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Tag: No going back

  • President says no going back on anti-graft battle

    There will be no slowing down on the anti-corruption battle, President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday.

    The President’s assurance ended insinuations in some quarters that he will change and will no longer work for the masses if given another mandate on February 16..

    Buhari promised not to change during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi, Benue State. He pledged to remain steadfast and focused.

    Listing his administration’s achievements in the past three and half years, the President said: “I assure you, I am not going to change. I am going to be consistent. I will remain steadfast. Anybody who abuses trust will be exposed and will be dispossessed.

    “I am convinced that you believe in what we are doing and that you stand to support us even further. When I came for your vote in 2015, I promised three fundamental issues based on our party manifesto –  security, economy and fighting corruption.

    “We will do roads, rail lines and provide electricity with monies recovered from looters,” he added

    He noted that the food security attained by the government under his watch had drastically reduced food importation.

    The President noted that many of those seeking white-collar jobs had embraced farming without regrets. He urged others to do the same.

    The President also urged the Benue people to vote for APC candidates.

    APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said that governors have the responsibility to ensure peace and security in their states, noting that security is not on the exclusive list.

    He also pointed out that peace and unity cannot be achieved from the barrel of guns.

    Oshiomhole said that a community is in danger if the leader is dishonest or lies, adding, “but with President Buhari, Nigeria is safe.”

    According to him, the APC candidate in the state, Emmanuel Jime, will do well to follow the footsteps of Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong in handling herders and farmers crisis, when elected.

    “We don’t want leaders that will blame others for their failures,” he said

    Stressing that President Buhari has done well by giving out bailouts to state governments, he said some governors diverted the money and refused to pay salaries and turned round to whip up sentiments.

    The former Edo State governor said: “I have come with a message of hope that with Jime as governor, salaries will be paid in Benue State as at when due.”

    He said that Nigeria had stopped importing rice, and the billions saved in importing expired rice from India and Malaysia, are now in the hands of local rice farmers.

    Oshiomhole pointed out that anybody supporting importation of food is anti-Benue since the state is “the food basket of the nation”.

    He also urged the people to reject any leader who will sell the nation’s assets.

    According to him, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will use the economy to favour his friends.

    To this end, he said Nigeria could not return to second hand.

    He said nobody had the right to bear firearms apart from the authorised security agencies.

    According to him, governors should also not be allowed to misuse police personnel in their states.

    The APC National Campaign Council Vice Chairman (North), Senator George Akume, recalled that President Buhari on assumption of office in 2015 made a covenant with the people to tackle three things, economy, security and corruption – which he has done very well.

    Many Nigerians, he noted, are now running away from lodging their money in banks because of the fear of Buhari.

    Said Akume: “Buhari is one of the few Nigerians not used to flamboyant lifestyle, pointing out that he had no oil well and personal aircraft.

    He said there was a governor in one of the North central states who is 100 times richer than President Buhari with wealth gathered within three and half years in government.

    Stressing that Buhari has managed the economy very well, Akume said that Buhari’s landmark project is impacting positively on the lives of the people.

    He said: “Mr President, you promised to provide infrastructure, that is why we call you Mr. Infrastructure, and it’s all over the country for people to see. You are a doer and not a talker. Your projects are measurable.”

    Confirming the people’s love for the President, Akume said that the Benue people had no problem with herdsmen while he was at the helm of affairs for eight years.

    He, therefore, urged the leaders not to hide their incompetence behind the crisis.

    Giving a verdict of how the voting will go in the state during the presidential election, Akume said that 70 per cent will go to President Buhari while Atiku will get 30 percent.

    He also urged the President to ignore any publication because they know how they were procured.

    Maintaining that there are local despots who do not respect court orders in the state, the former governor said that President Buhari respects the rule of law, especially by not interfering in the INEC and court judgement on APC governorship candidate in Zamfara State.

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong said his state initially was faced the type of crisis Benue was going through until he brought everyone together for dialogue.

    He also pointed out that some people hid under the guise of a crisis when the state was not paying salaries.

    Urging the people of Benue State to vote for Buhari and the governorship candidate of the APC, he assured that they will deliver 90 per cent in Plateau and 80 per cent in Benue.

    The Chairman of the Benue State chapter of the APC, Abba Yaro, assured that the state would vote President Buhari and the governorship candidate.

    The party’s flag was handed over to the APC governorship candidate and senatorial and House of Representatives candidates.

    The President raised the hands of Jime and other candidates at the ceremony.

    The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe and other top government officials attended the rally.

  • ‘ No going back on new minimum wage’

    The President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, has said the demand for a new minimum wage is a necessity due to economic policies introduced by the government, as well as market-driven forces.

    Josiah said this at a press conference recently in Abuja.

    He noted that under the present administration, the pump price of petroleum products had been increased, the currency devalued with consequential effect on workers and the citizenry, as well as unbearable electricity tariffs, which had led to rising cost of living.

    “Sadly too, we are yet to feel the effect of government’s promise to mitigate these hardships; even with the setting up of a palliative committee to fashion out mitigatory strategy, policies and programmes to cushion the vagaries of its policies,” he said.

  • No going back on direct primary, say Lagos APC elders

    • Ambode, Hamzat, Sanwo-Olu are aspirants
    •’We have no anointed candidate’

    THE Gubernatorial Advisory Committee (GAC) of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said there is no going back on the proposed direct primary for governorship aspirants.

    The party elders said the three aspirants-Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, former Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and former Works Commissioner Dr. Obafemi Hamzat-will struggle for the ticket at the shadow poll scheduled for Saturday.

    According to GAC, the direct primary will remove the fear of imposition and restore confidence in the democratic selection process. There will be no preferred or anointed candidate.

    The committee, which is made up of party elders and leaders from the three senatorial districts, said the decision on the direct primary is final, urging the contenders to brace for the exercise.

    Two members of the committee, Dr. Abayomi Finnih and Prof. Tunde Samuel, told our correspondent in Lagos that the direct primary reflected the opinion and wish of the generality of party members across the 20 local governments, adding that a level playing ground will be guaranteed by the party leadership.

    They emphasised that the resolution on the proposed direct primary was the collective decision of all members of the apex advisory body.

    Finnih, a medical doctor, promised that the direct primary will be free, fair, all-inclusive and democratic.

    He said: “The decision was taken in our meeting. We had a lengthy meeting presided over by our leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and we had some discussions about the on-going concerns about the aspiration for governor in Lagos State APC.

    “After due and lengthy deliberations, we came to the conclusion that we should follow democratic norm and open the field for those who are interested. Three people obtained forms, filled and submitted the nomination forms and they should be prepared to participate in the direct primary of September 29.

    “The decision was taken primarily to ensure that nobody is played out. Nobody is being adopted by anybody. Aspirants are free to go and contest in the direct primary. The party will guarantee a level playing field for aspirants. No special advantage will be conferred on anybody. A machinery has been set up by the GAC to ensure free and fair primary.”

    Noting that the decision on the direct primary is final, Finnih said the next governorship candidate will be elected during the shadow poll.

    He stressed: “The decision is final. We held our meeting last Thursday. We adjourned. We resumed last Saturday. We came to the conclusion that we must be consistent; that everybody who has obtained the form should be allowed to participate at the primary.

    “In a situation like this, you must continue to fall back on the population of party members. Our opinion reflects their opinion.”

    Asked whether the party would consider the imperative of the right of first refusal for the governor, he said democracy is about equality and not imposition.

    Samuel, a retired university teacher, said the chapter decided to organise a direct primary to clear the insinuation of periodic imposition and anointing of candidates.

    The former don however, said that after the primary, the onus is on the electorate to choose the next governor.

    Justifying the collective decision, he said: “Party supremacy is incontestable. Every time, they say Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is for imposition. This time around, we don’t want that insinuation. Party strategies can be reviewed, based on the reality on ground. The political kaleidoscope is changing.”

    Samuel added: “We cannot claim to be democratic by imposing any candidate. As democrats, we should follow democratic norms and provide a level playing field. We don’t want to be seen to have adopted a candidate or have a preferred candidate.”

    On whether the Lagos APC has the logistics to ensure a hitch-free direct primary, Samuel said: “There is a committee in place to ensure a hitch-free primary. Anything that put the credibility of party in jeopardy will not be tolerated.”

    Samuel said there will be no post-primary crisis, adding that, if it occurs, Lagos APC has rational thinkers and philosophical kings who will resolve it.

    He said: “Politics is not for the lilly-livered. APC is blessed with rational thinkers and philosophical kings. We are not afraid of crisis management. We will always ensure justice and fairplay.

    “The opinion we gave is representative of all the members of GAC. Before taking decisions, the chairman of GAC usually consult and ask for opinions. That is institutional leadership style that is guided by situational logic everytime.”

  • Obiano: no going back on Okada ban

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has reiterated that there is no going back on the ban on motorcycle operations in Awka and Onitsha.

    Reactions have trailed the ban which came after the May 22 executive council meeting, with the clergy, market leaders and other stakeholders calling to Obiano to reconsider the decision because of its consequences.

    Obiano spoke at the weekend during the 2018 Annual Seminar of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council in Awka.

    The governor, who explained that the ban would be for commercial motorcyclists in Onitsha, Awka and neighbouring towns, said the government was making alternative arrangements to provide more shuttle buses to cover as many routes as possible.

    He urged transporters to take advantage of the opportunity and invest in deploying shuttles and tricycles to complement government’s efforts.

    Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council and Traditional ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, said the monarchs had a role to hold their communities in the line of development, peace and security, to make governance less cumbersome for the government.

     

  • Ortom: no going back on anti-grazing law

    • Says Benue lost properties worth N400bn

    Benue State has lost properties worth over N400billion since the attacks by herdsmen started, Governor Samuel Ortom has stated.

    Speaking yesterday on Radio Link, a radio Nigeria audience participatory programme where he interacted with Nigerians on the achievements and challenges of his administration in the past three years, Ortom noted that the estimate was arrived at following preliminary report of assessment of damages caused by the crisis.

    He declared that the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state has come to stay, noting that he has no regret whatsoever on its implementation.

    Declaring the law as the will of the people, the governor said: “I have no regret. Why should I have any regret doing the will of my people?

    “They trusted me and gave me their votes and I will not betray what they want. I am doing what they want and I have no regret.”

    He commended his colleagues from Taraba and Abia states for keying into the ranching law, saying it was the right way to go.

    He also called on Nigerians with better alternatives to bring them on the table to find a lasting solution to farmers and herdsmen crisis in the country.

    The governor challenged the Defence Minister, Dan-Masur Ali, to tell Nigerians why there are killings in Zamfara and Kaduna, among others, where there is no anti-open grazing law.

    “The Benue Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law originated from the people and no one will intimidate us to repeal it.

    “What the Defence Minister is doing is encouraging anarchy and I am waiting for him to come out and apologise to Nigerians and Benue State in particular concerning his recent outburst against our law.

    “Killings are going on in his home state, Zamfara, Kaduna and other states where there is no prohibition of open grazing. What can he say is responsible for those killings?” Ortom said.

    He lamented he came in with a clear vision to industrialise the state but the herdsmen crisis had taken a toll on his administration with 18 local governments currently under siege out of 23.

    He, however, noted that partnership with development partners, donor agencies among others through payment of counterpart funds had yielded great results for the state, adding that the result would have been wonderful with guaranteed security.

    Ortom also stated that arrangements were being made to pay arrears of salaries and pensions to workers at state and local government levels whom he said were being owed for seven and ten months respectively.

     

  • ‘No going back on Olamilekan’s governorship aspiration in Ogun’

    Against speculation in some political circles that the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Adeola Olamilekan, has jettisoned his aspiration to run for the seat of governor in Ogun State in 2019, chairman of Sagamu Local Government Yayi Movement and member of the apex body of Yayi Movement in Ogun State, Alhaji Afolabi Dauda Olokun, has said there is no truth in the rumour.

    The rumour has been rife that Senator Olamilekan has decided to dump his governorship aspiration in Ogun State for 2019, preferring instead to go for a second term as senator from Lagos West because of the opposition of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to his ambition.

    Olokun who spoke with our correspondent in Lagos yesterday said there is no truth whatsoever in the speculation, as there is no going back for Senator Olamilekan, popular called Yayi, on the Ogun State governorship project.

    According to him, “he has not dumped the idea of coming to Ogun State to contest for the governorship seat. He has been on the mission for Ogun State project for the past three years and he has sensitised everybody on it to the level that we are very sure that come 2019 he will become the governor of Ogun State.”

    Debunking the rumour that Yayi has decided to run for a second term in Lagos West Senatorial District instead of the governorship seat, Olokun said emphatically, “he is not coming back to Lagos, he has done enough in Lagos and he has now decided he would come to Ogun State to help his people.”

    While confirming that Governor Ibikunle Amosun is against Yayi’s ambition, Olokun said it is not new as the governor did it before when Yayi wanted to contest for the Ogun West senatorial seat, but that what God has destined to be, will be.

     

  • Ambode: No going back on making waterways safer

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday said his administration will not waver in making water transportation and tourism safer.

    He spoke at the annual Lagos Boat Regatta at the Lagoon Waterfront in Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi.

    Government, he said, would continue to make further investments and partnerships in the channelisation of the water routes, as well as provision of more standard jetties and ferries.

    Represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, Ambode noted that the last boat regatta organised simultaneously in four locations to mark the Lagos at 50 last year, was a success and has brought the treasure of the waterways to the fore.

    According to him, “We have made a modest investment in a few luxury boats that are meant to target tourism promotion. The Lagos lagoon boasts of perhaps the busiest water route in West Africa. There is a vibrant boat club with members’ boat collection that is astonishing; there is a growing interest in surfing and our waterways are acknowledged as one of the best for scuba diving in the world.

    “This is why our determination will not waver in making our waterways cleaner and safer with further investments and partnerships in the channelisation of the water routes, in the provision of more standard jetties and ferries.” he said.

    The event featured traditional Boat Regatta parade and display competition by 20 qualified boats from Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe and Lagos Island, out of which five boats were eventually selected, while Agbowa Ikosi emerged overall winner.

    It also featured search and rescue demonstration, water safety tips, entertainment boat parade and cultural performances.

    Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Steve Ayorinde said the event was a cultural and entertainment funfair meant to showcase part of the state’s rich aquatic cultural asset.

    Ayorinde explained that what had been displayed was a festival that is common to the traditional coastline communities.

    Lagos State Water Authority (LASWA) General Manager Daramola Emmanuel said the state government was serious about promoting water transportation as an alternative to other means of transportation.

    He advised participants to wear life jackets and avoid drinking before driving.

    Dignitaries who graced the event included members of the Lagos State Executive Council; former Deputy Governors – Femi Pedro and Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu; Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu; former Secretary to the State Government, Princess Adeniran Ogunsanya; Senators Muniru Muse, Musiliu Obanikoro, among others.

  • ‘No going back on zoning in Niger PDP’

    Niger State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reiterated its commitment to zoning, saying that it is the strength of the chapter.

    It said it will zone the governorship slot to Niger North (Zone C), urging other zones to show understanding.

    The leader of the Niger North Senatorial District, Alhaji Yahaya Ability, spoke in Minna, the state capital, on the rotational policy.

    He noted that chieftains from  Zone A are warming up for the primary, adding that they can only contest after Zone C has completed eight years.

    He said zoning to Zone C was done to ensure fairness, justice, stability  and peaceful co-existence in the state.

    Ability added: “ Zoning was created by the PDP to ensure  justice, and fairness. It was copied from  the national leadership, which first adopted it before other parties started to copy it.”

    The party leader urged  other political parties in the state to maintain zoning so that unity and peace can reign.

    He said any aspirant from other zone, apart from Zone C, is on his own.

    Ability stressed: “Niger South benefited for eight years under the lateAbdulkadir Kure. It later shifted to Niger East, which also benefited under Dr. Babangida Aliyu. It shifted to Niger North and the PDP lost the election contested by Alhaji Umar Mohammed Nasko. But, the party will still sustain zoning.”

    The deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), also endorsed zoning, saying it is a formula for equity.

    He told reporters in  in Minna that ambitious politicians from other zones should wait till 2023.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • No going back on N5,000 monthly stipend — APC

    No going back on N5,000 monthly stipend — APC

    •Ruling party: Buhari has saved N1.4tr in four months

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that it will not renege on its campaign promise to pay N5,000 to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians every month.

    It called on well-meaning Nigerians to ignore the mischievous attempt by the PDP to confuse and mislead them on the issue.

    In a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday, the party said even though the PDP-led Federal Government plundered the common wealth in its time, APC has devised creative means not only to pay the money but also to fulfill its other campaign promises to Nigerians.

    It said the non-implementation of the payment policy so far is due to the fact that it was not included in the 2015 budget, which was prepared by the PDP-led Jonathan administration, and also because of the need to first block all financial leakages.

    The party said: ”Now, the Buhari administration has been busy putting into place measures that will make it possible to start the implementation of this project. Such measures include the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA)

    ”We are happy to inform Nigerians that as at the end of September 2015, over N1.4 trillion, which hitherto was lying unproductively in various commercial banks, has been recovered and paid into the TSA.”

    The party said that in its usual jumpy and superficial approach to issues, the opposition has already rushed to judgment on the issue without bothering to hear from the APC, which made the promise in the first instance.

    ”Had the PDP not sacrificed the truth on the altar of political expediency, it would have realised that the APC never at any time indicated it has reneged on its promise to pay N5,000 monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians.

    In our press statement of August 30, 2015, we still reiterated our plan to redeem our campaign promises, including the social security payment policy, despite the primitive looting of the treasury under the watch of the PDP.

    ”It is therefore astonishing that the same PDP, which is becoming more and more infamous for its penchant for peddling half truths and sensationalizing every issue, will rush to the press to celebrate the figment of its imagination that the APC will not fulfill its campaign promise regarding the payment,” it said.

    The APC said the Buhari administration is also embarking on a massive infrastructure renewal programme in the areas of roads, rail and power, for which a 2.5-billion-dollar Infrastructure Fund is being put in place.

    “Contrary to the disinformation being peddled by the PDP, the Buhari administration is poised to lift millions of Nigerians out of extreme poverty by providing social protection and safety nets with another N2.5 trillion Special Intervention Fund,” the party said.

  • No going back on Sept. 1 speed limiter deadline, says FRSC

    No going back on Sept. 1 speed limiter deadline, says FRSC

    Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi has said there is no going back on the September 1 deadline on the speed limiter for commercial vehicles.

    The enforcement will be nationwide. Opeyemi spoke at the opening of the maiden edition of the four-day training organised by the Corps.

    The yearly event was for members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) chapter of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG). It took place at White Sand, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, trailer park.

    Oyeyemi said:“With the use of this device, especially by commercial vehicles, speed-related accidents are expected to be reduced to the barest,” oyeyemi said.

    Similar training with the theme: “Drivers certification for safety on wheels,” was held at trailer parks at Ogere, Ogun State, Eiye-Nkorin, Kwara State and Suleja and Taffa, in Niger State.

    The training also held at Mararaba in Jos, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Lukpanta, Warri, Oghara and Benin.

    He said efforts by the PTD to promote safety consciousness among its members, especially given the unenviable accident-prone status of most tankers and trailers on the roads.

    “The training, which would focus on specialised knowledge for drivers to ensure they comply with international best practices, would complement the intensive patrol, and strict enforcement of traffic regulations as well as robust public enlightenment programme being pursued by the Corps to bring the situation under control,” Oyeyemi said.

    Oyeyemi said it would go a long way in erasing the uneviable statistics, which indicate that over 120 lives were lost and several people injured between March and July, in crashes involving tankers and trailers.

    He said the record also showed that tankers/trailers accounted for over 22 percent of the vehicles involved in crashes since 2012. A sizeable percentage of victims, he said, fall within the productive age bracket of the national population. The development negatively affects the nation’s economic growth.

    Soliciting for continued support to make the roads safer, he said the FRSC was committed to attaining 50 per cent reduction in road crashes and fatalities by end of the year as contained in the Accra Declaration of 2007, and the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

    He advised truck drivers to fix retro-reflective tapes on their vehicle, ensure the vehicles are fitted with good brakes and tyres before setting out on  journey. He noted that the corps would no longer allow rickety vehicles on the highways and underage drivers (below 27 years), or anyone without a valid drivers’ licence, to drive.

    The PTD National Chairman, Comrade Salmon Oladiti, said the training became imperative because of the increasing involvement of tankers in accidents with attendant loss of lives and properties.

    He praised the FRSC for providing technical support for the training, adding that the training was another demonstration of PTD leadership and members commitment to quality services.

    The training, he said, will be regular and hold at locations where tanker drivers meet, socialise and rest. It will be carried out and certified by the institution responsible for safety on the highways and address the three major components of tanker driving —“skill, health and ethics.”

    He urged tanker drivers to cooperate to make the road safer for other road users.

    Oladiti appealed to Major Oil and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Private Petroleum Depot Owners of Nigeria (PPDON) to support the training and retraining of tanker drivers to make the roads safer.

    NUPENG President Igwe Achese said the training would enable the corps and stakeholders ensure, henceforth, an improvement in the driving culture of tanker drivers.

    “The training centred on safe driving and vehicle maintenance and the development is expected to reduce carnage on our roads,” Achese said.

    He urged drivers to always embark on defensive driving when on the wheels and to be ambassadors of safety of lives and property.

    He said: “Any driver that drives and arrives at destination is a good driver.” He urged them to ensure they possessed a valid drivers’ licence to be free from harassment.

    “We are very happy with the resolution of the union that any tanker without speed limiter device will not be allowed to load at any depot in the country.