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Tag: aide

  • Ex-governor’s aide joins race in Ondo

    Ex-governor’s aide joins race in Ondo

    Former Ondo State Special Adviser on Information Communication Technology (ICT), Hun. Niyi Light Ariyomo has joined the governorship race.

    The Akure-born politician said he joined the race to make a difference, urging party chieftains to support his bid.

    Àríyòmó was the Coordinator of the  Information Technology Development Agency.

    The aspirant bagged his first degree in Civil Engineering at the Federal University of Technology Akure. He later bagged a Master’s degree in Energy Engineering from the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom) and a Policy Certificate in Science, Technology and Innovation from Harvard University, United States. Ariyomo did Ondo State proud in 2005 when he came top as the star candidate during his registration examination with the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) in Ibadan. He won the overall best prize (Lucas Price) in Civil and Structural Engineering while he also won the prize for distinction and the overall best position across engineering disciplines (Adeleke’s prize) in the same professional examination.

    His team holds the credit for increasing the state’s IGR by over N4.7b within six months in 2007 without increasing rates payable. He was also a key factor in the formation of such agencies like the Wealth Creation Agency, and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA).

    Àríyòmó said: “I am in the race to make a difference. I have the experience and capability. I am a patriot”.

  • Shettima, Tambuwal in Gusau to honour aide

    Governors Kashim Shettima and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Borno and Sokoto states were at the weekend in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, to honour Shettima’s Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau. His youngest sister, Sadiya Umar Gusau, a 28-year-old graduate of Geography, was given out in marriage last Saturday in Gusau.

    Shettima, who was in Kaduna on Thursday for the 50th memorial of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, headed for Gusau the next day and passed the night there to honour the family of his spokesman in the last five years, who hails from the town. Governor Tambuwal was at the Sardauna memorial on Thursday. He departed for Sokoto the same day before driving to Gusau on Saturday to join Shettima.

  • Ikpeazu ‘ll not be distracted by opposition, says aide

    Ikpeazu ‘ll not be distracted by opposition, says aide

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s media aide Ben Onyechere spoke with reporters in Umuaiha, the state capital, on efforts by the administration to reposition the Southeast state.

    What should the people of Abia State expect from the  lkpeazu’s administration..

    Governor lkpeazu’s government holds the promises of a liberalised polity such that exudes confidence in the individual capacity to realize set goals and maximize potentials. He has infused the hope of restoration of past glory  while demystifying power. The fundamental philosophy of his government is in the sense of urgency to reverse the decadent infrastructural collapse  particularly on roads and filth. The reason behind the haste is to provide enabling environment for economic growth particularly in the enhancement of employment generation capacity of existing businesses.

    What is the security situation in Abia?

    The major reason for insecurity is the absence of sense of direction or hopelessness. The government has expressed willingness to develop every segment of the society along with its programs whereby there is adequate dissemination   of information on government activities. Recently the government had released vehicles and other security gadgets to police as well as other security agencies in addition to subventions that are provided on regular basis. Security is not all about chasing people from pillar to post, which is the reason the government is concentrating on building non existing structures  to encourage self actualization and determination.

    The opposition is accusing governor of selective development. How true is this?

    The few opposition figures who are still hanging around have lost their track and are holding to any thing to survive. The governor’s developmental strategy is massive as it is rapid such that it is impossible to discriminate or delineate infrastructural development. The development of Abia is holistic as it is genuine and transparent, which is the reason opposition has given way in abia. The reconstruction of Uzu Abam-Arochukwu Road, which had been abandoned in a long time among others is one veritable example. The reclassification of education and health facilities exemplifies the government’s intention to re engineer amenities and the societal values.

    The opposition has appealed against the governor’s victory. Is the governor not disturbed?

    The governor is neither disturbed nor distracted because a clear conscience fears no accusation. It is surprising that the opposition can go on appeal after disparaging and casting several aspersions  on the integrity of the judiciary. The governor’s victory is no secret because Apga had been dismantled before election as a result of the imposition of Otti against the collective will of the former members for which reason they voted overwhelmingly for PDP in Abia.

     

  • Lagos public libraries will soon be cosy, says aide

    Lagos public libraries will soon be cosy, says aide

    Positive changes are expected to take place in the 12 public libraries run by the Lagos State government in the next three and a half years, says Obafela Bank-Olemoh, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Education (SAE).

    Bank-Olemoh said in an interview that the changes are aimed at making library spaces more welcoming and conducive for users.  He also spoke of plans to open more public libraries.

    He said: “For the next three and half years we are going to see a lot of activities in that space; we are going to try and have more public libraries and we are also going to ensure that we have more libraries in our schools.  If I have five naira, I would rather spend three or four naira to make the environment conducive because most people come with their books already.  What they want is a conducive environment where they can sit down and use the toilets and come back.  I checked the toilets and I said this is bad.  Somebody also complained to me and said improve on the toilets. We will focus more on making the environment more conducive and comfortable.”

    Change has started already taking place in the libraries with the renovation of the Iyana Ipaja public library.  Bank-Olemoh said funds had been released to sand-fill and rehabilitate the facility.

    The SAE also said that adequate attention would be given to providing textbooks, installing ICT and others.

    With the discovery that the bible used by the father of Nigeria’s nationalism, Late Herbert Macaulay is in the Yaba Public Library, Bank-Olemoh spoke of plans to make the place a tourist attraction.

    “In Yaba I heard that we have the first bible or the oldest Bible used by Herbert Macaulay and am saying to myself that if we have that how come we don’t make that into a tourist point for those who are just coming to Lagos?  The white man would have made so much noise about it, you will see people going there, even paying money to go and take pictures so I want to go there and see and talk to the Commissioner for tourism,” he said.

     

  • ‘Why Buhari should appoint student as aide’

    ‘Why Buhari should appoint student as aide’

    The National Association of Abia State Students (NAASS) has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint student as his Special Assistant on Students’ Affairs. The group also clamoured for separation of office of the Special Assistant on Students’ Affairs from that of Youth Matters.

    The students spoke through their national president, Okechukwu Kalu, at a press conference in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

    Okechukwu said since there is distinct body overseeing the affairs of the youth, students should be given special attention.

    His words: “The apex youth body is the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) with several other affiliates, while the apex students’ body is National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), which has other student bodies affiliated to it. The mandates of these bodies are clearly different. This is why President Buhari should separate the offices by appointing Special Assistant on Students’ Affairs, who will serve as a liaison officer between the president and students and whose task will differ from Special Assistant on Youth Matters.”

    Okechukwu said president would understand the challenges and problems facing the students better if he separated the offices and appoint a student as his aide.

    The Abia students hailed the president on the nomination of Dr Okechukwu Enyinna, as minister from Abia State. They described Okechukwu’s nomination as well deserved, stressing he is a seasoned technocrat and professional who is qualified to serve the nation in era of change.

  • Aide: Lalong ’ll complete projects

    Aide: Lalong ’ll complete projects

    The focus of the 2015 budget estimates of Plateau state government will be the completion of on-going projects inherited from the immediate past administration.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Rauta Dakok disclosed this while presenting the breakdown of the 2015 budget estimates.

    The sum of N215.4 Billion budget estimates of the state has already been passed by the state house of assembly and singed into law by the state governor Simon Lalong.

    Dakok said: “The new government of Simon Lalong has expressed interest in the completion of all inherited capital project in the interest of people of the state.

    She added: “This was why the lion share of N37.4 billion of the 2015 budget was allocated to the ministry of works to enable the ministry complete those ongoing projects.

    “Other relevant ministries like that of transport, Land, as well that of Urban Development have also bee allocated adequate funds in the budget to ensure the completion of ongoing projects under their ministry.

    “You will agree with me that the timely completion of these inherited project is also in pursuance of peace, security, welfare of civil servants as well as to improve existing social infrastructure of the state.”

  • How Nyako, son, aide looted Adamawa, by EFCC

    How Nyako, son, aide looted Adamawa, by EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday narrated how former Adamawa State  governor  Murtala Nyako, his son, Abdulaziz (a serving senator), and two of the ex-governor’s aides allegedly looted  billions of public funds.

    Facing trial with them  at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja are Zulkifikk Abba (Nyako’s ex-political adviser), Abubakar Aliyu and five companies in which they allegedly have interests.

    The companies are Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Ltd, Pagoda Fortunes Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd and Crust Energy Ltd.

    They were slammed with a 37-count charge of conspiracy, money laundering and abuse of office.

    The commission  in its counter-affidavit to the accused persons’ bail application at the court, said that  it would be out of place to grant them bail in view of the gravity of their offences.

    It also claimed that  the ‘mysterious deaths’ of two of its witnesses – Ma’aji Mohammed Iro and Abdulmalik Dalhatu – “has instilled fear in other prospective witnesses in this case.”

    Iro was, until his death, a Regional Manager with Zenith Bank.

    He was said to be in charge of Adamawa State Government’s accounts with the bank, and allegedly assisted the accused persons  in laundering billions  of naira from the state’s coffers.

    The EFCC  said: “The 1st and 2nd accused persons (Nyako and Abaduaziz)  are the owners of the 6th accused (Sebore Farms & Extension Limited), which they operated by themselves.  Several fictitious contracts, running into billions of naira, were awarded to the said 6th accused while the 1st accused was governor of Adamawa State. One Ma’aji Mohammed Iro was in charge of the accounts of Adamawa State with Zenith Bank.

    “On the instruction of the 1st accused, Ma’aji Mohammed Iro made several cash lodgments running into billions of naira into the accounts of several companies and individuals including the accounts of the 6th to 9th accused (Blue Opal Ltd, Sebore Farms & Extension Ltd, Pagoda Fortunes Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd and Crust Energy Ltd) all from the accounts of Adamawa State Government for no specific reason.

    “On the instruction of the 1st accused, N698,408,011.62 was paid from the account of Adamawa State Government with Zenith Bank into the account of the 6th accused (Sebore Farms and Extension ltd) with the same bank to service and liquidate the loan of N500 million obtained by the 6th accused.

    “Another sum of N160m was deposited into the account of Agrited Nigeria Ltd on the instruction of the 1st accused from the account of the Adamawa State Government with no contract rendered to the state.

    “Several moneys running into over N5 billion of Adamawa State funds were transferred to the 9th accused (Crust Energy Ltd) mostly on the instruction of the 1st accused.

    “About N240 million of Adamawa State was invested by the 7th accused – Pagoda Fortunes Ltd  (a company owned by a son of the 1st accused) in Hill View Estate, Abuja, an estate owned by the 2nd accused (Abdulaziz Nyako).

    “The 3rd accused (Zulkifikk Abba), who is a political adviser to the 1st accused, is the owner of Alpharetta  Farms Ltd, one of the companies through which funds of Adamawa State was stolen. The 3rd accused is a director in the 9th accused (Crust Energy Ltd), a company controlled by the 2nd accused and through which several billion of naira belonging to Adamawa State was stolen.

    “The 4th accused (Abubakar Aliyu) is a signatory to several accounts of the 5th accused (Blue Opal Ltd), through which several monies running into billions of naira from the funds of Adamawa State Government were laundered to develop Hill View Estate, Abuja.”

    However, Justice Evoh Chukwu  rejected EFCC’s objection and granted bail to the accused persons at N350 million with either two sureties or one, who is a director in any Federal Government’s establishment.

    The sureties, the judge said, must own landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), show evidence of tax payment for the last three years and must swear to affidavit of means. The accused persons are to deposit their travel documents with the court.

  • Patience Jonathan’s ex-security aide killed in Abuja

    Police officer, Tamuno Jacob Igbomie, who was Principal Security Officer (PSO) to former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, was shot dead by unknown assailants last Friday on Airport Road, Abuja.

    The body of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) was discovered in his Honda Accord car, after gunmen said to be “assassins shot him at a close range in his car”.

    The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirmed the killing. He added that investigation has started  to arrest the assailants.

    “Yes, a DSP attached to the villa was killed last week Friday. Investigation has started to find out the people behind the murder. No arrest has been made yet,” Ojukwu said yesterday.

    The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, had ordered an investigation into the tragic incident.

    A police source said his body “was found early in the morning. But surprisingly, all his phones, wallet and other personal belongings were intact in the car, which engine was left running”.

    It was learnt that the late Igbomie, who hailed from Okrika, Bayelsa State, served at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command before being deployed to the Presidential Villa as Patience’s  Aide-De-Camp (ADC) when Jonathan was the vice president.

    “He was later appointed as the PSO to Patience when her husband became the President,” the source said.

    Another source added: “Tamuno must have been killed by hired assassins because they did not steal anything from his car. We met his phones and wallet with him when his body was found in the car with the engine running.

    “He was shot in the night and his body was found early in the morning. We don’t know if he was killed over a business transaction or disagreement with someone.”

    It was gathered that  the late police officer was just redeployed to the FCT Police Command.

    The late Igbomie was married and had two children.

  • Gunmen kill IYC chief’s aide

    Gunmen kill IYC chief’s aide

    Four gunmen suspected to be assassins on Friday invaded the home of the National General Secretary of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Emmanuel Bristol Alagbariya, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, and killed one of his aides.

    The gunmen scared the residents when they did not get their target.

    The IYC secretary, who has been working on the upcoming Rivers State Ijaw Summit, in commemoration of the 58 years of the Henry Willinks minority commission and celebration of heroes for their contributions to the recognition of Niger Delta, was said to have convened a meeting of the summit’s organising committee at his home.

    The committee’s members were waiting for him to join them when a bus, said to belong to him, drove into the compound. It was followed by the suspected assassins.

    The gunmen were said to have laid siege outside Alagbariya’s compound.

    They encircled the place, apparently thinking the IYC chief was in the bus.

    But they soon discovered that their target was not around.

    It was learnt that the gunmen went into the room where the committee members were waiting and ordered them to lie flat, when they did not find Alagbariya.

    Out of frustration, one of the hoodlums shot and killed the IYC chief’s personal assistant.

    Alagbariya has been a frontline youth leader campaigning for a better life for the Ijaw and Niger Delta youths.

    The Rivers Ijaw Summit is expected to honour the late Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye, Major Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro, Dr. I. J. M. Fiberesima, Chief U. O. Ekeneokot and Chief P. J Warmate for their contributions to Niger Delta, Rivers State and Nigeria.

    It is Alagbariya’s initiative to create awareness on how to address the predicament of youths of Rivers State.

    Several people have expressed shock at the killers’ action.

    Security has been tightened around the IYC chief.

    The summit is expected to hold on June 26 at the prestigious Hotel Presidential’s Atlantic Hall.

    Efforts to speak with police spokesman Muhammad  Kidaya Ahmad, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), and Alagbariya, were unsuccessful last night.

  • Kwankwaso’s aide resigns

    kano State Chairman/Director of the Youth Directorate for Economic Empowerment Col. Yakubu Bako (rtd) yesterday resigned his appointment.

    He said his resignation would help him focus on campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.