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  • Unilag can make world’s best with adequate support – lawmaker

    A federal lawmaker, Mr. Oluwole Oke, says the University of Lagos can be among the best tertiary institutions in the world if supported with adequate funding and other developmental tools.

    Oke made the claim in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    The lawmaker recently led an eight-man Committee on Public Procurement of the House of Representatives to the institution on a fact-finding mission.

    “The University of Lagos needs a lot of funding that will propel it to world-class status.

    “The Federal Government should strive to do more in terms of investing hugely in this institution, given its position in the country and Africa, and the kind of projects it embarked upon.

    “The management of the university must have conducted a needs assessment before embarking on these projects, and it is our hope that at the completion of these projects, they will be put to fruitful utilisation.

    “Going by its expansion of programmes, population explosion, and research and development efforts, there is no way we can expect the government to do it all alone.

    He noted, however, “Unilag, as we all know, is a brand. So, it will not be out of place for corporate individuals, organisations, blue chip companies and other well-meaning Nigerians to join hands and support governments to fund education.”

    Oke said that although it was the primary responsibility of the government to fund education, it should not be left solely in its hands if the country should meet the 21st-century demands and accelerate national development.

    “There is no gainsaying that most facilities in schools will become moribund with time, it is necessary to ensure that funds are constantly made available to get them replaced when necessary,” he said.

    NAN reports that Oke had led the committee on a fact-finding mission to the institution following a face-off between its management members and the pro-chancellor, Dr. Wale Babalakin.

    The conflict began when the Registrar, Mr. Azeez Oladejo, issued queries to some members of the management of the institution, including the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon Bello, and his successor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

    Read More: Alleged rape: I didn’t know she was just 17, ex-UNILAG lecturer tells court

    Oladejo claimed that the queries, which had to with financial misappropriation and traveling without permission, among other issues, were given on the orders of the pro-chancellor.

    According to the lawmaker, the parties involved must find a way to work harmoniously for the progress of the foremost university.

    On enhancing the cordial relationship between vice-chancellors and pro-chancellors of universities, Oke said that the laws setting up the universities were clear on their respective roles.

    According to him, the parties must acknowledge and have respect for each other’s roles and avoid undue interferences.

    Meanwhile, the report on the fact-finding has since been released.

    The committee had carried out an investigation into allegations of gross statutory breaches including violation of Public Procurement Act, 2007, by the management and governing council of the university.

    The House committee had identified and written letters to several agencies and organisations – public and private – requesting for information and documents on the subject matter.

    This is in line with Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, as well as the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act.

    The committee also conducted various hearings to afford all parties the opportunity to present their positions and fair hearing accorded to all interests.

    The committee had visited Unilag to assess some projects, including the partial collapse of the new library being handled by one of the construction companies.

    At the conclusion of its investigation, the committee had said it found no infraction or breach of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, in award of contracts, particularly that of the university’s new library, a project awarded to Messrs Dutum Construction Ltd.

    The committee also reiterated that the vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Ogundipe, remained the Chief accounting officer of the institution in line with Section 20 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

    It also said that the vice-chancellor should continue to discharge his responsibilities as expected by law, while the governing council should stick to its supervisory role of policy formulation and fund generation for the institution.

    It advised the council not to meddle in the internal management of the university.

    The committee also said that it found no evidence that the pro-chancellor intended to assume the position of the chairman of the tender’s board.

    The committee stated that such an action would have contravened the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. (NAN)

  • Kaduna: PRP guber candidate disowns party, concedes defeat to El-Rufai

    The gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Redemption Party, (PRP) in the just concluded election in Kaduna State, Ahmed Tijani Umar has disowned his party and conceded defeat to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

    The PRP gubernatorial Candidate said, going to court to challenge the outcome of the poll is a waste of time.

    However, The Nation recalled that, PRP and its Kaduna Central Senatorial Candidate, Senator Shehu Sani had at different occasions rejected the outcome of both the National Assembly and governorship elections in Kaduna state.

    But, the PRP governorship candidate on Monday took a different turn, congratulating Governor El-Rufai of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over his emergence as winner in the election.

    Umar also urged other contestants to close ranks and accept the outcome of the poll in good faith.

    Umar who spoke with newsmen in Kaduna said, he has no reason for going to court challenge the outcome of the poll since contesting for gubernatorial position is not a do or die affair.

    According to him, “I enjoin others contestants from opposition parties to put hands together to support governor el-Rufai to realize the change we want in education, infrastructure, economy and among others, Umar urged.

    Read Also: El-Rufai reacts to accident rumour, says claims are false

    Reminding him that his decision contravenes that of his party which earlier vowed to challenge the outcome of the elections, Umar maintained that: “Everybody has his/her right to his own opinion. If God decides to say el-Rufai should continue, who am I to say no?

    “My stand is different from that of my party because I am the one contesting and am the one who employed, paid people that assisted in monitoring the governorship election across the 23 councils in the state. All my campaigns were financed alone by me, and not with the party.

    “The reason why it took me some time before breaking silence, was because, I sent about 25 thousand people out across the state to gather reports on the electoral process and I was only able to finish crosschecking their findings Monday.”

  • Police want me to implicate Saraki, says Offa robbery suspect

    One of the suspects in the April 5th, 2018 bloody bank robbery in Offa, Offa local government area of Kwara state, Ayoade Akinnibosun on Monday revealed that the police asked him to implicate Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Akinnibosun alongside two other suspects, Ibikunle Ogunleye (2nd accused person) and Adeola Abraham (3rd accused person) gave testimonies of how police extracted statements from them under duress at a Kwara state High Court, sitting in Ilorin.

    Other accused persons Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran were in court.

    The three accused persons also said that the principal suspect Michael Adikwu in the robbery incident was shot dead by one Inspector Vincent attached to the police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    The police high command had reportedly announced that Michael Adikwu slumped in their custody and was rushed to the hospital before he finally died.

    IRT which office in Abuja, is headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari Akinnibosun, who is the first accused person, Ogunleye and Abraham in the Offa robbery incident were examined and cross-examined by their counsel Mathias Emeribe and Prosecution counsel Razaq Gold in a trial within trial on how they were tortured and threatened by the police to make confessional statements.

    Prosecution witness Inspector Hitila Hassan had on Thursday told the court that the suspects voluntarily gave their statements under his supervision.

    Lead Prosecuting Counsel Prof Wahab Egbewole sought to tender the statements as exhibit but defence counsel Mathias Emeribe objected.

    Mr. Emeribe argued that the statements were not voluntarily taken, noting that they fell short of the provisions of the Evidence Act particularly sections 28 and 29.

    At Monday proceedings, Akinnibosun said “Abba Kyari told me to mention the name of Senate President Bukola Saraki that he gave me the guns for the operations. But I declined to do contending that my life is at stake.

    “He promised that they would reward me handsomely and set me free if I can indict Senator Saraki. When I disagreed they called some policemen to take me back to their cell. During this time my hands were tied to my legs in the back. Their children are in America and Europe you are allowing yourselves to be used as political thugs.”

    Read Also: Hearing of Offa robbery suspects adjourned for security reasons

    Akinnibosun added that he was the leader of Kwara South Liberation Movement mobilizing young jobless graduates for the Senator representing Kwara South district in the upper legislative chamber, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim.

    The essence is to secure government jobs for the boys, he said. Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Ibrahim gave graphic details of their horrifying experience allegedly in the police custody in Abuja.

    During one of their encounters at the police IRT ‘theatre room,’ they said in their presence Inspector Vincent allegedly shot dead five Fulani men.

    The trio added that it was in the same ‘theatre room that Inspector Vincent otherwise known as ‘Mr. Torture,’ allegedly shot dead Michael Adikwu for failing to indict them in the robbery incident.

    According to Ibikunle Ogunleye “they brought the late Adikwu to implicate us and he said he had not met any of us in his life that is why Mr. Torture shot him to death. “

    Presiding judge, Justice Halimat Salman adjourned the case to March 25th for continuation of trial within trial.

  • Polls: Don’t blame me for APC loss in Edo, says Airhiavbere

    A former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, General Charles Airhiavbere, has said that he should not be blamed for the party’s performance in the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Edo South senatorial district.

    General Airhiavbere who was reacting to his suspension from the ruling APC said he was not the only leader that lost his Ward during the elections.

    Airhiavbere said Governor Godwin Obaseki is part of the Ward.

    Describing his purported suspension as a nullity, Airhiavbere said the battle line for next year’s governorship election has been drawn.

    According to him, “There are procedures for doing that. Is it a coup plotting system? I’m a retired General, I am a leader and there should be some measure of respect. Am I the only person who lost his ward during the election? The governor is part of the ward, there are other leaders too and I am a member of the Presidential Campaign Council mandated with the security of votes during the election.

    “My only conclusion is that I have been identified ahead of the 2020 election. They shouldn’t heat up the polity, it is too early. If they already see me as a contestant, there is a procedure that they should go about it but that wouldn’t stop me from contesting.

    “The battle line has been drawn. I can’t be held responsible for the abysmal failure of the leadership. I wasn’t the DG of the campaign so why am I being singled out if not for the fact that I am already being identified. I contested against the governor in 2016 and I will contest again. President Buhari contested four times and he won. All these can’t stop me from contesting.”