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Tag: Leke Abejide

  • Reps member Abejide rejects ADC coalition, insists due process not followed

    Reps member Abejide rejects ADC coalition, insists due process not followed

    A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Leke Abejide yesterday  rejected any form of coalition between  his party( ADC) and any other party both at the state and national levels.

     He vowed not to allow “people from nowhere” to  hijack the party he laboured to build.

    Abejide who represents  Yagba Constituency at  the Federal House of Representatives, made the declaration during  a chat with  newsmen in Lokoja.

    Abejide further revealed that   alhough Chief Ralph Nwosu told him that some people were coming to join the party, he insisted that  Nwosu did not say they would take over the party as the people are now claiming.

    He alleged  that Nwosu had been undermined by individuals he described as “meddlesome interlopers” who claim to be the current leaders of the party.

    Abejide expressed his opposition to any form of coalition.

    He declared “There is no coalition because it cannot stand. I have the locus to challenge every of their actions in court because they are interlopers.

    “Coalition of what? Coalition is dead on arrival.

    “Let’s go to contest and see who will win. The mistake has been made, cannot be corrected. We will show them the way out.

    “ADC will not be available for such kind of coalition or they should go back and register their new party, ADA.”

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    Abejide  advised Sen. David Mark leadership to go back and look for another plan, rather than pursuing the current course of action, pointing out “  ADC will not be available for such or they should go back and register their ADA.”

    Abejide pointed out that the party’s constitution requires that  a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting needs to be called before any leadership changes can be made.

    He maintained that as an elected representative and highest ranking member of the NEC, he was not informed of any meeting or decision to replace the leadership.

     Abejide added that  if Chief Nwosu truly wants to resign, the Deputy National Chairman from the South should take over, following the party’s constitutional order of succession.

    “ The ADC leader has taken the matter to court, challenging the legitimacy of the current leadership and describing them as “unknown to the party structure”, he added.

    Abejide stressed  the need for the party to adhere to its constitution and ensure that leadership transitions are conducted transparently and lawfully.

    Abejide announced plans to hold a press conference to address the issue and inform the public about the situation.

    The House of Representative member  also disputed the legitimacy of his alleged  suspension by a faction of the party.

    He  said he was surprised to hear that an ADC meeting was held in Kogi State at Senator Tunde Ogeha’s house, with Ogeha purporting to be the party leader.

    He said as the national leader of the party and having been the party’s financier for over 8 years, he questioned the legitimacy of Ogbeha’s leadership.

    He emphasised that on the contrary, the party’s constitution stipulates that members can only hold positions after two years in the party, unless a waiver is granted by the National Executive Committee (NEC), which he stressed , had not convened to grant such a waiver.

    Abejide said the matter had been taken to court, stating that he would show the current leadership that he is not a fool and knows what he is doing.

  • Leaders must learn to accept criticism from followers – Abejide

    Leaders must learn to accept criticism from followers – Abejide

    Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi) has said that Leaders must learn to accept criticism from their followers as a way of achieving the renewed hope agenda. 

    Abejide, who spoke at the Easter cantata concert organised by the FCT council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said the development of any nation lies in the ability of the people to offer constructive criticism and for leaders accepting such criticism and working for the overall interest of the people. 

    The lawmaker, who represents Yagba East, Yagba West and Mopa Moro federal constituency, said leaders must  take responsibility and know the power given to them is in trust and must use it for the betterment of the people. 

    He said: “I will never be in support of whoever does not work with the people as a leader. At this point, you decide whether you are going to be a manager over your actions or let them manage you. Where you comes from at this point does not matter. 

    “Because of our current situation, a lot of people are disillusioned and don’t want to participate. Everybody is doing his own thing.  You can stand tall with discipline and ability to solve problems abd refuse the allow the present situation lead you into depression. 

    “What is unthinkable is to learn to manage criticism as leaders. Manage criticism from our followers. If you are a leader, no matter how good you are, people must criticise you. Learn how to manage it. I believe in this administration and the fact that they are building a better nation for our children”.

    Abejide added:  “At the inception of this administration, the societal expectation for development and good standard of living was dashed by lack of good leadership from previous administration. 

    “A situation of this nature produces a state of despondency that requires the courage of a leader to step on toes and do things that may produce some bitter experience at the beginning but the eventual and ultimate result would be a glorious end and light at the end of the tunnel.

    “As Yoruba adage says “Adun lon gbeyin ewuro” that is the end result of a bitter leaf after squeezing and taken a bitter taste of it, is delicious Sweetness.

    “We appreciate the courage of the present administration in putting their hands on a plough without looking back thereby courageously piloting the economy of this nation for a hopeful future for our children and the great nation that this country has been yearning for.

    “The Renewed Hope Agenda of repositioning Nigeria was a global investment hub, in the transformative policy thrust of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is non-negotiable. 

    “This agenda hinged on the core pillars of democracy, development, demographic advantages and diaspora engagement, hence an opportunity to remind both Nigerians and global community that Nigeria stands ready to embrace the future and conduct business rightfully.

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    “To pilot this developmental strive, there is need for unity of purpose from globally and locally inclined institutions to work in tandem with programme consistent with our developmental agenda. 

    “The prosperity that the Renewed Hope Agenda is yearning for ains to drive economic development and improve the quality of the life of all Citizens, as highlighted in the Renewed Hope Agenda, hence the

    Agenda recognizes the importance of harnessing Nigeria’s demographic potentials, as highlighted in the Agenda.

    “There are steps to a Renewed Hope Agenda;

    Firstly, we need to realize that we have lost it, that is naming a problem is the start point to addressing it, while recognizing that yoUr hope is slipping away.

    “Secondly, you must take responsibility.

    At this step, yoU decide whether you are going to be the manager over your thoughts, words, mood and actions. Or will you let them manage you. Whether Someone or we are at fault doesn’t matter, what matters is how the outcome affects you. Your resolution to look upon God for this exercise cannot be overemphasized and definitely God will not let us down.

    “Thirdly, you stand tall and resolve that there is a solution, this step is very hard when you are already discouraged, especially our poor communities without development that are discouraged in the democratic system in Nigeria.

    “You can stand tall with discipline and ability to solve problems, retuse to allow the present situation to slip into depression, doing opposite is like “sealing your doom”.

    “Fourthly, identify the human and material needs and resources you need to think out of the box and liberate the people from the current situation. Get help from qualify people that are ready to co-operate for development not pull it down people looking for food always, man according to the Bible “shall not live by bread alone”.

    “Finally, do the unthinkable. This is the step of faith, you might receive a lot of criticism and backlash, especially the issue of oil subsidy and some other policies that are critical to the economy. Great Countries of the world passed through the furnace before becoming a refined gold.

    “Nelson Mandela says “The greatest glory in living, lies not in never falling.but in rising every time we fall”. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

    “As we are working assiduously to bring this nation to a light after the tunnel, your CO-operation and purposeful zeal for actualization of the best for the greatest number of people shall be achieved”.

  • Reps committee raise alarm over increase smuggling of illicit drugs

    Reps committee raise alarm over increase smuggling of illicit drugs

    The House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise has vowed to investigate alleged diversion of Containers imported with finished goods to the Free Trade Zones  across the country to avoid payment of duties leading to the loss of over N1.6 trillion by the government. 

    Chsirman of the Committee, Leke Abejide, who spoke when he led other members of the common on an oversight visit to the Lagos Free Trade Zone raised concern over the large quantityof hard drugs being smuggled into the country. 

    Abejide said the Committee has series of report of finished goods being imported into the free zone with the aim of evading  the payment of duties on such goods.

    He said the Committee has received reports that, the criminal act is being perpetrated with the connivance of some customs licenced agents and officials of the service to shortchange the nation of needed revenues.

    He said the act which amount to great economic sabotage is being perpetrated through various Commands of the service, saying “recently, over 100 trucks loaded with imported items lined up to offload their content into a free trade zone in Kano. 

    “What are they doing in a free trade zone when they are not carrying raw materials? They were supposed to go to a bonded terminal. We have information on all these practices. 

    “We know those involved in this practice and we are going to carry out an investigation dating five years back and we will recover all the revenue the government has lost over these years”.

    He said the House will do everything possible to ensure that the problem is addressed, while preventing the misuse of the free trade zones to the detriment of the Nigerian economy. 

    He said further free trade zone companies are also in the habit of under paying their duties because of the provisions of the law which allows them to make payment three months after production, saying such companies first take their products to the market, well them before making whatever payment that pleases them. 

    He said the government is losing billions in revenue to this practice. 

    Speaking on the seizure of hard drugs and other unregistered drugs being smuggled into the country, Abejide said the practice was worrisome as the nation’s youths are now constantly exposed to drugs. 

    He speaking against the backdrop of reports of seizure of large quantity of drugs such cannabis sativa, Canadian loud and tramadol, Abejide threw his weight behind clamour for capital punishment for those involved in the smuggling of drugs into the country. 

    The various customs formation in zone A had reported the seizure of large quantity of cannabis and tramadol which they said have been handed over to both the NDLEA and NAFDAC for necessary action. 

    He said “the interception nof illicit drugs is common in all the places we have been to, from Seme to Idiroko, from Apapa to Tincan, PTML, to the FOU, the Airport and now the Lagos Free Trade Zone. 

    ” We are in danger in this country is we keep allowing all these drugs to come into the country. This is happening because there are no scanners. So, we must take this issue of scanners seriously to help nip this act in the bud. 

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    “This is alarming, but we can help minimise it in the interest of this nation. We have to do something about it and that is why I am in support of the initiative to have capital punishment for those involved in bringing illicit drugs into the country”.

    The Area Comptroller  in charge of the Lagos Free Trade Zone,  Olanrewaju Olumoh told the committee that the command intercepted  two containers of tramadol and one trailer load of unregistered drugs between January and March 2025.

    He also informed the Committee that, despite being the youngest Command, the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command emerged as a front-runner in revenue performance, adding that so far, it has generated about N113 billion in the first three months of the year. 

    He explained that free trade zones are designed to facilitate the landing of goods, raw materials  semi finished goods and even finished products without the immediate payment of duties. 

    He said the policy framework strategically designed to stimulate economic growth, promote industrialisation, generate employment and attract foreign direct investment.