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  • Omo-Agege calls for “thorough investigation” on Buhari, APC supporter’s attack

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has called for “thorough investigation” over the attack on a supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Elvis Omoiri, in Effurun, Delta state.

    Barr. Omo-Agege who represents the people of Delta Central senatorial district at the House of Senate, where Effurun, in Uvwie council area is located, stated Saturday in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga.

    Omoiri, was reportedly attacked last Thursday, by one Best Uduophori, believed to be a supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    An argument had reportedly ensued between the duo, when Omoiri began celebrating the judgement which affirmed the election victory of the President Buhari.

    The statement called on the police in Delta State to thoroughly investigate the case and bring the culprit to book.

    Omo-Agege noted that such harmful moves will not change the wins of the party, as upheld by the court.

    READ ALSO: Lawan, Omo-Agege applaud verdict

    Expressing shock over the incident, he urged his constituents in Delta Central Senatorial district to remain calm, and charged political parties to orientate members on the need to respect the law.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari had a decisive populist electoral victory, as respecters of the law and democracy, we submitted ourselves to the judicial process and again, achieved incontrovertible victory.

    “It is alarming to hear that, last Thursday when all Nigerians who respect the laws of the land were applauding the judicial triumph, someone from the other party took the loss so badly and allegedly took the laws into his own hands in such barbaric manner by attacking an APC loyalist with a broken bottle and almost snuffed out a life in the process.

    “Again, I urge the police to ensure thorough investigation and prosecution as deemed necessary in the eyes of the law; our society must not condone such violence and all political parties have a duty to help give their members the orientation of due respect for the law.

    “It is futile for anyone to hope that such barbaric reaction can help reverse an overwhelming electoral and judicial loss,” the Deputy President of the Senate stated.

  • Benue APC accuses tribunal justices of frustrating appeals

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state has raised the alarm that the National/State Assemblies election petitions tribunal is frustrating her members in respect of whose petitions judgment have been delivered by the honourable tribunal from proceeding on appeal against the judgements.

    Addressing a press conference in Makurdi , the Youth wing of APC led by Tersoo Kulas said the tribunal led by Hon. Justice R O Odugu with Hon. Justice M A Onyetenu and Hon. Justice Esther Tata as members, contrary to the the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) that copies of judgement(s) be given to parties within 24hrs from the time it was delivered has withheld the judgements it delivered against the APC for 4 days (96hrs) as at today (Thursday, 12th September, 2019).

    “Let it be known that according to the provisions of the constitution, our party has a legal window of only 14 days to prepare, file and serve the notices of appeal to the respondents.

    “But with this development, the Justices have already unwittingly delayed us, eating 4 days out of our 14 days.

    “We are at cross road and are tempted to say that this may be a way to frustrate the proper filing of the notices of appeal and pursue of the appeals, owing to the fact that the appeal itself from the time of delivery of judgement by the tribunal; the filing of he notice of appeal; the compilation of the records of appeal; the filing of briefs and the hearing of the appeals and then, the delivery of judgement of the appeal court has to be done within 60 days and no more.

    READ ALSO: I have never thought of leaving APC -Okorocha

    “We are particularly worried over the case of the Kwande/Ushongo federal constituency, between Benjamin Wayo (APC) and Robert A. Tyough (PDP); Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo federal constituency between Solomon Wombo (APC) and Richard Gbande (PDP) and John Ali (APC) and Enemere (PDP), judgements all delivered on Monday, 9th September 2019 and those of Makurdi/Guma federal constituency between Terhile Utaan (APC) and Benjamin Mzondu (PDP) and Benue North West senatorial district, between George Akume (APC) and Emmanuel O. Jev (PDP)”.

    The party also said if the judgements are not released tomorrow, Friday, 13th September, 2019, it will have no other option than to petition the president of the Court of Appeal and the chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to address such injustice.

    Attempt to speak with the secretary of the tribunal failed as he said he will first seek the permission of the chairman of the tribunal .

  • Osun bags World Bank Nigeria Portfolio Performance Award

    The Osun State Government has been declared the best performing state in Nigeria by the World Bank Project Implementation.

    The state also emerged the best among the participating states in Nigeria in the World Bank Rural Access and Mobility Project 2 (RAMP 2).

    The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Africa Region, Rachid Banmessaoud, made the revelations in a Commendable Performance Letter, addressed to the state government.

    Banmessaoud, said Osun has also been recognised by World Bank Task Team Leaders as a strong performer in project implementation.

    He commended the high sense of diligence and commitment displayed by the state government which according to him, earned it the award.

    “This is to appreciate your support and state’s participation in the just concluded Nigeria Portfolio Performance Awards ceremony hosted by the World Bank Country Office in Abuja, and to congratulate you on your state’s commendable performance which led to winning of the best performing state under the Rural Access and Mobility Project 2 (RAMP 2).

    “Osun has also been recognised by World Bank Task Team Leaders as a strong performer in project implementation.

    READ ALSO: World Bank invests $11b in Nigeria, says Country Director

    “The event recognised the performance of project implementation teams across the state and federal institutions. Furthermore, state delegates were afforded the opportunity to network and share knowledge with their colleagues from other states.

    “Through this event, we also believe Osun State will significantly improve the overall momentum in the implementation of projects in the state.

    “Consequently, we invite your State Focal Person to the first phase of the FY20 Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) which will focus on strengthening the coordination mechanism at state level to ensure Nigeria meets the FY20 Portfolio Performance Indicator Targets.

    “The event will hold in Abuja on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at the World Bank office. The second phase of the CPPR will hold in January, 2020 and will involve all Project Implementing Units (PIUs) as has always been the practice”, Banmessaoud added.

  • SON shuts down 10 illegal engine oil depots in Kano

    The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has shut down no fewer than 10 illegal engine oil depots in Kano for engaging in the sale of adulterated products.

    The Kano state Coordinator of SON, Alhaji Yunusa B. Mohammed told reporters shortly after the operation, that the agency would not hesitate to descend on any Lubricant Firm that is selling sub-standard products in Nigerian.

    He added that the sealing of illegal Engine oil firms, will be a continuous exerviding, while warning marketers, traders and business men to always endure compliance to standard and genuine profucts during transactions.

    According to him, SON has resolved to fish out, arrest and prosecute people engaging in the nefarious activities of smuggling sub-standard products into the Nigerian markets

    The Coordinator who led a Compliance Team to 10 Companies selling raw Engine Oil in the state Capital,said the reason why he ordered for their closure was because they have failed to comply with the Federal Government rules and regulations as projected by SON’s Acts to sanitise their businesses.

    He added that, “the raid is a directives from our National Headquarters. It came through the Office of the DG’s Office that we must clear all the unwholesome and sharp practices evident in the Lubricant sector.

    “We are instructed to bring to book all those who are dealing with the unblended Engine Oil to book so that the general out cry from the general public in consuming adulterated Engine Oil could be Maximally reduced.”

    “If one is to take a cursory look at the entire Engine Oil business in the state one would be left with nothing apart from the glaring Cheating of the populace in the name of raw materials being sold as finished products.”

    He further stated that by law, “SON is the agency that is officially mandated to ensure that products are sold out qualitatively. Today we are on lubricants last three Weeks we conducted same exercise on Cables to track defaulters.

    “We need stake holders like you to rise up the anthem by reporting unwholesome acts to the agency so that defaulters would be Penalised at the end of it all.

    READ ALSO: A quiet revolution to watch in Kano

    On why they took the dealers of the adulterated Engine Oil unawares, he said, “that is just the strategy or else you will see no body if you come for the raid, but at least we have done our best by taking samples from the Companies before we came for official closure.

    “You see, the exercise is heavy we can’t evacuate the raw material to our office It’s too enormous. The question the Government is asking always is that if the business is legal then it has to be under controlled. And once that is addressed we have no issue with them.”

    “We are going to give them fear hearing they must come to the office so that we can collectively trash grey areas.”

    On his part, Chairman of the Kano State Engine Oil Association Alhaji Yusuf Abdullahi informed The Nation, that their association is always willing to comply with the Government directives.

    He, however, expressed concerned that, “government officials are quite aware of all the sources of these raw material. We buy from Lagos and repackage it for sale in Kano.

    “It is a long term business and we are doing it to reduce the pain of buying the refined lubricants which is more expensive for the common man.”

  • Birnin Gwari killings will end soon – Senator Sani

    Senator Uba Sani representing the Kaduna Central zone has assured that, the security challenges bedeviling Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State will soon become history.

    Senator Sani said President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nasir El-Rufai and himself were not resting on their oars to ensure that the situation in the area is brought to normalcy.

    He stated this at the end of his ‘thank you’ tour of the seven local government areas that make up his constituency, where he reassured the people that they made the right choice electing him.

    According to him, “Birnin Gwari is dear to my heart. It is a strategic gateway to the southern part of Nigeria. The insecurity in the area is quite disturbing and all hands must be on deck to arrest it. Governor Nasir El-Rufai and President Buhari are not resting on their oars to ensure that the situation in the area is brought to normalcy,” he said. He then expressed delight that the measures put in place were yielding results. The constituency tour which he said was in fulfillment of his campaign promises, kicked off at Birnin Gwari where he interacted with the people regarding their needs and concerns.

    He stressed in each of the places he visited, that he was there purposely to thank them for their continued support, while expressing his readiness to expeditiously address their issues and concerns. The second phase of the Senator’s tour commenced with Kaduna South Local Government from where he proceeded to Kaduna North, Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Kajuru Local Government Areas where he held interactive sessions with traditional and community leaders, religious leaders, party executives, youth and women groups.

    “The people are enthusiastic, willing, focused and totally committed to my goal of turning the constituency around. I appreciated them for the roles they played towards the success of the APC at the last elections. I pledged to work closely with stakeholders in the local governments to address issues of insecurity and youth unemployment. I will also pay serious attention to the empowerment of women,” he said.

  • Yellow fever: Bauchi to vaccinate 500,000 residents

    No fewer than 500,000 residents of Bauchi State will be vaccinated against the dreadful outbreak of yellow fever in the Alkaleri and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of the state.

    Governor Bala Mohammed disclosed this at the flag-off of aerial mosquitoes and reactive vaccination in response to the outbreak of Yellow fever, held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi.

    Mohammed said this is part of the proactive measures taken by his administration in safeguarding the lives of residents in the state against the deadly disease.

    Read Also: Bauchi vows to tackle yellow fever

    The Governor, who also kicked off the aerial spraying of Quella birds, pledged the determination of the present administration to remain focused to its responsibilities especially in terms of effective response to agriculture and health challenges in the state.

    He explained that, the aircraft is expected to visit about 38 roasting sites across the state within one week, and identified invasion of Quela birds in farmlands. The governor said N200 million has been paid by the state government as counterpart funds to the Mellinda and Bill Gates and Dangote Foundations.

    “Despite the state of emergency in the health sector, indices such as the rates of infant and maternal mortality are worrisome. I have therefore given marching order to the Honorable Commissioner for Health to convene a Health Summit to enable us know the gaps,” he stated. The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alh.Sama’ila Burga, added that the agricultural policy launched by the governor would address the challenges facing farmers and agriculture.

  • Northern Governors commission N793m NNDC mall

    As part of commitment to tackle the issue of underdevelopment bedeviling the Northern region, Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Platueau State, Simon Lalong has commissioned N793 Mall in Kaduna. The mall was built by northern conglomerate, the New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC). Commissioning the three-storey mall on Muhammadu Buhari Way, Lalong, accompanied by other northern Governors, expressed optimism that such investments would better the lives of the people. He however commended the Board and Management of the company for the initiative.

    Chairman Board of NNDC, Tanimu Yakubu, said the company which was initially known as the Northern Regional Production and Development Board, (NRPDB) was established in 1949 to spearhead the economic and social development of the then Northern region. He disclosed that the decision to develop the ultra -modern shopping Mall; a three-story edifice with state-of-the-art facilities, was part of a 5-Year Strategic Plan of the company and was solely financed 100 per cent at the total cost of N793m by the NNDC.

  • Advocacy group asks Lagos to increase budgets to health sector

    Lagos State government has been tasked on increased budgetary allocation to the health sector as well as full and timely release of allocated budget to the sector.

    This was said by the Executive Director, Child Health Advocacy Initiative (CHAI), Elizabeth Alonge during an Advocacy Visit  by NGOs in Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health at Scale ( PACFaH@Scale) Project in Lagos State to the Office of the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Professor Akin Abayomi

    Alonge who spoke on behalf of PACFaH@Scale Project in Lagos State, commended the State for achieving a feat in maternal and child health in  Nigeria as a state with the highest percentage (29%) of women using modern planning and the lowest percentage of children under 5 years (1.7%) in the country, among others.

    Her words “ Lagos State government is also exemplary in working closely with NGOs in the health sector and in making public statement about the continuing health challenges in the state. However in 2018, Lagos State allocated N92.5 Billion (9% of the total budget to the health sector) but released only N27.4 Billion which was 29.6% of the allocated sum” said Alonge.

    The group therefore requested for the following: Increased partnership funding for family planning and routine immunization; re introduction of health volunteer’ scheme;

    Increased budgetary allocation to the health sector, among others.

    Responding, the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi reiterated Governor Babajide Sanwoolu’s  commitment to the  health  sector. He said, “our Governor has made health issue his primary concern, he understands clearly that Primary Health Care System is the backbone of Lagos Health Scheme”.

    Professor Abayomi pointed out that despite the feat achieved by the state in the health sector, a whole lot still needs to be done in the area of adequate health delivery to the vulnerable in the state

  • 5, 000 Imo youths get Fintech training

    Imo State government has approved a mobile money/agent banking training on financial technology programme for 5,000 youths to tackle unemployment in the state.

    Disclosing this at the flag-off of the programme in Owerri, the state capital, the Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Okechukwu Umez-Eronini, said the initiative, which is the brainchild of the State Ministry of Technology Development in partnership with the Iwuanyanwu Foundation and E-Transact International Plc in collaboration with the State Ministry of Youth and Social Development is aimed at youth empowerment and skill acquisition.

    Umez-Eronini said that with it, the youths would develop a positive attitude towards being self-reliant and not dependent on white collar jobs which would help in improving their quality, standard and entrepreneurial skills.

    According to him, the innovation when fully implemented would create a crop of technologically and financially literate youths, empower them, eliminate high rate of crime and crime related activities in the state.

    He added that the programme would also bring financial services closer to the people of the state in their various localities and also enhance the GDP of the state and the IGR collection.

    Speaking on the initiative, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu founder/chairman, said, as an organisation established in 1988 which seeks ways and means of improving the quality and standard of life of the people, the Foundation had since incorporation played major role in fighting unemployment through the award of scholarship to gifted students as well as assisting students whose parents/families are unable to finance their education, in development of infrastructure and endowments.

    While commending the Governor Emeka Ihedioha for placing premium on welfare of youths, however, enjoined the people of the state to support his administration, which he said, was divinely installed for the liberation of the masses.

    Governor Ihedioha who was represented by the Deputy Governor Gerald Irona said that his determination to rebuild Imo project was anchored on security, human capital development, infrastructure and technological development.

    “We have set up a ministry that is technologically driven and ICT compliant to create jobs and to fight criminality in the state.”

    Also speaking, the Commissioner for Technology Development Nze Meekan Mgbenwelu said that the flag-off was indicative of the government’s acknowledged partnership for sustainable development, and which brings together public sector, private sector (E-Transact) and civil society.

  • I’m not perturbed by tribunal judgment, says Kalu

    The Chief Whip and senator representing Abia North Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, Dr. Orji Kalu has said that he is unfazed over the ruling of the National and State Assembly Electoral Petition Tribunal in the case between him and Senator Mao Ohjuabunwa.

    It may be recalled that a three-man tribunal panel led by Justice Cornelius Akintayo in a unanimous judgment read by Justice PC Igwe had on September 9, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct supplementary election in some units in Abia North.

    But Kalu while playing host to Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegation who visited him, urged his supporters in Abia North and Abia State at large not to panic.

    Kalu told the delegation led by the state chairman, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogah, that he would win repetitively if elections were conducted 20 times in the entire senatorial districts.

    The party leadership, however, stated that they would challenge the ruling at the Appeal Court even as they expressed their readiness to face the supplementary election to retain the Chief Whip of the 9th Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu.

    Nwankpa, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, also seized the occasion to announce the rejection of the Abia State nominee on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission,

    “There were flaws in the judgment Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’ case as declared by the tribunal. He has not been sacked.  The court has not asked that his certificate of return should be withdrawn. He remains the Chief Whip of the 9th Senate and all things being equal, nothing would change it. What happened was a temporary setback and a distraction to the APC in Abia.”

    Responding, Kalu explained that he would not lose sleep over the development, emphasising that he would win election anytime. “In Abia North, we are not losing sleep. In Nigeria, if we conduct election in Abia North twenty times, I will win,” the lawmaker insisted.