The Nation Newspaper

Tag: gets

  • Sanwo-Olu gets Jakande’s blessing

    The first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, has blessed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    Jakande prayed for Sanwo-Olu’s success in next year’s election.

    At a private visit to Jakande’s home in Ilupeju, Lagos Mainland, yesterday, the APC candidate received the blessing of the 89-year-old former governor to contest for the Lagos top seat.

    Describing the octogenarian as his father and political mentor, Sanwo-Olu said the visit was to seek Jakande’s blessing and intimate him with the strides taken so far in his efforts to govern the state.

    Read also: APC gets nod to use Akpabio Stadium for Buhari’s campaign

    Sanwo-Olu said: “As the first executive governor of Lagos, Baba Jakande is well-respected. He is someone all of us look up to for political direction. He is an arrowhead of progressive politics and constitutional democracy. Coming to greet him in this festive period is appropriate.

    “But I am also using the opportunity of this visit to draw on his experience and seek his blessing, as a leader, in my intention to govern our dear state.”

  • OPC member gets bail

    ODU’A Peoples Congress (OPC) member Rafiu Idowu, and a man, Musa Idris, charged with murder, were yesterday arraigned at an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Idowu, 35, and Idris, 39, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    Chief Magistrate Mrs. A.O. Ajibade granted the accused bail at N500,000 each with two sureties each.

    She said the accused could not be linked to the crime after reading the case file.

    “The accused were only rounded up because they were at the crime scene. Therefore, they are admitted to bail,” Ajibade ruled.

    She ordered that the case file be duplicated and a copy sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

    Police prosecutor Kehinde Olatunde said the accused committed the offences on May 27 at 10 pm at Alakoto Roundabout, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos.

  • FBNInsurance gets ED

    FBNInsurance has announced the appointment of Festus Izevbizua as its Executive Director (ED), Finance and Administration.

    In a statement, the firm’s Head, Corporate Affairs, Elizabeth Agugoh said this followed Izevbizua’s appointment’s confirmation by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

    She said Izevbizua started his carrer at the Deloitte Akintola Williams and Co. in 1991.

    “After a five-year stint at Deloitte Akintola Williams, he joined the banking industry and went on to have a glowing career for over 18 years spanning leading banks, including Diamond Bank, United Bank for Africa and Standard Chartered Bank where he was Finance Operational Risk Manager and later Financial Controller before joining FBNInsurance as Chief Financial Officer in 2014.

    Izevbizua has almost three decades’ experience in Banking, Operational Risk Management, Oil and Gas, Accounting, Tax Matters and International Finance. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and a Senior member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).

    He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Benin and an Masters in Finance from the University of Calabar.

    Izevbizua is an Alumnus of Colombia Business School, New York and a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA).

  • Ugwuanyi gets nod for second term

    A group in Enugu North, “Nsukka Zonal Strategic Group (NZSG)”, has endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a second term in office. It promised to support other people to ensure the governor’s success in 2019 elections.

    Members of the group include personalities, such as Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, Engr. Vita Abba, Prof. Osita Ogbu and Maj.-Gen. Godwin Ugwuoke, among others. They endorsed Ugwuanyi after assessing his achievements in the last three and half years.

    The praised Ugwuanyi for “the remarkable and exemplary way he has piloted the affairs of Enugu State”, thanking him for the monumental infrastructural development as evidenced in road constructions across the state.

    The group also expressed “full satisfaction with the prudent manner” the governor “has managed state resources, culminating in the prompt payment of salaries and the 13th month salary, as well as pensioners”.

    They also lauded the governor for improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) portfolio of the state, saying “Enugu is rated the third in the country after Lagos and Rivers State, and “first in Fiscal Sustainability Index by World reputable economic analyst, Ernest and Young”.

    “In view of the foregoing reasons, and several others too numerous to mention, the Nsukka Zonal Strategic Group (NZSG) unanimously endorse Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a second term in office as Governor of Enugu State in 2019.”

  • Pan African Lawyers Union gets Nigerian president

    The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has elected former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) General Secretary Chief Emeka Obegolu as its president.

    He was elected during the union’s Annual General Conference and General Meeting in Tunisia.

    Obegolu will to steer PALU’s affairs  for the next three years.

    He took over from respected Zambian lawyer Mr. Elijah Banda, who led the organisation from 2014.

    Other members of the newly elected executive committee are  Vice President Central Africa Mr. Coco Kayudi (Democratic Republic of Congo),  Vice President Eastern Africa Mr. Paul Revocatus Kaunda (Tanzania),  Vice President Northern Africa Ms. Fathia Henhily (Tunisia), Vice President Southern Africa Dr. Gilberto Caldeira Correia (Mozambique) and Vice President Western Africa Mr. Yayé Mounkaila (Niger).

    Mr. Kari Abdoul Bagui (Cameroon) was elected Secretary General; Deputy Secretary General is Mr. Koffi Sylvain Attoh-Mensah (Togo), Treasurer is Ms. Gigi Reid-Miles (Swaziland). President of the host Bar Association Ms. Fatma Amani Karume (Tanzania) is Chief Executive Officer (Ex Officio)

    Gambian Bar Association president Ms. Rachel Mendy presented an Award to PALU, in recognition of the important role that it played in supporting the Gambian Bar and the people of Gambia during their tense transition after their former President, Yahya Jammeh, who had tried to stay in office unconstitutionally, lost election.

    At at the event, PALU made commitments to support the ratification and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Freedom of Movement Protocol and the Agreement for a Single African Air Transport Market (SAATAM).

    The union held a successful three-day conference with the theme: One continent, one people, one economy: Developing Africa through continental free trade and free movement.

    New African Union Legal Counsel Dr. Namira Negm gave one of the key note speeches on the state of economic and legal developments on the continent.

    The Tunisian Minister of Justice, Mr. Ghazi Jeribi, formally opened the conference, while the Minister for International Co-operation, Development and Investment, Mr. Zied Ladhari, closed it.

    Other key speakers included senior officials of the African Development Bank (AfDB), African Legal Support Facility (ALSF), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), as well as the Head of the International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) Liaison Office to the African Union, Mr. Maureen Achieng’.

    Other speakers included eminent Senegalese lawyer, Ibrahima Kane, who heads the African Union Advocacy Office of the Open Society Foundations, as well as the PALU Chief Executive Officer, Kenyan lawyer Donald Deya.

    The PALU Women Lawyers Forum held an impressive one-day meeting on the place of women in AfCFTA, with support from UN Women, which has recently published a Report on the issue at the General Meeting, held on September 29.

    The new executive committee assumes leadership at a critical time in the life of the organisation as it strives to meet its members’ aspirations for a more effective and member-centered organisation, with amendments made to the PALU Constitution to open it up more to its members, and to contribute more assertively to the political, economic, social and cultural development of the continent, based on a just rule of law.

    Diaspora members of the organisation have also demanded to be better integrated in all of its affairs.

    The man Obegolu

    Obegolu is a legal practitioner by training, an arbitrator and mediator by passion and a reformer by choice.

    He is a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Certified Capital Market Operator.

    Obegolu holds an LL.M degree in Resources Law and Policy from the University of Dundee in Scotland, UK.

    He is a Nigerian Communications Commission accredited ADR Practitioner, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliations.

    He is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN).

    Obegolu has served as member, Nigerian Communications Commission ADR Panel of Neutrals, NBA National Publicity Secretary, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry President, Legal, Nigeria Council of Legal Education, and as NBA General Secretary.

    As NBA General Secretary, he attracted the creation of the NBA Anaocha Branch.

    He donated his personal land for the construction of the Bar Centre and gave the branch a take off grant for its construction.

    Obegolu is currently the Second Deputy President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), Chairman, Governing Council of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce Dispute Resolution Centre and Chairman, Board of Trustees of ACCI DRC.

    Emeka is a past President of Knights of St. John International in the Catholic Cathedral of 12 Apostles Abuja and the holder of the traditional Chieftaincy title of Agbawodikeizu na Obeledu.

    He is happily married to Adaobi Chidimma Obegolu and the marriage is blessed with five beautiful children.

  • 2019: Ekiti APC gets consensus Assembly candidates

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State is set for the House of Assembly election on March 2 with consensus candidates.

    Ekiti APC leaders and members have adopted the candidates by consensus to fly the party’s flag in the Assembly poll.

    A party leader, who spoke in confidence, said the party’s constitution allows for consensus candidates.

    The Assembly’s flag bearers were adopted on the basis of their loyalty to the party, pedigree, experience, gender and religious balancing as well as political factors of their constituencies.

    The party leader said: “The adoption of Assembly candidates by Ekiti APC is aimed at ensuring that loyal party members make it to House of Assembly and others interested but who are not lucky are not allowed to waste time, money, resources and energy.”

    Only two of the 26 candidates adopted by Ekiti APC have legislative experience.

    They are: former Majority Leader Funminiyi Afuye (Ikere 1) and the present Minority Leader Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1).

    Afuye also served as Commissioner for Information and Inter-Government Affairs and Integration.

    Four of the candidates, who are women, are: former Commissioner for Labour and Human Capital Development Mrs. Bunmi Adelugba (Emure); former Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor Mrs. Yemisi Ayokunle (Ekiti Southwest 1); former Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Kemi Balogun (Ado 2) and former Personal Assistant to the Deputy Governor Princess Teju Okuyiga (Gbonyin).

    Also adopted as consensus candidates are: former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Research and Documentation Mr. Hakeem Jamiu (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2); former Permanent Secretary, Government House and Protocol Mr. Akin Oso (Ido/Osi 2); former Chairman, Ekiti East Local Government Area Mr. Lateef Akanle (Ekiti East 2) and former Caretaker Chairman, Ekiti West Local Government Area Mr. Tajudeen Akingbolu (Ekiti West 1).

    Others are: Mr. Oluwatoyin Lucas (Ado 1), Mr. Babatunde Lawrence (Ikere 2), Mr. Reuben Awoyemi (Oye 1) Mr. Yemi Osuntuyi (Oye 2), Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye (Ikole 2), Mr. Abiodun Fawekun (Ido/Osi 1) and Mr. Adejuwa Adegbuyi (Ekiti East 2).

    The rest are: Mr. Johnson Adeoye (Ekiti West 2), Mr. Olatunji (Ekiti Southwest 2), Mr. Adeyemi Ajibade (Moba 1), Mr. Michael Arubu (Moba 2), Mr. Dele Ajayi (Ise/Orun), Mr. Tope Ogunleye (Ilejemeje), Mr. Ademola Ojo (Ijero) and Mr. Femi Akindele (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2).

    The APC House of Assembly primary, where the candidates will be formally affirmed by party’s delegates, will hold on October 2.

    The Assembly election will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nationwide on March 2, next year.

  • MUSON Centre gets Danjuma’s support for festival

    The 22nd Muson Festival of Arts has received a big boost with two donations by former Defence Minister General T.Y. Danjuma (rtd). The donations are in support of the society’s opera programme and the refurbishment of its Agip Recital Hall.

    MUSON Centre’s General Manager Mr. Gboyega Banjo, who dropped the hint at a briefing in Lagos, said Danjuma endowed the post of Head of Opera at the Muson Diploma School and the production of three operas yearly, including the  Festival Opera.

    He disclosed that the donations were made by the retired general, who is a Muson patron at an opera dedicated to Danjuma’s 80th birthday in February.

    Banjo said the first Head of Opera is the famous Scotland-trained international opera singer, teacher and producer, Jo Oparamanuike.

    “The donation, over a three-year period, in support of the refurbishment of MUSON’s purpose-built concert theatre, Agip Recital Hall, is being used to upgrade the hall’s stage lighting and sound systems, and repair the hall which has been in continuous use since 1994,” he said.

    Dr. Femi Akinkugbe urged well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the good gesture of Danjuma by giving back to the society, especially the arts. He said it was her desire to do something, no matter how small, for the arts.

    Dr. Akinkugbe, who represented Muson Festival Organising Committee Chairman, Mr. Kitoye Ibare-Akinsan, stated that the festival would kick off on October 17, with two major events: Music Quest and Youth Concert featuring several young musicians.

    Ibare-Akinsan said the event was a way of creating a platform to showcase and encourage talents, noting that the Youth Concert is a competition that provides a platform of self-expression for the youths.

    “It is also Muson’s modest contribution to national efforts at discovering and nurturing our young talents. There are two categories in the competition: voice and instruments. Apart from being a competition for attractive prizes, it is also a concert of very interesting musical selection,” he added.

    Another opening event is art exhibition tagged, “Music meets Art’’, which will run till end of the festival.

    Highlights of the event include exhibition, dinner and auction organised in partnership with Society of Nigerian Artists, led by Oliver Enwonwu.

    Other events lined up for the festival are: “My Kind of Music’’, which will take the audience on a musical journey through the memories of four experienced persons: Mrs. Ugoma Adegoke, Oti Bazuno, Lady Maiden Alex Ibru and Adeyemi Akinsanya.

    The Danjuma Festival Opera will feature Don Giovanni, a production by Muson Opera Department, led by Oparamanuike on October 19 and 21. An international input for the festival is Quand L’est Recontre L’ouest (When East meets West), a concert organised in partnership with Friends of Azerbaijan Organisation will hold on October 22.

    Muson Day October 25 is a special members day set aside to mark the founding of the society. The Muson Chamber Orchestra will be launched on that day. It also serves as an interactive session.

    Festival Jazz Party supported by Dangote Group of Companies to hold on October 26, will feature Greece-based Afro jazz guitarist and vocalist Adedeji Adetayo and Aramide.

    Chevron Festival Drama, written by Prof Femi Osofisan, will be showing on October 27. It is sponsored by Chevron. Total Festival Gala holds on Sunday.

  • NBA section gets new officers

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) has elected new officers to pilot the affairs of the association for the next two years.

    Those elected to run the affairs of the Section include: Dr. Paul Chibuike Ananaba (SAN), who was elected chairman, Mr. Ikhide Ehighelua, Alternate chairman, Mr. Kola Omotinugbon, Secretary and Aishatu Hassan (Treasurer).

    Ananaba, in his acceptance speech, quoted English Mathematician Isaac Barrow: “Wherefore for the public interest and benefit of human society it is requisite that the highest obligations possible should be laid upon the consciences of men.”

    He said he was priviledged to lead the section.

    SPIDEL, the third section of the NBA inaugurated on December 19, 2006, has the following objectives: to ensure the credibility and development of national institutions; to promote development and practice of public interest law and litigation and to ensure access to effective remedies for victims of violation of the law and abuse of power.

    The section was also set up to address legal aspects of economic reforms, and to advocate effective laws and institutions to guarantee public safety and security in Nigeria.

    Other objectives are to promote harmonisation of regional integration institutions and Nigeria’s constitutional framework; to contribute to development of appropriate legal and policy framework, management and protection of environmental, marine maritime resources and rights, and to promote legal and policy framework for safe and equitable exploitation and management of natural resources.

    Ananaba said: “The essence of the SPIDEL is to cause the NBA using the formidable tool of law to engineer and reengineer social behaviour and the economic progress of our nation. This can be achieved where members of the association are properly positioned in that regard.

    “It is based on this that I have come out with six basic points as roadmap towards a progressive Section on Public Interest and Development Law,” Ananaba said.

    The six points are: to encourage and support public interest litigation; legislative input; review and publications, continuing legal education, legal aid/human rights, international collaborations and partnerships

    “We are solidly convinced that with these six points sufficiently put in focus, SPIDEL will take the heights and as always maintain the pride of the NBA.

    “Let me call upon my fellow elected council members and other members of this Section to key into these six points and freely contribute to its fruitfulness.

    “We are intellectually equipped and well positioned. We must know that we owe posterity a duty to make SPIDEL and our society better than we met it.”

    NBA General Secretary Aare Isiaka Abiola urged the new executive to live up to expectations and be a good ambassadors of the Bar and the legal profession.

    Former NBA First Vice Chairman Mr. Ikeazor Akaraiwe urged the new exco to restore the section’s glory.

    The new exco was sworn in by NBA First Vice-President Mr. Caleb Dajan.

  • NBA branch gets caretaker committee

    A six-man caretaker committee comprising past chairmen has been appointed to run the affairs of the  Ikorodu branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) due to a failed attempt to hold a fresh election.

    The new committee, which has since assumed duty, will function in line with the 2015 NBA uniform bye-laws of the branches pending when issues are resolved and a new election is conducted.

    Members of the caretaker committee are: Nurudeen Ogbara, Anthony Kidzu Ebeh,  Olumide Adejumo,  Prince Kazeem Adekunle Adebanjo,  S.O.K. Shillings and Prince Habeeb Adedotun Adetunji.

    Their appointment was one of the resolutions passed by the branch during its general meeting on June 12.

    The branch was to hold an election on May 23, but it was gathered that the exercise was stopped by the national secretariat of the NBA.

    Sources said many of the aspirants and members were not happy with the screening exercise conducted by a committee as they believed it was skewed to favour some particular candidates.

    As a result, many of the branch members petitioned the NBA, consequent upon which a team was sent to Ikorodu to stop the election and resolve the issues.

    The June 12 meeting was at the instance of the team from the NBA national secretariat.

    The former branch Vice Chairman, Prince Adetayo Ladega, acted as the acting chairman while the former Publicity Secretary, Ademola Adenaike acted as the Acting Secretary in the absence of the Chairman and the Secretary at the meeting.

    The meeting resolved that the tenure of the present executive committee led by Levi Adakwaone expired  on June 12, having been inaugurated on June 13, 2016 for a single two- year tenure.

    It was resolved that the executive committee members must cease to hold office or perform official duties due to the expiration of tenure by effluxion of time from June 12 in line with Article 6 (1), (2) Uniform Bye Law for branches 2015.

    They also resolved that as from June 13, no immediate past officer will represent the branch in such official capacity, warning that anyone who flouts the directive will be sanctioned.

    In order not to leave the branch in a vacuum, the caretaker committee was constituted, while all past executive committee members were ordered to hand over branch’s properties in their possession to the caretaker committee.

  • Ebonyi lawmaker gets six month’s suspension

    The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has slammed a fresh six months suspension on Maria Ude Nwachi (Afikpo North East).

    The decision followed the report of the ad hoc Committee which investigated the allegations of gross misconduct and posing as a public photographer against her.

    Mrs. Nwachi was earlier suspended for two weeks. She appeared before the House committee last week, accepted her wrongdoings and appealed for forgiveness.

    Committee Chairman Chike Oguji (Ikwo South), who presented the report, said Nwachi ran an illegal lottery scheme through her Facebook group known as “Igboist”, which further degraded the image of the House.

    He, however, said the lawmaker comported herself throughout the sittings when she was invited for interrogation.

    He said: “In all the committee’s sitting, Mrs. Nwachi honoured the invitation and conducted herself with decorum. She admitted to have displayed some unethical attitudes and conducts before the committee.

    “Mrs. Nwachi, as part of our observations, seems to regret her actions. She runs an illegal lottery scheme called “Igboist”, thereby creating a fraudulent environment. Though the forum is not political and unintended to defraud people, its illegality and criminal nature destroyed the public confidence in the parliament, thus making the public accuse the House of corruption, inefficiency and incompetence.

    “She also runs an image promotion with her facebook account, where she displays excellent performance of Governor David Umahi.

    “At out sittings, Mrs. Nwachi admitted to be the one spotted in Imo State struggling with photographers, leaving her primary duties of law making.

    “Since the committee has not seen sufficient carriage and comportment on her side as a legislator, despite series of warnings and possible corrections, we recommend that a maximum period of six months’ suspension be given to her to help her adopt acceptable legislative conduct.