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Tag: members

  • Plateau PDP appeals to former members to return to the party

    Plateau PDP appeals to former members to return to the party

    The Plateau State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has  appealed to its members who defected during its protracted crisis to return in the interest of the party.

    Its chairman and former Minister of Sports, Hon Damishi Sango, made the appeal in his office Jos.

    The party, which ruled Plateau for 16 years before losing to the APC in 2015, has lost some of its key members to the APC during the prolonged litigations between Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi. Prominent among them are former Governor  Joshua Dariye, a member of the House of Representative from Jos East/Jos South Constituency Hon. Edward Pwajok, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Hon. Yusufu Gagdi.

    Sango said: “First of all, we are not blaming some of our members who defected in the course of our conflict. But now that the conflict that propelled their action has been resolved at the level of Supreme Court, such members should endeavor to come back to the party.

    “Just as ôur National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said after the court verdict, no victor, no vanquish, it is only a victory to democracy. We are therefore appealing to some of our members who left the party during the internal conflict to come back because PDP is our party, it is not my party or for any individual, we still consider them as our members and we are looking forward to them coming back soon.

    “Nigerians need PDP now because the party that offered itself as alternative party to PDP has failed Nigerians, so Nigerians now understand the difference, what APC has failed to achieve in two years, I wonder if they can make it up in the next one year of their tenure. So PDP remains the only hope for our nascent democracy.

    Sango said the PDP has realised its mistakes of 2015 and learnt from them, adding that PDP remained the only dependable party in 2019.

    He added: “We have assured all members who defected to another party in the course of our conflict that they should have the confident to return to their original party because we are not going to victimize anyone as a result of that.

    “The party will allow a level playing ground for all members, we have vowed that there will be no imposition of candidate in any election, every member, no mater your status, will be allowed to exercise his or her democratic rights, all we are after is to come out with the best candidates that will fly the flag of the party in subsequent elections in the state.

    “We are reaching out to the former members that left during the conflict, there is going to be a reconciliation committee at the state level, the committee shall reach out to such members, everyone is important to the party, PDP remains the people’s party.”

  • NULGE prepares members for local govt autonomy

    NULGE prepares members for local govt autonomy

    The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has trained its staff on financial management in preparation for the autonomy of local government administration.

    Speaking at a three-day workshop with the theme: Effective financial management of trade union finance, NULGE National President   Ibrahim Khaleel said the workshop was organised to enhance the capacity of the union’s financial officers.

    His words: “At this critical time, there is lack of capacity for local council workers as a tier of government and we believe that whatever affects local government administration affects us directly because without the third tier of government, there can’t be NULGE.

    “This workshop is meant to update our knowledge on how to keep our financial records. Financial records are our collective responsibilities as a union to be rendered at the end of every year to the Registrar of Trade Union.

    “Since the inception of this leadership, the national secretariat has been rendering our financial accounts to the office every year up to the 2016 financial year.”

    He stressed that the workshop, which was conducted by Nik-Seg Consultants, provided an opportunity for all the participants to learn new skills with the aim of understanding how financial records were done and also be in tandem with new trends.

    He hinted that plans were underway to organise women and youth conference, which would  enhance the leadership skills of women and youth wings of the union.

    Khaleel insisted that training union workers in financial management was part of the administrative steps that could curtail corruption within labour movement.

    “Training in financial management is apt at this time because we believe it will not only enhance transparency and accountability, but will strengthen the development and growth of our union.

    “It is even more critical for us to update our knowledge on financial management especially now that we are canvassing for financial autonomy for local government.

    “So, before we get the financial independence of local government, local government workers need to be more prepared, more equipped and update their knowledge on financial management for the challenges ahead,” he said.

  • Police arrest 100 as three more ‘Badoo members’ are killed

    Police arrest 100 as three more ‘Badoo members’ are killed

    Three more suspected members of the notorious Badoo cult fell yesterday as angry Ikorodu residents led by the local vigilante group, Onyabo, went after the gang.

    The police have confirmed the arrest of 100 suspected Badoo members during a raid in Ikorodu at the weekend.

    The suspects were burnt to death in their Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) on Oju-Emuren Street, Odogunyan.

    They were said to be dressed in black suits.

    The deceased were said to have been found with three big grinding stones, charms and oil.

    They were lynched when they could not explain what they were doing with the items.

    The deceased, it was gathered, claimed they were on their way to tow a broken down vehicle when they were caught.

    A resident said: “The men looked like bouncers and they wore black suits. Their vehicle was stopped by Onyabo for interrogation and they said they were going to tow a broken down vehicle.

    “When a search was conducted on their SUV, three grinding stones, oil and charms were found. They could not explain what they were doing with them. Onyabo called residents out and that was how the suspects were instantly roasted alive.”

    Their death is the latest in the series of killings of suspected Badoo cultists in the past one week.

    Ten persons have so far been killed in different areas of Ikorodu for allegedly being Badoo members.

    The police and other security agencies could not rescue the suspects as the mob stoned them.

    Yesterday’s killings sparked an outrage as many said the residents might be killing innocent people.

    Hameed Sanni said: “I cannot understand the way our people are handling the situation of Badoo.  Honestly, they are allowing their emotions to betray their judgment. Our actions towards judgment are barbaric. How can you say you are an innocent person and you act in this manner? I couldn’t stand this (the killing). Oh my goodness! We have a long way to go; believe me. I am not against apprehending them, but hand them over to the relevant authority. We should not take laws into our hands because it doesn’t resolve anything.”

    Also yesterday, the police said over 100 persons were arrested in a raid on Ikorodu at the weekend.

    Led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of Operations, Edgal Imohinmi, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives, Onyabo and Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) members swept Igbogbo/Bayeku, Ibeshe, Ijede and Imota for Badoo cultists.

    The police, it was learnt, also met with traditional rulers, residents and vigilante members on the need to shun mob justice.

    The command’s spokesperson, Olarinde Famous–Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP), said 40 police and RRS vehicles were deployed in the operation.

    He said: “We can confirm the arrest of 100 suspected members of the dreaded cult group, Badoo and they are helping with ongoing investigation into the activities of the gang.

    “Government is on top of the situation and we like to use this medium to caution the people to desist from jungle justice.

    “We also like to assure residents that they are free to go about their normal activities without let or hindrance, as the police and other security agencies in the state are poised to make the state uncomfortable and hot for criminal elements to perpetrate their nefarious activities,” Famous–Cole said.

    A source said formation indicated that Badoo members usually sold the handkerchiefs they wiped their victims blood with to prominent people at N500,000 each.

    “We heard they sell one handkerchief containing the blood of their victims for N500,000 to highly placed Nigerians. Police should investigate and put an end to this so that residents will not vacate Ikorodu,” he said.

    An OPC member, Abiodun Akerejola alias Ojolebua, said the raid, followed a closed-door stakeholders meeting.

    He said: “The issue of Badoo and other cult activities in Ikorodu and environs should give everyone concern, not only the police. We do not know the next family or person they might attack. We appreciate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his support and assistance.”

  • Badoo kills three family members in Ikorodu

    Badoo kills three family members in Ikorodu

    •One injured, another missing

    The notorious Badoo ritual gang struck again in Ikorodu, Lagos, killing three members of a family. The fourth member of the family, sources said, was seriously injured.

    The gang attacked three other buildings on Aliyu Adesanya Street, Olopomeji Bus Stop, Odogunyan, Ikorodu.

    The slain family members lived at house 9; occupants of houses 10, 11 and 12 were said to have fled when the gang struck around 3am.

    Those killed were David Ikehi, his wife, Priscilla and son Moses. The family’s four-year-old boy Sunday is battling for his life in hospital. Its two-year-old son is reportedly missing.

    The killers were said to have smashed their victims’ heads with grinding stone, splashing their blood all over the place.

    It was gathered that a resident, Baba Chukwuemeka, who escaped, raised the alarm around 4am.

    He was said to have told neighbours that an intruder entered his home through the window, carrying a grinding stone.

    The man, residents said, claimed to have dodged being hit with the grinding stone and wrestled with his assailant. The assailant, the man claimed, fled when he could not overpower his victim, leaving the grinding stone behind.

    It was gathered that Baba Chukwuemeka’s scream alerted others, who came out to secure their neighbourhood.

    In the ensuing melee, it was gathered that a loud cry came from house 9, prompting the crowd to rush there.

    Upon getting there, they found that it was the landlord who screamed, but the door to his apartment was fastened with a wire. They were said to have rallied round to rescue him and found the Ikehis while combing the house.

    The residents contacted the Shagamu Road Police Division, which evacuated the bodies and took the injured to the hospital.

    In anger they stormed the palace of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi, to protest the incessant killings.

    Soldiers and the Department of State Services (DSS) operatives were deployed to assist the police control the crowd. The crowd pelted them with stones and other missiles

    The residents took a swipe at the monarch, demanding his dethronement. They also demanded “thorough investigation” into the killings.

    The Command spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said the incident was being investigated. He however, declined to comment on steps the command is taking to prevent future attacks.

  • FEC okays NYSC members’ inclusion in NHIS

    FEC okays NYSC members’ inclusion in NHIS

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved the inclusion of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

    It was to ensure that the corps members have access to good health care services.

    Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole stated this at the end of the FEC meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina.

    He said: “The other memorandum has to do with how we will prevent unnecessary death among youth corps members across the country. Council approved the memo that henceforth we will include NYSC members in the National Health Insurance Scheme across the country.

    “This will guarantee access to quality care across the country, prevent unnecessary deaths and also ensure our youth corps members receive the highest attainable level of care across the country.”

    He disagreed with the claim that the NHIS had failed woefully.

    Adewole said: “I would rather use a more positive comment that we are not where we ought to be with respect to the NHIS and that is because it is voluntary. A voluntary scheme anywhere in the world is not likely to succeed as much as we would love to have it.

    “So, this scheme for NYSC is not compulsory, its mandatory for all NYSC and government will pay the premium. What we have now with NHIS is that only government employed people and very few in the private sector are enrolled into the scheme. I am sure you know the Senate is conducting a public hearing into how to broaden the scope of the NHIS, making it more effective to serve the generality of Nigerians and that’s our destination.”

    He added that the council approved the procurement and distribution of contraceptive commodities and services across the country for the next four years.

    Adewole said his ministry presented a report on the state of public health services across the country.

    According to him, the ministry had declared the end of meningitis outbreak in the country.

    He said: “We also informed FEC that we have not recorded new cases of Polio in the country in 2017. We have recorded seven new cases of Lassa fever across the country and the cholera outbreak in Kwara State has also fizzled out.”

  • Plight of Plateau corps members

    SIR: After graduation, graduates are mandatorily required serve to their father land under the National Youth Service Corps scheme. This is a scheme established after the civil war in other to integrate and re-integrate Nigerians. People are posted to different parts of the country to serve, interact and learn the culture and tradition of the people.

    Government on its part pays a monthly stipend for the upkeep of corps members. Although this is hardly enough considering the realities of present day Nigeria, it goes a long way to facilitate their transport fare to their places of primary assignment and sometimes feeding. Considering the fact that they are prohibited from working during the service year, their monthly stipend is thus the only means of survival. It should therefore be paid regularly and timely too.

    Corp members in Plateau State are not having the best of times. Many of them can no longer go to their places of primary assignment. The ability to get a meal in a day is left to fate or miracle to decide. Why is this so? Many of them, if not all of them, have not been paid their monthly stipend for the month of May. The month of June has gone half way already!

    The issue of late or no payment of corps members in Plateau State is a recurring decimal. For the month of April, their monthly allowance did not come on time; many of them are still being owed for that. Again, they are faced with the same situation for the month of May, who knows what will happen with June allowance? May be it would be paid in September!

    Given the fact that corps members depend of this allowance for survival, it doesn’t make sense to owe them. If you ask me, it is sheer wickedness to send people to an area where they don’t know anyone and abandon them to their fate.

    If we don’t pay corps members, we cannot get the best from them. We would also lose the moral right to reprimand corps members who abandon their places of primary assignment.

    This is a plea to NYSC to make the welfare of corps members its primary responsibility. It is wrong to owe members their monthly stipend. I doubt if any staff of the NYSC has not been paid their salary for the month of May. Corps members are frustrated. More frustrating is the fact that officials of the scheme are keeping sealed lips over this issue.

    Dear Director General of the NYSC, your children in the Plateau State are suffering and are in need of your urgent intervention.ý The federal government should ensure the timely release of funds meant for the payment of corps members.

     

    • Frank Ijege,

    frankijege@yahoo.com

  • UniUyo ASUU fetes members

    The President of Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, has enjoined members of the union to remain committed to its ideals and principles.

    Prof. Ogunyemi, who was represented by the Vice President, Prof. Victor Osodeke, spoke in Uyo yesterday while addressing congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Uyo Branch (ASUU-UUB).

    The President said he was in the Branch to celebrate with members of the union, particularly those who were wrongly sacked and later reinstated after between eight and thirteen years.

    The ASUU President commended the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Enefiok Essien for unconditionally recalling the Chairman of ASUU, University of Uyo Branch, Dr. Edet Akpan and others who were wrongfully sacked.

    The Congress adopted a resolution to send letters of commendation to the immediate past Chairman of University of Uyo Governing Council, Prof. Kimse Okoko and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Enefiok Essien for unconditionally recalling and reinstating Dr. E. P. Akpan whose appointment was wrongfully terminated by the Ekpo administration.

  • Corps members get tips on healthy lifestyle

    Corps members get tips on healthy lifestyle

    Batch B Corps members serving in Rivers State have been advised to cultivate a healthy lifestyle.

      Power Oil medical team gave them the advice at their orientation camp in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. According to the team, healthy diet, moderate exercise and consumption of non-cholesterol  oil.

    The team gave free basic medical checkup such as BMI, Blood Pressure, and Body temperature, medical consultation/nutritional advice to the Corps members. It some of the firm’s products donated to the camp.

    Power Oil’s Public Relations Manager, Omotayo Azeez, said: “As the need to further reach out to more Nigerians becomes more imperative, we are more than delighted to also partner the Rivers State National Youth Service Corp by extending our reach to cover more youths, considering the alarming rate of heart health complications, which we believe sometimes could be avoidable through proper enlightenment and regular checkups, and that is what we are trying to achieve.

    “Beyond our community outreach plans, we are also working with the conviction that everyone deserves to benefit from this life impacting project irrespective of localities, which is the reason behind the extension drive into other strategic institutions such as churches, mosques, schools and NYSC Camps.”

    Brand Manager, Power Oil, Amisha Chawla said: “As part of the corporate social responsibility of Power Oil, we felt the need to offer something more to our consumers considering the costs of accessing medical check-up in the country and the low level of awareness on the need to stay healthy. Power Oil is endorsed by the Nigerian Heart Foundation.”

    NYSC Rivers State Co-ordinator,  Mr. Omotayo Adewoye expressed appreciation to Raffles Oil, makers of Power Oil, on the partnership while stressing the significant benefits of leading a healthy life. “You will agree with me that we take physical fitness and nutrition very importantly, going by our regular daily drills and healthy choice of meals that staff and Corp members are being served during the orientation weeks, under the most hygienic condition.”

    He said the product is endorsed by the Nigerian Heart Foundation,  recalling that Power Oil Health Camp has also visited Lagos State, NYSC Orientation Camp and flagged off the project in Kaduna and Oyo states through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

  • Lagos PDP urges members not to defect

    Lagos PDP urges members not to defect

    Factional chairman of Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Segun Adewale, has urged members who were planning to defect to other parties to shelve the idea.

    Adewale who stormed the party’s secretariat at Shogunle, Lagos with his supporters said he had come to take over the secretariat. He said his taking over of the party’s apparatus would usher in new beginning for Lagos PDP.

    Addressing his supporters, he explained that he was taking over the secretariat, following the alleged decision of the Moshood Salvador group to join the Advance Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA).

    He said: “By this action we have taken, we have put an end to PDP failure in Lagos State. We will ensure that we successfully participate in the council election scheduled to take place on July 22 and make some success. Those who have led us in the past like Chief Bode George have not made any impact, because there is no record to show that PDP won any election in Lagos under his leadership.”

    The PDP chieftain recalled several efforts made to ensure unity in the party in the state, but were rebuffed by Salvador’s faction.

    Adewale further said the failure of the PDP to take over Lagos State was due to fact that the leadership under George had been doing nothings since 2003. He added: “You cannot be doing things the same way and expect to get different results.”

    He said the party was working hard to win the coming local government poll in July and the 2019 governorship election.

    He said: “We have been running for election since 2003 and have been failing. This is the only secretariat in Nigeria that has not won governorship election in the history of PDP. It is high time and all we are saying is, give us the opportunity, I mean our own generation, to do that for the PDP.

    “So we are the Sheriff faction and by law, the Appeal Court affirmed by its judgment that we are the authentic faction. Sheriff was the one that conducted our own party congress here in Lagos that brought me as chairman of Lagos PDP. By that they should honour and respect the office.”

    Adewale called on members of the party, who he said might have been deceived to move to APDA, to return to the PDP in order to ensure total victory for the party in the coming local government election.

  • Scores of PDP members defect to APC in Akwa Ibom

    Scores of members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Mkpat Enin, one of the largest local government areas in the state.

    Among the defectors are five former councillors – Utitofon Jeremiah, Monday Ekim, Edikan Ekpo, Christopher Inang and Ute Akpabio.

    Others included former local government supervisors, special advisers and former PDP local government chapter and ward officers, including Chief Cardinal Essien, a former chairman of PDP ward chairmen in Mkpat Enin for nine years.

    APC Vice Chairman for Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, Emmanuel Oton, received the defectors from the 14 wards in Mkpat Enin.

    He said the mass defection had depleted the ranks of PDP members in the area.

    Enin said APC was sure of victory in 2019 general election as the broom revolution was sweeping fast through the state, including Governor Udom Emmanuel’s village, Awa Iman, in Onna Local Government Area.

    Some of the governor’s cousins have defected from the PDP to the APC.

    APC Chairman in Mkpat Enin, Uduak Inoh, described the defectors as strong grassroots politicians.

    He noted that with their defection, the PDP had collapsed in the area.

    The politician assured them of equal rights in APC, as enshrined in the party’s constitution.

    Utitofon Jeremiah, who spoke on behalf of the defectors, said their move had taken the oxygen mask from the PDP in Mkpat Enin.

    He said the lifeline the ruling party in the state was managing to breathe with had been removed.

    Jeremiah, also a one-time Supervisor for Education in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, said the defectors were on a redemption mission for Mkpat Enin youths, who he said had been enslaved by the PDP for years.

    He said more youths would soon dump the PDP for the APC.