Governor Douye Diri to prevail on the management of the NDU to lift Yeitaribo’s suspension and conduct a fresh independent interview for the position of the new Bursar, among other requests.

  • We have no varsity of first choice for scholarships, says PAP

    We have no varsity of first choice for scholarships, says PAP

    By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has stated that it has not made any university a first choice for prospective beneficiaries of its scholarship programme.

    The clarification became necessary following a notice circulating on social media claiming that the Amnesty Office’s new education policy mandated prospective candidates to make University of Africa, Toru-Orua, their first choice when applying for the PAP scholarship to qualify for the scheme.

    Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme in a statement signed by his SA Media Nneotaobase Egbe, debunked the reports that originated not only from the University of Africa, but also from other universities.

    The administrator insisted that there was no time PAP chose one university or restricted its scholarship programme to only universities within the Niger Delta region.

    He, however, reiterated that for academic excellence required for the development of Niger Delta especially in the area of manpower development and capacity building, one of the criteria for PAP scholarship was that prospective beneficiaries must first enroll and pass the examination offered by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

    He also said that the candidate must be an ex-agitator captured in the programme’s database or come from one of the Niger Delta crises-impacted communities and must have at least five credit in (WAEC/NECO) including English and Mathematics.

    He said that applications submitted would be subjected to background verifications and candidates would go through a pre-qualification screening before being considered for scholarship.

    He also said that beneficiaries, who failed to meet the qualification for formal education, would be advised to consider vocational training instead.

    Dikio said another condition was that prospective candidates must also apply for courses that would enhance the comparative advantage to the region.