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Tag: Rotimi Abiru

  • Gridlock: Lagos Assembly calls for intensive traffic control by LASTMA

    Owing to perenial gridlock on Lagos roads, the State House of Assembly has urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) to intensify traffic control in the state.

    According to the Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the traffic situation in the state has become worrisome.

    The Speaker,  who raised the matter on the floor of the House during plenary yesterday, said it was the responsibility and duty of the state government to ensure free flow of traffic in the state.

    “This is one of the duties of LASTMA. We should call on LASTMA and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to order the leaders of LASTMA to ensure free flow of traffic in the state.

    “LASTMA officials should stop folding their arms, while motorists and okada riders do whatever they like on the roads. Any official that fails to perform his or her duty should be sanctioned. We need to take adequate steps on this,” he said.

    The Speaker also ordered the clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to write the family of the LASTMA official, Adeyemo Rotimi that was killed by an officer of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Joseph Oki in Iyana Ipaja area of the state in November 2018.

    He added that that the House Committee on Transport should pay a courtesy call on the family of the deceased.

    “Something must be done about the gridlock all the same. The LASTMA officials are paid salaries. We know that this is Yuletide period, but we must ensure that there is free flow of traffic in the state.

    “We will write the Governor to call on LASTMA and VIS to ensure free flow of traffic on all our roads in Lagos State while motorists should also obey traffic laws.

    “We sympathize with LASTMA for losing one of their personnel, and we want the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state to initiate a process of compensation for the family of the deceased,” he said.

    It will be recalled that a police inspector attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Ikeja allegedly shot dead an official with the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) while controlling traffic on Wednesday 28, November, 2018.

    Read Also: LASTMA officials as endangered species

    Sources said that the LASTMA official, named Adeyemo Rotimi, was shot dead at Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos.

    The LASTMA official was shot dead when he challenged the policeman, identified as Joseph Oki, for disobeying traffic rules.

    The victim, popularly known as ‘Baba Ibeji’, had stopped the police inspector who was driving a cream coloured Highlander jeep with registration number plate LSR 277 BJ to allow free flow of traffic.

    It was gathered that the LASTMA official reportedly scolded the policeman for flouting traffic rules.

    According to sources, the policeman, who felt insulted by Adeyemo’s warning, allegedly pulled a pistol and shot the LASTMA official in the eye, killing him on the spot.

    In his contribution to the matter, the Chief Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru (Shomolu 2) advised that residents of the state should behave themselves on the road.

    Abiru stated that the vehicles on the roads are not all owned by the government, adding that this is ember period and that there are more activities in Lagos.

    Also contributing, Hon. Bisi Yusuf (Alimosho 1)  said that the manhour lost on the road is much. “We should appeal to the state government to return the power of LASTMA because they cannot arrest traffic offenders now. The way LASTMA officials are killed on our roads is inhuman.

    “Just three weeks ago, a LASTMA official stopped a vehicle that was going on one way, then a police officer shot the LASTMA official at close range. The state government should give LASTMA power as it happens in others places. They have been subjected to serious humiliation,” he said.

    The Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade stated that it would be proper if the letter of condolence was handed over to the family of the deceased LASTMA official by the Chairman of the House Committee on Transport.

    He said that the FSARS officer, who shot the LASTMA officer should be sanctioned post humously. “We should demand on behalf of the LASTMA family that died that the police should compensate members of his family,” he said.

  • Lagos Assembly commends Buhari for honouring MKO Abiola

    To host Osinbajo, Naa’ba for 3rd anniversary

    Lawmakers at the Lagos State House of Assembly have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for honouring the  winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Elections, the late Chief MKO Abiola.

    Raising the issue as a matter of urgent public importance, Majority Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade said it was gratifying that President Buhari recognised Abiola as a hero of democracy with an award of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) reserved for presidents of the country.

    According to him, “President Buhari has crowned the agitations of the Lagos State House of Assembly over the years that the late Chief MKO Abiola should be recognized.

    “We are glad with what President Buhari did on June 4, 2018. The President did what the presidents that have ruled Nigeria since 1999 failed to do, so we are glad that our dreams have finally been realised,” he said.

    The Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa while supporting the issue on behalf of other members of the Assembly, stated that the House had always been canvassing the recognition of Chief MKO Abiola and other unsung heroes of democracy.

    Read Also: Lagos Assembly to review pension law

    He said that it was worthy of note to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for the action, adding that he never expected Buhari to make such move as a former military president, who later became civilian president.

    Obasa added that by recognising the winner of the June 12,1993 presidential election,  Buhari has advanced the nation’s national value and promoted her national unity.

    The Speaker then directed the Clerk of the House,  Mr. Azeez Sanni to write a letter to President Muhammad Buhari to commend him for the action.

    Moreover, the Chief Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru gave a report on the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which held in Abuja on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24, June,  2018.

    Abiru stated that most members of the Lagos State House of Assembly were at the convention and commended the leaders for its success.

    Obasa then directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to write letters of congratulation to all the leaders of the party, while he commended it’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The House then adjourned to Friday 29, June 2018 by 2:00pm, when it would be marking it’s third anniversary with the nation’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and former speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Umar Naa’ba as guests speakers.

  • Renovate police barracks, lawmaker charges FG

    Renovate police barracks, lawmaker charges FG

    DEPUTY Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, direct the appropriate authority to commence the renovation of all police barracks in the country, particularly those located in Lagos.

    Abiru stated this when he visited the site of a collapsed police block building at Pedro Police Barracks in Shomolu area of Lagos State.

    The lawmaker in whose constituency the barrack is located lamented the state of some of the buildings, saying, “The federal government must quickly renovate these buildings to forestall loss of lives and properties.”

    Abiru, who met with some of the occupants of the collapsed building, added, “From what I can see here, some of these buildings still look okay, while others are not. But it is very obvious that all these buildings lacked maintenance.

    “I have come here to sympathise with those affected. We thank God that no life was lost and for those that are occupants of the collapsed building, I can assure you that the state government will come in and assist in any way it can,” he assured.

    Earlier, one of the occupants of the collapsed building, Gbemileke Ayowole, told the lawmaker that they (all the occupants of the building) packed out of the building three days before it collapsed saying, “We have seen signs that it was going to collapse because it had cracked badly. We are appealing to the necessary authority to come to our rescue because many of us are now without roofs over our heads.”

  • Second Nyanya blast: ‘NSA should resign’

    Second Nyanya blast: ‘NSA should resign’

    Deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, has called for the immediate resignation of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

    Abiru gave this declaration while reacting to the second Nyanya bomb blast which claimed 19 lives with 60 injured last Thursday.

    The lawmaker said it is shameful that barely two to three weeks after the first Nyanya bomb blast, terrorists succeeded in carrying out another successful bombing in the same place.

    He said, “It only means in essence that there is no security at all in the country. One would have expected that Nyanya and all its surrounding should have been combed and measures taken around the area to forestall further occurrence. But unfortunately that has not been the case, and once again, the security operatives were caught napping.”

    Describing the incidence as very embarrassing, Abiru added, “That the nation whose largest chunk of yearly national budget is spent on defense and is still grappling with these security challenges is quite unfortunate. I think the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) should resign before President Jonathan follows suit.”

    Lamenting that the Presidency seems clueless on how to resolve the prevailing insecurity in the country, the lawmaker added it is becoming obvious that the PDP-led Federal Government does not have the solution to the nation’s woes.”

  • Lagos Assembly raises the alarm over FERMA taskforce

    Lagos Assembly raises the alarm over FERMA taskforce

    THE Lagos State House of Assembly has expressed concern over the presence and activities of some black uniformed individuals at the Lagos-Ibadan toll gate who identify themselves as Federal Task force under the Federal Road Management Agency (FERMA).

    The issue was raised at plenary under matter of urgent public importance by the Deputy Whip, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, who alleged that the operatives go to garages extorting money from motorists and also mounting roadblocks.

    Abiru said the intention of these men is suspicious more especially when both the Minister of Works and the Managing Director of FERMA have publicly disowned them.

    The lawmaker maintained that the activity of the group is a threat to law and order in the state as their activities pose a serious challenge to security.

    He therefore urged his colleagues to call on the state commissioner of Police to investigate the group.

    It would be recalled that the issue of this group and its training came up when the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, was invited to the House recently over security issues in the state.

    Although the Commissioner promised to investigate the matter and report back to the House, he has not done so until the latest development.

    In his contribution, the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Lola Akande said the activities of the group must be checked quickly to avoid the emergence of another Boko Haram because according to her, the activities of the Islamist fundamentalist sect started in a similar fashion.

     

  • ‘2014 budget’ll enhance development of Lagos’

    The deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru, has expressed hope that the 2014 budget, which was presented by the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, last Wednesday, will bring more development to the state.

    Abiru, however, maintained that the House of Assembly will ensure that a thorough job is done on the budget before its passage.

    The lawmaker added, “As legislators, we will focus on how the budget can maximally benefit the generality of our people and address the issues of poverty and deprivation. Therefore, we will do everything within our legislative powers to give this budget proposal the detailed attention it deserves for the benefit, prosperity, growth and development of Lagos State and Lagosians.”

    He emphasised that the House will ensure that the 2014 budget spreads opportunity to every street in Lagos. “We will work to ensure that the current school funding system will not fail our future generations; we will also ensure that our children are equipped to take up the high-wage, high-skill job the future promises or, better still, have a special focus on entrepreneurship so that our youths will create jobs rather than look for jobs.

    “We will ensure that the budget addresses the issue of gender empowerment; public debt management; the physically challenged in our society; investment in high quality infrastructure; fairer and stronger tax system; increase in pension allowances in line with inflation; capacity building; affordable housing; all encompassing quality health care system and advanced medical science.”

     

  • Lawmaker wants Taraba Assembly to commence impeachment process against Suntai

    Lawmaker wants Taraba Assembly to commence impeachment process against Suntai

    Deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru has urged the Taraba State House of Assembly to immediately commence the impeachment process of the ailing Governor of the state, Danbaba Suntai, saying “the governor is incapacitated and unfit to continue governing the state”.
    Speaking in a telephone chat yesterday , Abiru who is representing Shomolu 2 constituency in the Assembly, expressed surprise at the dissolution of the Taraba State cabinet by Suntai.
    According to the lawmaker, “this is a man that just returned after been hospitalized for about ten months and while people are still having doubts about his ability and fitness to continue as the governor of the state, the next thing he could think of is to dissolve a cabinet that has been running the affairs of the state since he became incapacitated.
    “Since he returned, he has not thought it wise to address the state;  he communicated to the House of Assembly through a letter, though, there is nothing wrong in writing a letter to the House of Assembly, but if he is truly fit to continue governing the state, I see no reason why by now he has not addressed the state.
    “These people in his absence were praying for his quick recovery so that he could come back and continue his job, but now that he has returned, he could not even address the state to say common ‘thank you’, that is very bad. So the state House of Assembly should immediately commence his impeachment process if he fails to address the state before the end of the week.
    “If they fail to do what is right, they should have it at the back of their minds that posterity will judge them. Also, his party the Peoples Democratic Party should come in and do what is right by allowing his deputy to take over, so that they won’t tarnish this democracy that took a lot of time to gain,” Abiru added.