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Tag: protest

  • Protest over unpaid entitlement: NFF begs flying Eagles players

     

    The Nigeria football Federation (NFF) has resulted to begging with a view to quelling massive protest in Flying Eagles camp over unpaid allowances.

    The Flying Eagles who crashed out of  the FIFA Under 20 World cup in Poland on Monday following a 2-0 defeat in the hands of Senegal in the round of 16, flagged off protest, insisting on getting their allowances before leaving Poland.

    The stand of the boys is not unconnected with fears that when they return to the country the money due to them will enter “voicemail” or become a case of ‘come today come tomorrow’

    With the failure of officials in Poland to placate the boys General Secretary of the Federation Mohammed Sanusi placed a call to the team on Tuesday pleading for an end to what has now become a national embarrassment which reportedly has also hit the headlines of some foreign media that Nigerian players are bent on getting their money before going home.

    Sanusi we understand told the boys to end the protest promising that the needful will be done as soon as they return.

    “The boys should come back home and they will be paid. They should first come back home and not disgrace us., “he begged

    He further told the foreign-based players to make available to the team secretary their bank details as well as a letter of consent” he was quoted as saying by Scorenigeria

    The players are said to have revealed that they are owed $5,000 about (N1.5million) each for qualifying for the knock out stage as well as training allowance.

    The team original billed to have left Poland 3am on Tuesday for Nigeria forced FIFA to re-arrange their program which indicates that they may not be home till Thursday or there about if they eventually decide to end the protest.

    Protest has in recent times been used by players to get their entitlement from the Glass House who have equally been accused of constantly dragging the nation’s image to the gutters with shoddy plans over player’s payment.

  • Protest in SON over corruption, poor welfare, others

    •’Protesters disrespected ministry’s directive’

    There was a protest yesterday in the Abuja office of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on allegation of corruption, poor welfare and irregular promotion, among other things.

    The protest, which was organised by the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) grounded activities at the Federal Government agency.

    The Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of AUPCTRE, Comrade Aliyu Maradun, told reporters that SON’s Director General Osita Aboloma had allegedly been involved in multiple contract awards and contract splitting.

    “We are aware of people who were employed here and under six months, they were promoted more than five times. And there are people here who have spent 20 years stagnated.

    “Some people are on secondment and have refused to go, at the detriment of the people here who are supposed to occupy their positions,” he said.

    Aliyu demanded the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into the operations of the organisation, an improved workers’ welfare and the implementation of the directive of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on voluntarism.

    But the President of the SON branch of the Senior Staff Association of the Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Ayodele Folayan, dismissed the allegations of AUPCTRE.

    He described the protest as “uncalled for”. Folayan said there were efforts to resolve issues on workers’ welfare, adding that the protesters should return to the negotiating table for a solution.

    SON spokesman Bola Fashina said the protesters disrespected the directive of the Ministry of Labour and Employment on voluntarism and not SON.

    On promotion arrears, he said, budgetary allocation had been made while the amount provided had been approved in this year’s budget by the National Assembly.

    In his response to AUPCTRE allegations, Fashina said: “The Federal Ministry of Labour’s directive was to clarify jurisdictional scope of the two unions. SSASCGOC, for senior workers and AUCPTRE for junior workers SON obeyed the ministry.

    “SON is currently paying 20 per cent of workers’ total emoluments as conditions of service. A committee is already in place to harmonise the two versions presented to this management and the two unions have been invited to nominate representatives onto the committee.

    “There are two approved versions – 2012 and 2016. SON cannot choose one over the other. We need to review or harmonise with the union representatives before recommending to management.

    “No worker has been coerced or intimidated. Management only drew attention of staff to the letter from the Federal Ministry of Labour in a Circular

    “There was no illegal promotion; rather, there were advancement of workers to reflect qualification and requisite experience of the workers. This is normal in public service. A graduate of between 15 and 20 years wrongly offered appointment on CONRAISS 8 and advanced to CONRAISS 12 is an example.

    “The arrears of salary for workers employed in 2016 were 16 months. The Director General intervened and got the IPPIS and Office of the Accountant General to pay. The remaining two months will be paid by same source.

    “The workers were employed before the appointment of the present DG. The arrears were reported to the relevant authorities. It is awaiting payment by IPPIS anytime from now.

    “Secondment is an acceptable and legal practice in public service provided for in the Public Service Rules (PSR). The secondment to SON is within the PSR. None of the seconded staff is a non-Nigerian.

     

     

  • Protest rocks Alausa over Supreme Court judgment on Agidingbi

    Community leaders and residents of Agidingbi area of Ikeja yesterday embarked on a peaceful protest against the judgment of the Supreme Court, which awarded ownership of 398 acres of property in the community to a traditional land-owning family, Akinole-Oshiun.

    The possession order is said to cover a large section of the Lateef Jakande Road, Acme Road, Fagba Close and other streets around the area, totalling over 2000 buildings.

    The protesters, who marched from Agidingbi to the House of Assembly in Alausa, said the Akinole-Oshiun family, which is the judgment-creditor in the case, had already given them seven days ultimatum to vacate their houses.

    The demonstrators urged the government to  intervene to avert bloodshed.

    They carried placards which read:  “There is no ancestral link between Akinole and Agidingbi land”, “Land grabbers are enemies of Lagos State,” among others.

    The Leader of Ojodu Legislative Arm, Mr. Wasiu Bolaji-Seidu, who is also a community leader in Agidingbi, said the news of the possession order came to the community as a surprise, as nobody from the area was served with summons that led to the judgment.

    He said: “Last Friday, they (judgment-creditor) brought a judgment, placed it on our houses and said they have taken over the entire Agidingbi land. Nobody from Agidingbi was part of the case and I don’t know how you will enforce a judgment against a person that was never part of the case.

    “Agidingbi has been in existence for over 200 years ago. I was born and bred in Agidingbi; my forefathers were born and bred in Agidingbi and I don’t see any reason why somebody will just wake up and say they are the owner of the community.

    “I am over 50 years; my father lived for over 90 years in this community before he died; my great grandfather died at the age of 150 and I don’t know where Akinole is coming from. We have people like Abibatu Mogaji, who was the Yeye-Oba of Agidingbi. We have Femi Okunnu, who is our father in the community. We don’t know where Akinole came from.”

    Bolaji-Seidu urged the government to activate the provisions of the Anti-Land Grabbing Law of the state and prevent the matter from degenerating into a crisis.

    The Baale of Agidingbi, Chief Ganiyu Ayinde Haruna, said they were embarking on the peaceful protest to call the attention of the government to the crisis brewing in the community.

    An 83-year old resident, who is the Iyalode of Agidingbi, Evang. Dorcas Faworaja, said her great grandparents were born in the area, “therefore the claimant cannot just come from anywhere and lay claim to the community.”

    Receiving the protesters, Deputy Majority Leader Mr. Olumuyiwa Jimoh hailed them for conducting themselves peacefully.

    He said the House would look into the petition.

     

  • Youths protest Imo Polytechnic relocation

    Protesters from Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State yesterday barricaded the exit and entrance gates to the Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo to stop the planned relocation of the school by the government.

    Students and workers were trapped as they could neither enter nor leave the school premises while the protest lasted.

    The government recently upgraded the polytechnic to a university and subsequently got the approval of the National University Commission (NUC).

    Thereafter, the government ordered the polytechnic, now known as the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, be relocated to its new site at Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.

    The protesters, mainly youths, vowed to continue until the government rescinds the relocation plans.

    But the government has dismissed the protesters as a bunch of misinformed and misguided youths.

    A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, reads: “The attention of the Rescue Mission Government has been drawn to a misleading protest by few misinformed youths who claimed to be indigenes of Ohaji against the new University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Aboh/Ngor/Umuagwo.

    “It is unfortunate that some enemies of the state have decided to play politics with everything, including the development and progress of the state and her people, otherwise why would any group sponsor needless protest against the university, after its operational licence has been gotten and everything needed for its take-off put in place?

    “The government, few days ago, explained that, following the establishment of the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at the premises of the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, with campus at Aboh/Ngor, the polytechnic has been relocated to Ehime Mbano with a campus at the site of Ahiara Polytechnic, Ahiazu Mbaise.

    “The government’s interest has been the even development of all parts of the state. Indigenes who love the state and its development have been congratulating the governor for this feat.

    “It is therefore surprising that some youths should allow themselves to become tools of needless protest in the hands of those who have no love for the progress and prosperity of the state and its people.

    “Why should youths, in their right senses, protest the citing of a university in their area? Our people should always detach petty politics from the lofty ideal of developing the state and prospering the people.

    “The leaders of Ohaji should take the bull by the horn by correcting the impression this wrong move has created, especially when workers of the polytechnic have nothing to lose. We have also heard that the owners of the private hostels in the area, working with some soul-less politicians were behind the protesting youths. It is unfortunate that few individuals, because of their personal interest, could rise against the overall interest of the state and Ohaji people in particular.”

  • Ekiti PDP members protest Fayose’s ‘anti-party’ activities

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State deepened yesterday as card-carrying members protested against former Governor Ayodele Fayose for alleged anti-party activities.

    The protesters stormed Omuo Ekiti, the headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area, where party members from Ekiti South Senatorial District expressed anger over Fayose allegedly commanded voters to reject Senate Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi’s re-election bid.

    The protesters said such a comment was tantamount to anti-party activity.

    They noted that the former governor’s statement was the fallout of muscle-flexing between him and Olujimi over the leadership of the party in the state and the Southwest.

    Last Friday, Fayose spoke against Olujimi’s candidature on a local radio (People’s FM 104.1), requesting the electorate to vote for all PDP candidates with the exemption of Olujimi, the senator representing Ekiti South.

    Some party members believed this could work against the success of the party.

    Stakeholders in the party, last November, convened a meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, where they agreed that Olujimi should assume the party’s leadership position, being the highest-ranking PDP member in the state and the Southwest.

    The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Stop personalising PDP”, “PDP not your private estate”, “You have no power to give order to Ekiti South voters” and “Stop Your Anti-Party Activities”.

    Addressing the protesters, former Majority Leader of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Sule Longe, urged the National Chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, to call Fayose to order so that the party can record successes in the forthcoming elections.

    Longe said the party, at this crucial time, must unite to beat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming elections.

    He said: “Nobody can tell our people not to vote for Senator Olujimi because she has paid her dues. She did well as a representative of the people in the last four years.

    “We know the antics of former Governor Fayose. He wants to be the only one that will enjoy PDP, but this will not work. So, he should be warned by our leaders.

    “He should know that committed PDP members like us will not allow him to destroy our heritage, the PDP. After gaining prominence in the PDP, he wants to rock the boat. We appeal to our national leaders to intervene and let him know that the party is supreme.

    “We want Fayose to retract the statement and pledge loyalty to the PDP. He shouldn’t see himself as above the party. Our party is supreme to everybody.”

    A former Information Commissioner Israel Osadare said Olujimi played prominent role in making Fayose the governor in 2003 and 2014.

    He said: “It amounts to anti-party activity for former Governor Fayose to have gone on radio and said the people should reject Senator Olujimi in the coming election. For any PDP person to have made such a comment amounted to trying to destroy the platform that made him.

    “But we want to say that Fayose has no power to command Ekiti South voters because he is from the Central. We appeal to our people not to be misled by Fayose’s comment.

    “He has been governor twice, using the PDP platform but he now wants to destroy the party for selfish goals. This will not work, and nemesis shall soon catch up with him.

    “It was his domineering tendency that led to PDP’s losing Ekiti in the July 14 election… Our party would have done better, if he actually gave the party and its members free hands to operate.

    “Let our people be prepared hard to withstand the challenges ahead and win substantially in the elections coming up in the state next month.”

     

  • Protest rocks Anambra over bad roads

    The Recover Nigeria Project (RNP), in conjunction with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and National Union of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday shut the Enugu/Onitsha expressway to protest the incessant deaths due to bad road.

    The group leader, Comrade Osita Obi, who addressed reporters, said the group decided on the protest to let the government know the rate of deaths on the road.

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    He said: “This is just a small portion, which will not take 50 bags of cement, some stones and workers to fix, but it has remained like this for years, and many people have died on this spot. The governor uses this road, senators and top politicians from Anambra and beyond all use this road, yet they pretend not to see the rot on this spot.

    “Just yesterday, I was almost hit by an articulated vehicle here, and several accidents had happened here within the week. We cannot continue to fold our hands.”

    Obi called on the state and Federal governments to start work on the failed portion, saying failure to heed the plea would lead him and his group to return for a bigger protest.

  • Pensioners stage protest

    Nigeria Union of Pensioners ( NUP), staged a protest against nonpayment of their pensions for almost a year.  The placards  carrying protesters, mostly from the state civil service pension match through major streets of Makurdi.

    They sang solidarity songs calling on Governor Samuel Ortom to pay their pensions

    Some of the pensioners told The Nation that the protest was ongoing on in all the local government areas in the state to draw the attention  of government to the plight of the pensioners

    At press time the pensioners were matching towards Government House Makurdi in  their numbers.

  • Protest in Ondo community over alleged imposition of ‘non-indigene’ as monarch

    There was protest yesterday in Ikota, Ifedore local government area of Ondo State, over alleged selection of Babajide Akinloye as the new monarch of the town.

    His appointment was said to have been ratified by the Ondo State government in ‘clear violation’ of customs and chieftaincy law.

    The protesters, mainly youths armed with leaves and placards, alleged that Akinloye was not a native of Ikota.

    They maintained that his mother who hailed from the town was not a member of Akota ruling house and described his purported appointment as a violation of the Chiefs Edict 1984 on Ikota Chieftaincy Declaration.

    The Akota’s stool became vacant following the death of Oba Samuel Ajisafe who joined his ancestors in 2007.

    The protesters led by the president, Ikota Progressive Union (IPU), Chief Ebenezer Olorunfemi, the community’s women leader, Mrs Kikelomo Ajisafe, and Ikota youth leader, Akinsanmi Fadairo, lamented that the appointment of Akinloye, whose father is a member of Odopetu family in Akure, had caused anxiety among residents.

    They viewed government’s action as an affront to their tradition.

    The aggrieved protesters alleged the Speaker of the State Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, of influencing the imposition of Akinloye on Ikota’s people.

    The IPU president and the youth leader said Ifedore local government in a letter dated November 16, 2016 marked: ILG/879/Vol.II/167, and addressed to the state government, had confirmed that out of the two contestants to the Akota’s stool, Prince Adewolu Badejo is from male lineage to the throne.

    It noted that Akinloye is from the female lineage and under the chieftaincy law, only male lineage has a right to the obaship throne.

    The Regent of Ikota, Princess Adun Ajisafe, corroborated that Akinloye is not from the royal family.

    She, however, sued for calm as necessary government’s organs were working hard to redress the injustice the imposition might have caused.

    The protesters said: “The Chiefs Edict on Ikota Chieftaincy clearly exempts non-indigenes and non-male lineage of Arakale ruling house from the Akota’s stool.

    “Akinloye himself admitted he is not from Ikota; we don’t know why he is being sponsored to cause unrest and traditional crisis in our town. The entire Ikota people are fully behind Prince Badejo to become Akota and anything short of that, we will not allow an impostor to lead us.”

    They urged  Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to act on the local government recommendation and relevant chiefs laws to set aside the purported appointment of Akinloye.

    The speaker, Oleyelogun, who is from the neighbouring Isarun community and the APC leader in Ifedore local government, could not be reached for reactions as he was said to be attending a crucial meeting at press time.

     

  • Protest at U.S. Embassy over visa for Atiku

    Protesters, under the aegis of the Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria, yesterday stormed the United States (U.S.) Embassy in Abuja. They urged American government to deny former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar visa to the U.S.

    The group alleged that Atiku, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in next year’s presidential election, was allegedly involved in a bribery scandal for which Senator William Jefferson was tried and jailed for 13 years in 2009.

    The group’s convener, Wole Badmus, said: Granting his (Atiku’s) visa request will amount to a negation of the Patriot Act which makes the acceptance of foreign corruption proceeds a U.S. money laundering offence.

    “It also makes a mockery of the United Nations (UN) Convention Against Corruption enacted in 2003 in which the U.S. played an active role in its enactment and presently ratified by over 40 countries.

    “It is also against the spirit of investigative group dedicated to combating foreign corruption by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) formed in 2003 by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    “Finally granting such request makes a mess of a president Bush Presidential Proclamation 7750 denying U.S. visa to foreign officials involved with corruption, and other supporting legislations by the congress.”

    He noted that if the U.S. denied the former vice president its visa for 13 years and now grants it to him in the twilight of his presidential election, it will be tantamount to making a mockery of the UN convention against corruption.

    Badmus added that if the U.S. that is seen as a global seat of democracy, rule of law and transparency grants its visa to Atiku, the country would have aided him to score a cheap political goal.

    Although the US embassy in Abuja was on a public holiday yesterday following the burial of former President George Bush, Badmus read his letter addressed to the U.S. Ambassador, Stuart Symington before a surging crowd of protesters and the armed policemen on guard.

    The letter, titled: “The Imperatives of Rejecting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s Visa Request,” reads: “We write to officially and strongly advise the United States Embassy against granting this request as doing so has the capacity if portraying the great American state as being supportive of illicit transactions and gross abuse of public office for personal aggrandisement.

    “This is apart from the tacit and covert electoral gain such can confer him as the general correct perception in our country now is that an Atiku is being denied America Visa because of proven cases of money laundering and financial crimes against him.”

    The protesters were decked in orange T-shirts and fez caps, carrying different placards with inscriptions as “U.S., stay clear of Nigeria’s internal politics”; “No issuance of politically motivated visa to Atiku”; “Senator Jefferson was jailed, Lady Jennifer was jailed, Atiku must also be jailed in the U.S.”;  “Nigerians say no to America’s interference in the nation’s politics”; and “Go, Atiku Go to jail in America.”

  • Ogun communities protest bad roads

    Anti-government protests erupted yesterday at industrial areas of Atan, Agbara and Igbesa in Ogun State.

    Residents, small business operators and community leaders marched on the streets over the deplorable state of roads in their communities.

    The protesters, in their hundreds, said they could no longer live with the worsening roads, following alleged negligence by the state government.

    They also accused the state government of deliberately inflicting havoc on them and their socio-economic activities by abandoning the road repairs in the area.

    The angry protesters, who were at the Lusada junction of Agbara Road, also carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Let our tax deduction count, give us good roads”; “Osinbajo, save Agbara/Igbesa/Lusada”; “Bad road is aiding insecurity in our communities” and “No good roads, no massive votes in 2019.”

    The communities said they had been suffering untold hardship due to bad roads for nearly a decade.

    According to them, the last palliative measures on their access roads were carried out by the State Road Maintenance Agency (OGROMA) under Gbenga Daniel’s administration.

    The Otunba Amona of Igbesa, Chief Adewunmi Durojaiye, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, accused the state and Federal governments of insensitivity to their plight.

    The community leader threatened to ensure that there would no votes for the government, if the roads were not fixed soon.

    Durojaiye regretted that despite the fact that the areas generate about 85 per cent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the zone remained largely neglected in the provision of socio-economic infrastructure.

    The Igbesa chief alleged that industries in the area were relocating to Sagamu due to the bad condition of the roads.

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    He said: “This is a warning protest and we are here because of the deplorable condition of the roads. The state government is trying to relocate all the companies to somewhere in Sagamu.

    “This is a 15-kilometre road to Atan that the government cannot do. This government is deceitful. They came here in 2015 with caterpillars when the election was coming with a promise to build the roads, if they were re-elected. But as soon as they got our votes, they abandoned the project.

    “There are no good roads here, where they get the large chunk of their revenue. But they are constructing 10 lanes from Abeokuta to Sagamu. How do you explain that? It is unthinkable and unacceptable. Therefore, our clarion call to government is to fix our roads.”

    Also, the president of the youths, Comrade Jide Aina, threatened total shutdown of the roads, if the government fails to begin construction work on it in the next one month.