The Nation Newspaper

Tag: former Lagos State governor

  • Ambode’s ex-aide robbed in traffic

    An aide to former Lagos State governor Ekene Okoro on Wednesday night fell victim of some traffic robbers on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    Okoro, who served as a press officer in the office of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s Chief Press Secretary, said he was robbed around Cele Bus Stop on his way to his Ago Palace home at about 9:35pm.

    The hoodlums took away his wristwatch, handsets, and cash.

    Okoro, who described the experience as “traumatizing” said the hoodlums descended on other motorists after finishing with him.

    “Done with me, they ordered me to move. At this point, I felt they wanted to use me as a bait to raid other vehicles behind.

    Read Also: Two suspected robbers mobbed to death in Delta

    “As soon as I saw that they were distracted with their next victim, I zoomed off. The first thought was to run far away from the scene, second thought was to head back to my car and zoom off.

    “I listened to the second thought. I sneaked back to my car, approaching from the front and hoped to jump in and zoom off. Alas! they had taken my key as collateral damage,” Okoro said.

    Speaking with The Nation after retrieving his line at MTN office, Okoro said the person on the desk told him that he was the fourth person that came to retrieve his line yesterday.

    “Do you know what? All of us were robbed around that place. I hope our security agencies will focus on that area,” Okoro added.

  • Oyegun assures Tinubu of support

    Oyegun assures Tinubu of support

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has assured former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of his full support in the reconciliation efforts within the party.

    Oyegun, in a letter dated February 23, 2018 was however silent on the issues raised by the APC leader in his letter.

    The Nation learnt that Oyegun’s letter was written after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential villa on Friday afternoon after Friday prayers

    A copy of the two paragraphed letter sited by The Nation reads: “I thank you for your letter dated February 21, 2018, for your prayers and good wishes for my health. I wish you the same and pray that our good God keeps you strong and grants you His peace.

    “Let me once again formally congratulate you on the peace making assignment Mr. President has entrusted you with. It is most challenging but I believe you will ultimately justify the confidence reposed in you by Mr. President. In this you have my fullest support.

    “Be assured, dear Asiwaju, of my highest regards now and always”

    Tinubu had, in a well publicised letter accused the APC national chairman of frustrating reconciliation efforts by taking decisions regarding some state chapters the party.

    Also, the Cross Rivers state chapter had accused the national leadership of undermining the reconciliation efforts by ordering a Congress to elect a chairman for the party in the state barely one month to the end of the tenure of the present executive in the state.

    Read Aslo: Tinubu to Oyegun: stop frustrating peace moves

  • Tinubu to Buhari: Nigeria must move towards true federalism 

    Tinubu to Buhari: Nigeria must move towards true federalism 

    The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Thursday said that Nigeria must urgently move towards true federalism.

    He spoke in Abuja while unveiling the book ‘Making Steady, Sustainable Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity’ at the old Banquet Hall of the State House.

    The 360 page book is a mid-term scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and put together by Presidential Media Team.

    Tinubu, who was the Special Guest of honor at the occasion, also insisted that Nigeria can’t grow without robust industrial capacity in the country.

    Stressing that President Buhari administration has changed the story of Nigeria for good in the last two years; he maintained that Nigeria is now more prosperous than it was two years ago.

    “The good that you have started, do it more.” he told the President.

    According to him, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan won gold medal in corruption.

    He said that so much money grew feet and ran faster than Jamaican runner, Usani Bolt, under Jonathan’s administration.

    The money that should have been spent on development, he noted, was squandered in ways that could cause the devil to blush.

    He said “The prior government used the public treasury as a private hedge fund or a charity that limited its giving only to themselves.

    “So much money grew feet and ran away faster than Usain Bolt ever could. That which could have been spent on national development was squandered in ways that would cause the devil to blush.

    “One minister and her rogues’ gallery picked the pocket of this nation for billions of dollars. While poor at governance, these people could give a master thief lessons in the sleight of hand. In governance, they earned a red card but in corruption l, they won the gold medal.

    “It was not that our institutions had become infected by corruption. Corruption has become institutionalized”.

    According to him, corruption has been won as President Buhari has set an axe to what he called, “the root of this dangerous tree.”

    He noted that gone are the times when a minister can pilfer billions of dollars as easy as plucking a piece of candy from the table.

    Tinubu said “We have much to do to combat this disease. Not only must we track down the takers. In the long term, we must review the salaries of public servants and create universal credits for our people to reduce temptation.”

  • Tinubu calls for special care for released Chibok schoolgirls

    Tinubu calls for special care for released Chibok schoolgirls

    A former Lagos State Governor, Sen. Bola Tinubu, on Monday called for special and adequate care for the released Chibok schoolgirls, to help them overcome the sad experience they had to suffer while in captivity.

    Tinubu made the call in a message in Lagos to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians over the release of more of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls

    He urged the government to help the families of the girls to nurture them, for their proper reintegration into the society.

    82 of the over 200 girls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno by Boko Haram in April 2014 were released by the sect on Saturday following negotiations with the federal government.

    The sect had earlier released 21 of the abducted girls in October 2016.

    Tinubu said: “I congratulate President Buhari and Nigerians over the release of more of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

    “This shows President Buhari’s unwavering commitment to freeing these and other innocent children from the cruel hand of Boko Haram and returning them to their families and community.

    Yet, we must keep this good news in proper context. The released children need to be nurtured and cared for in a special way in order to overcome the sad experience that they had to suffer.

    “Moreover, we must not forget the girls still held by Boko Haram and we must not forget the grief of their families.

    Chibok girls with Buhari Photo: Bayo Omoboriowo

    “We owe it to them to press forward until all the girls have regained freedom and Boko Haram is so defeated that it may never again be able to do what it did in Chibok.

    “Boko Haram must be defeated. President Buhari has said as much. We all must stand with him and support his strategy to accomplish this humane and necessary goal,” he said.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader said the release of the girls showed that President Buhari had kept his eye on the true objective to reunite families and communities under the reign of peace and rule of justice.

    According to him, the northern Nigeria, and Nigeria as a whole, may begin to rebuild in a way that brings a decent life and a taste of enduring prosperity to all Nigerians.

    “This is the ultimate goal, and the release of these girls is an important step on this pathway.

    “I congratulate the President. I congratulate our gallant armed forces.  After waiting so long for the return of their children, the parents of these girls must feel a great sense of relief and elation,” Tinubu said.

  • Let the music play on, Tinubu tells Obey at 75

    Let the music play on, Tinubu tells Obey at 75

    All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has described Chief Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, nicknamed Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, as an astute entertainer whose songs would remain evergreen.

    Tinubu, in a statement in Lagos to congratulate Obey on his 75th birthday on Monday,  wished him many more years on earth, urging him to “let the music play on”.

    ”I congratulate Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey on his 75th birthday. It’s a great accomplishment to so be blessed by God as he has been.

    ”Ebenezer Obey, whose professional career began in the mid-1950s when he moved to Lagos, has contributed a lot to the development of music in Nigeria and  Africa.

    ”As a musician with a deep Christian spiritual bend, Obey’s music is unique in the way and manner he turns Yoruba axioms bearing rich religious messages into dance-hall compositions.

    “His popular tracks like ‘What God Has Joined Together’, ‘Aimasiko’, ‘Eyin Pegan Pegan’, ‘Anjade Loni Eledumare’,  ‘Jesu Olore’, ‘Africa is My Home’, ‘Ambe o’, ‘I am a Winner’, etc, remain masterpieces any day.

    “When in early 1990s, he retired into Nigerian gospel music ministry, I knew it could only be short-lived, because when you have a passion for a profession, like Chief Obey’s zeal for music, whether secular or gospel, there is no room for retirement.

    ”I saw him in action in December last year at an event held at the Lagos State House, Alausa, Ikeja, tagged ‘Evening with Governor Ambode’ to end 2016 and usher in 2017; he was the cynosure of all eyes.

    ” He remained his true self, the true entertainer that we have always known, churning out one rich number after another.

    “At 75, I wish and pray that God grants Obey more years and the strength and energy to continue with his music. So to Chief Commander, I say let the music play on, ” Tinubu said.