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  • Minimum wage: NLC wants quick implementation, commends Senate

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) wants the government to commence the implementation of the new national minimum wage before the 2019 workers day celebration and give workers good course to celebrate this year.

    NLC also commended the Senate for passing the bill into law, following the footstep of the House of Representatives which had earlier passed the N30, 000 as new national minimum wage.

    The Nigeria Governors Forum had earlier said that they will not be able to pay N30,000 as minimum wage, offering to pay N24,000 instead while President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded N27,000 to the National Assembly as minimum wage.

    Both chambers of the National Assembly set up special adhoc committees headed by the Deputy Senate President for the Senate Committee and Deputy Speaker for the House of Representatives committee to conduct public hearing and submit reports for consideration.

    However, the House of Representatives immediately passed the bill into law before embarking on break for the 2019 general election, while the Senate passed the bill at its sitting on Tuesday.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Senate endorses N30, 000 national Minimum Wage

    Acting President of the NLC, Comrade Najeem Yasin said even though the bill has been passed by both chambers, the battle for the minimum wage was not yet over, saying workers will not rest until the bill is signed and implemented.

    He said; “We commend the senate for the quick passage. But it is not yet over because we want them to make sure that the process gets to the logical conclusion and for the quick implementation of that N30, 000. Nigerian workers are happy and commends them.

    “We stand by the N75, 000 punishment for employers who fail to implement the law which has been passed. We have been fighting for this N30, 000 for a long time and the governors have been opposed to it. But now, it has been passed. Nigerian workers are now looking forward to the signing of the bill into law.

    “We want them to start implementing it before the May Day celebration so that Nigerian workers can have good reasons to celebrate.”

  • Publish list of collated LG in Rivers, Coalition tells INEC

    A Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations in Rivers state has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the list of local government areas in Rivers state where election results have been collated and the ones left uncollated before the process was disrupted.

    The coalition also warned of an impending breakdown of law and order in the state if what they called unholy alliance/collaboration with Governor Wike to force himself on Rivers People using INEC and the Judiciary is not nipped in the bud right away.

    The Coalition said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obong Effanga and his staff should be held responsible for any such breakdown of law and order in the state due to their insistence in manipulating the governorship election in favour of Wike.

    Convener of the group, Somina Wokoma warned the commission against turning the state in a theatre of war by refusing to abide by the provisions of the electoral act and doing the biddings of Governor Wike.

    They said rather than vilify the military; INEC should be commended for their act of bravery in protecting the electoral process and the electorate in the state, while demanding the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the Administrative Secretary accusing them of working for Gov. Wike.

    The Coalition accused Effanga of collaborating with the state governor to re-write the results of the election since the suspension of the exercise, wondering why the commission has refused to disclose the names of the 17 local government whose results it claimed has been complied so far.

    The statement reads: “We closely monitored the March 9th governorship and Assembly elections and we are alarmed by the treachery exhibited by Effanga and his staff, especially the Admin Secretary who openly collaborated with Wike in trying to manipulate the governorship election in his favour failing which Effanga had the effrontery to wrongly advise INEC headquarters to suspend a smoothly running election.

    “We the members of the coalition, true sons and daughters of Rivers State and law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wish to state that the suspension of the election process was a well-orchestrated move by Wike and his co-conspirators, Obong Effanga and Elder Etim Umoh of Rivers State INEC.

    “Since the suspension of the collation of results in the State on March 10, 2019, the outgoing Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner Obong Effanga have been re-writing and doctoring unit results already collated in Rivers State Government House to favour Wike.

    “The suspension of the largely smooth running electoral process in the State is a flagrant violation of section 26 of the electoral Act. 2010 (as amended). INEC’s refusal to publish the names of the acclaimed collated seventeen(17) LGA’s and the outstanding Six(6) LGA’s is a clear act of deceit and treachery & confirmation of our long held suspicion that all is not well with the current Rivers INEC team .

    “That the clearly and openly compromised actions of Obong Effanga and Elder Etim Umoh have made us lose confidence in them to complete the process as this will be tantamount to Wike being also the umpire in his own election. We will resist this to our last blood.

    “The activities of the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner Obong Effanga and the Administrative secretary Elder Etim Umoh is a breach of public trust and abuse of public powers.

    “We have it on record the Governor Wike through the Rivers State REC Obong Effanga secretly changed the list of the Collation and Returning Officers who conducted the presidential election and replaced them with card-carrying members of the PDP who realising that the elections were not favouring their paymaster, triggered the illegal suspension order by INEC.

    “We hereby inform these conspirators against the sovereign will of our people that we know them by name and have all their details. We will not sit idle and watch them destroy the peace of our State and return scot free to their own States. The coalition will act as one United body to ensure that the Rivers State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obong Effanga and the Administrative Secretary, Elder Etim Umoh and all those who are a party to this nefarious activity are held responsible for any break-down of law & order in the State.

    “We warn the national security agencies of an impending breakdown of law and order should unholy alliance/collaboration with Wike to force himself on Rivers People using INEC and the Judiciary is not nipped in the bud right away

    “We are sure that by now the intelligence agencies have confirmed that if not for the highly professional conduct of the security agencies especially the Military in protecting the electorate during that elections, Governor Wike and his thugs dressed on military uniforms would have turned Rivers State into an ocean of blood, worse than what they did in the 2015 general elections.”

    They however demand the redeployment of the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner Obo Effanga and the administrative secretary Elder Etim Umoh with immediate effect to forestall any foul play that will lead to making our dear Rivers State a theatre of war.

    They also want the INEC Chairman Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to replace them with people of integrity and sound reputation that cannot be bought over by tyrant Governor Nyesom Wike and his blood sucking thugs; we also call on EFCC and other agencies to as a matter of urgency investigate and arrest Obo Effanga, Elder Etim Umoh and their partners in crime.

  • Bauchi: INEC halts announcement of result

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), says it has complied with a court order restraining it from resuming with the collation and announcement of result for Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, LGA.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja had barred the Commission (INEC) from collation of result of the governorship election of March 9 in Bauchi State, in an order given by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent governor of the state, Mohammed Abubakar.

    Read Also: INEC halts collation of results for Tafawa-Balewa

    While briefing newsmen on the latest development at the headquarters of INEC office, the State Commissioner, Ibrahim Abdullahi said “The INEC has received receipt of a court order restraining it from proceeding with the collation and announcement of result in respect of Tafawa Balewa Governorship constituency”

    He however added that the order which was granted by the court does not include the Tafawa Balewa State constituency hence arrangement will be made to continue with the State constituency collation and subsequently announce the result.

  • Buhari, service chiefs meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with service chiefs.

    The meeting started at the President’s office in the State House around 11am.

    Discussions at the meeting would likely dwell on the security situation in the country and how to ensure maximum security in states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting rerun election on Saturday March 23.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • Four journalists brutalised in Osun protest

    Irate youths in Ilesa, Osun State on Monday brutalised four journalists during their protest against Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over the disconnection of electricity in Ijesha zone.

    It was gathered the IBEDC management disconnected electricity in parts of Ilesa when some staff of the company during their official duty were assaulted by the youths in Olomilagbala and Bolorunduro communities of Ilesa East Local Government in Osun state.

    The youths also allegedly have attacked Ilesa business hub of IBEDC on Thursday March 14 and beat the staffs of the company, accusing the company of poor power distribution, extortion and over billing.

    The aggrieved youths started their protest on Sunday and continued the unrest on Monday at Isokun area of town, where the IBEDC power station is located when they attacked the journalists covering the demonstration.

    On sighting the journalists, who came into the town from Osogbo road, the irate youths, armed with cutlasses cudgels and other dangerous weapons, reportedly descended on them to vent their anger.

    The attacked journalists are Television Continental (TVC) reporter Rafiu Muhammad and his camera man, Taiwo Adu, and the Channels Television reporter, Shittu Abdulfatai and his camera man, Sheu Kadri.

    It was further gathered that the protesting youths were also on rampage for more than two hours.

    The protesters also damaged the official car of the General Manager of Uniq Radio F. M. and the crew van of the Freedom Television.

    They broke the windscreen of the car and destroyed the recording cameras of the two stations.

    Earlier in the day, the youths were said to have barricaded major roads leading into the town and causing vehicular logjam for many hours.

    Osun State governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, has promised to pay medical bills of the attacked journalists, who are on admission at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Adeniyi Adesina, who visited the injured journalists in the hospital, delivered the governor’s message to them, assuring that the state government would offset the bills for their medical treatment.

    In a related development, the State High Court sitting in Ilesa, Osun State has directed the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to restore electricity to Ilesa and its environs.

    In his ruling on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice A. L. Adegoke, directed the IBEDC to restore the supply of electricity with immediate effect.

    Justice Adegoke stated that the decision of the electricity distribution company of throwing the entire Ijesaland into darkness was an illegality.

    Also, the Osun State House of Assembly has directed the House Committee on Public Petition to meet with management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and representatives of affected areas in Ijeshaland to look for a way to resolve the dispute between the two parties.

    The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam, gave the directive after the Assembly member representing Ilesha West, Hon. Tajudeen Famuyide, raised the issue Under Matter of Public Importance.

    Hon. Famuyide explained that electricity distribution company had withdrawn it service from Ijesha land leaving the area in total darkness due to faceoff between staff of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and some youths in Ilesha.

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council has condemned the attack on its members at Olomilagbala, Bolorunduro, Ilesa East Local Government, on Monday in totality, describing it as uncivilized and barbaric.

    In a statement by the Osun State NUJ chairman, Mr. Kehinde Ayantunji, said:  “Four journalists, namely : Shitu Abdulfatai of the Channels TV, his Camera man, Kadri Kabir,  Rafiu Hammed of TV Continental, (TVC) and his Camera man, Taiwo Adu were among those  attacked  by suspected thugs. The newsmen were in Ilesa in the early hours of Monday to cover the protest embarked upon by irate youths over power outage in Ijesaland.”

    Ayantunji further described the attackers as crude, adding that the union would do everything possible to make sure that the perpetrators face must ice.

    The chairman, who acknowledged prompt intervention of some good Samaritans in rescuing the journalists, said: “We are shocked and seriously disturbed by the ruthless attack on  four of our members  today in Ilesa. We consider the attack as bestial, barbaric and uncivilized; and a declaration of war against journalists who were performing their constitutional responsibility.

    “It is indeed regrettable that those who were striving hard to ensure that the legitimate grievances of the people are brought to the attention of concerned authorities now became object of attack. The attack was so brutal to the extent that Taiwo Adu of TVC and Kadir Kabir of Channels could not stand on their feet. They were callously hit with bottle and various dangerous objects and held captive for about an hour with serious humiliation.

    “They are currently on admission at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. Their Cameras and other gadgets worth millions of naira were completely destroyed. While we recognize right of protest as a fundamental right, it must not be allowed to degenerate to the level of being hijacked by hoodlums in which journalists unfortunately became victims.”

    Ayantunji called on security agencies to swiftly swing into action and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book without delay.

  • Court sacks Delta APC factional chair

    A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has sacked the Delta State All Progressives Congress (APC) factional Chair, Jones Erue-led state executive committee.

    Also sacked were the ward and local government executives of the party.

    Justice Toyin Adegoke declared the plaintiff, Cyril Ogodo, as the authentic chairman of the main opposition party in the state.

    In suit number FA/ASA/CS/76/2018, the plaintiffs had sought 13 reliefs among which are a declaration that the Ogodo-led executive committee is the authentic state executive of the party.

    They also prayed the court to declare as null, void and of no effect any and every action purportedly taken, initiated or carried out by the fourth defendant, Jones Erue as chairman of APC (first defendant) by the second defendant (national Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole) in Delta State following his purported inauguration, swearing-in and recognition and/or appointment by the national chairman as chairman of APC in Delta State.

    The plaintiffs further prayed the court to declare the candidates that emerged from the primaries conducted by the Ogodo-led executive as the authentic list of candidates for the 2019 general elections.

    The court in the judgment, granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.

    A major fallout of the judgment is that the re-election of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Delta Central, the election of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Francis Waive and the election of three members of the state House of Assembly, having emerged from the primaries conducted by the Erue-led state executives.

    Also affected were the nomination of Great Ogboru, the governorship candidate; immediate past governor and senatorial candidate for Delta south, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Delta north senatorial candidate, Doris Uboh among others.

    But counsel to the defendants, Dr. Okubor Nwachukwu said the judgment will be tested at the Court of Appeal, expressing confidence that it will be upturned at the appellate court.

    On his part, counsel to the plaintiff, Roland Ekpe said the judgment did not fall short of their expectations, noting that by implication, the nomination of candidates who flew the flag of the party in the 2019 general elections is null and void having emerged from the primaries conducted by the Erue-led executive.

    Cyril Ogodo said justice has been served on the contentious state executive committee of the party, describing the judge as incorruptible, “despite all the intimidation and frivolous petitions, justice was delivered.”

    Speaking in his capacity, brother to the governorship candidate, Mr. Turner Ogboru who was at the court, urged Ogodo and his group not to rejoice yet, saying that the judgment is void ab-initio.

    Mr. Ogboru said the judgment cannot stand legal scrutiny at the Court of Appeal, stating that the court was wrong to nullify the primaries conducted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    He said, “When we profile it, we will go on appeal. The beauty of our jurisprudence is that the first court has its right but you have the upper court to correct all the errors of a lower court.

    “There was no dependable evidence to make the judge reach this decision. The judgment is void ab-initio; it does not even need an appeal to set it aside because this court cannot sit as Court of Appeal over another Federal High Court judgment.

    Continuing, “There is a Federal High Court subsisting judgment which has not be set aside, it is a consent judgment of which no one has against.”

  • Akpabio approaches tribunal to reclaim mandate

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) for Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has approached the election tribunal sitting in Uyo to commence legal processes to challenge his loss at February 23 senatorial election.

    The suit at the tribunal was filed on the 16th of March by his lawyer, Mr. Sunday Ameh SAN, followed Senator Akpabio’s withdrawal of the case he earlier filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    The case at the Federal High Court had sought to challenge his Senate re-election loss.

    Akpabio is seeking to upturn the victory of Christopher Ekpenyong and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) based on perceived electoral irregularities which characterised the said election.

    The former Senate Minority Leader, had while the election was ongoing, besieged the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging cases of infractions and deliberate violations of the electoral law and guidelines during the senatorial election.

    In the said election, INEC had allegedly in collaboration with some PDP chieftains in the senatorial district, wrongfully declared Ekpeyong and his party, the PDP, winner of the poll, having scored 118,215 as against Akpabio’s 83,158.

    Read Also: Ogun APC to banks: don’t approve Amosun’s loan requests

    However, Ameh SAN said the result sheets from Akwa Ibom INEC office showed different figures that had Akpabio securing 138,256 votes as against Ekpeyong’s 123,843.

    Akpabio’s counsel said his client is dissatisfied with the conduct and outcome of the election.

    ”The former governor of Akwa Ibom and his party has approached the election petition tribunal to ventilate their grievances as well as reclaim their stolen mandate.”

  • Police Job: PSC to commence screening soon

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said it will soon commence the screening exercise of candidates who applied into the Nigeria Police Force as Constables.

    10,000 slot was advertised for the job but at the close of the recruitment portal in January this year, the Commission received 315,032 applications.

    The final analysis of the applications received by the Commission showed that 271,068 males applied, 43,785 female applications were received, 24 applicants did not indicate their gender while 155 applications were inconclusive.

    A statement in Abuja on Monday by the Commission’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani stated that a date will be fixed soon for the screening.

    Ani said the explanation was necessary following the huge turnout of candidates to the various Police Commands across the country for the screening without invitation by the Commission.

    Read Also: Police recover gun, phones from two robbery suspects

    The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission wishes to state that it is yet to commence the screening exercise for candidates who applied for recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force. The commission has also not invited any candidate for screening.

    “The Commission is surprised to note that some Nigerians besieged the State Commands of the Nigeria Police throughout the country for a screening exercise not scheduled by the Commission and for which no applicant was invited.

    “Applicants are hereby advised to ignore any statement on this as it did not originate from the commission. The commission will soon notify shortlisted candidates of a date for the commencement of the exercise.”

  • Generator fume kills three sisters, cousin in Bayelsa

    Three sisters and their cousin have been reportedly killed in their sleep by generator fumes at Aghoro, Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at the weekend, threw the community into mourning.

    The deceased were said to be primary school pupils identified as the children of Demedogha London and Stephen Binasuode.

    The Nation learnt that the deadly fumes emanated from a new generator placed at the balcony of Demedogha’s bungalow.

    Explaining how the incident occurred, Demedogha, whose compound was besieged by sympathisers, said he kept the generator at the balcony far from the room of the girls.

    He, however, said when he woke up at 6am the next day, he discovered that the generator had shifted close to the door of the girl’s room.

    The distraught father said he found that the floor tiles aided the movement of the generator adding that the girls were already dead when he rushed to their room.

    He said: “The generator was outside but it was on tiles. The generator shifted close to the door. At about 6 am, I came out to put off the generator and saw that it was close to the door. Eventually when I entered the room I saw that all the children were dead”.

    A chief in Aghoro community, who identified himself as Etiti described the incident as painful and said the community would create awareness on dangers of generator fumes.

    But a resident, Victor, said the devastating incident would not have occurred if there had been electricity in the community.

    He said the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) commenced an electrification project in the area but later abandoned it.

    “Shell is doing an electrification project but the work stopped a long time ago. I appeal to shell to embark on the project so that this community can have light to avoid this kind of incident,” he said.

  • Nasarawa Assembly minority leader defects to APC

    The minority leader of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr Peter Mbucho (PDP-Akwanga North) on Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Rt.Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House made this known on Monday while reading Mbucho’s defection letter during the House proceeding in Lafia.

    The speaker congratulated Mbucho for joining the next level train.

    Speaking, Mbucho said that he joined the APC in order to contribute his quota to the development of his constituency.

    “I have joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 8th, 2019 and I have delivered my constituency to APC during the Governorship and state House of Assembly elections,” he said.

    The former minority leader said that he would continue to use his wealth of experience in order to add value to the APC -led government at all levels.

    The Nation also reports that the House has received nomination of members of the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) and Nasarawa State Local Government Civil Service Commission from Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

    The speaker announced the names of Barr Usman Ibrahim-Galle, Abubakar Yerima and Ayuba Usman- Wandai as members of NASIEC

    The speaker also announced Abdullahi Umar and Mustapha Aliyu as members of the State Local Government Civil Service Commission.