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Tag: vote

  • Why Ondo ‘ll not vote PDP, by Abraham

    Why Ondo ‘ll not vote PDP, by Abraham

    Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Dr. Segun Abraham spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU in Lagos on his ambition, his plans for the state, chances at the primary and preparations for the poll.

    When are you paying for your Expression of Interest/Nomination Form?

    The party has asked the aspirants to pay a N2 million development levy each to support the party. But, last week, I also obtained my nomination form.

    What is the development levy about? Is the party broke?

    It is not about the party being broke. As a responsible party chieftain, I owe it a duty to support the party to be able to carry out its activities. I am at the forefront of giving financial assistance to the party to carry out its assignments. I have always generously given financial assistance to the party at the ward, local government and state levels. I have not relented in doing it. In 2012, I was a governorship aspirant in the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    Apart from spending enormous resources on mobilisation for the election, I continued to support the candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, after I was asked to step down for him. I am a disciplined member of the party. I have been in the party since the beginning and all through, unlike those who defected to the party from other parties. After he emerged as the candidate, I donated all my 24 buses to his campaign and my efforts contributed to the votes he garnered during the election. So, we owe it a duty to the party to always support it financially to make the party more formidable.

    How are you faring in the race?

    I am faring better in the race. I am waxing stronger on daily basis, gaining acceptance in every district, constituency, local government and ward. My intention is not to enter politics to make money, but to contribute my quota to the development of the state through diligent service. Ondo State is agonising. Our people are suffering, despite the abundant of resources available in the state. The state government is owing five month arrears of salaries to workers. We have no reason to be poor in Ondo State. Our state should not be depending on the Federal Government’s allocation for survival. At this crucial time, our state needs a governor who understands the economy, a leader who can tackle the economic challenges and reposition the state, create employment and wealth and bridge the loopholes. We need a governor who can channel the resources of the state to its development in a proper manner, a leader who can attract investment and judiciously use the resources of the state for its development in a proper manner.

    I am on the field appealing to delegates with a message of home and assurance. They know me and they trust me. I have a solid structure across the local governments. People know that I am not in the race to corner the resources of the state. Everywhere I go, and my name is mentioned, they say that Abraham’s blessing has come.  I have been receiving the endorsement of the various groups and associations.

    Could you shed light on the position of the Akoko APC leaders on rotation or zoning?

    In Ondo North Senatorial District, there are two axis-Owo/Ose and Akoko. Owo has produced a governor, the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin. The apex Akoko Elders Forum has endorsed my candidature. The assembly is influential in Akokoland. It was the forum that insisted that Adefarati should be supported for the governor. It was the forum that advised Boroffice to contest against Olajumoke on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) to defeat the PDP. The forum has now zoned the governor to Akoko North. In its belief, the South has produced a governor and senator before. the North has not produce any governor and senator. The endorsement was unanimous. Out of 24 members, 19 people participated in the endorsement. Two were absent because they were indisposed. One of them had a flat tyre on his way to the meeting. There was no dissenting voice. They did it based on equity, justice and fairness.

    How can crisis be averted during the APC governorship primary?

    Some of the guidelines are out now. The aspirants know themselves. The leadership of our party has assured that there will be no imposition of candidate; that we will have a credible and transparent primary. We are warming up. The aspirants are also meeting. Our party will promote fairness, justice and equity. The aspirants will know their fate when delegates vote at the primary. There will be no crisis because our party is a party of decency, justice, equity and fair play.

    What is this rumour about the endorsement of a particular candidate all about?

    It is a tissue of lies. Our national and zonal leaders have not endorsed any candidate. People are peddling rumours, telling lies and fabricating all sorts of things. Instead of going to the field to sell himself, a particular candidate has been going round deceiving the people and himself about an imaginary endorsement by our leaders. It is not true. That is their trademark. They are panicking. They are afraid because of the tough challenges ahead.

    But, is consensus candidacy feasible?

    That will be decided by the people. If the people say they want a particular candidate, we will have no problem with that. But, the party will not force or impose any candidate on the people.

  • Detectives probe N60b vote for Senators, Reps

    Detectives probe N60b vote for Senators, Reps

    EFCC asks National Assembly to state why Omisore got N2.5b

    Detectives have recovered a sensitive document from Otunba Iyiola Omisore’s Abuja home.

    The document shows how N60billion was voted for extraneous overhead expenses for some senators and members of the House of Representatives in the Sixth Assembly, according to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) sources.

    Omisore, former deputy governor of Osun State, was the chairman of the Senate Appropriation Committee between 2007 and 2011.

    The anti- graft agency is probing  the document to identify the senators and members of the House of Representatives who got the largesse.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said when detectives went to search the Abuja home of the ex-deputy governor, they stumbled on the “budget padding” document in his bedroom.

    The source said a sober Omisore joined issues with the EFCC operatives, asking why they were interested in the document.

    The source said: “In the course of searching Omisore’s residence at 1, Kainji Crescent in Maitama, Abuja, we stumbled on a document on budget padding worth about N60billion for some Senators and House of Representatives.

    “Immediately we picked the document, Omisore was a bit concerned. He asked our operatives to limit their investigation to only the N1.310billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) but we insisted that we are interested in the document.

    “It contained a list of budget padding of about N60billion and how it was spread for some Senators and members of the House of Representatives from 2007 and 2011.

    “A crack team is already looking into the details of the padding of the budget and the affected Senators and Representatives.

    “Certainly, as a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, we expect him to speak on the document.

    “The fact that Omisore proved difficult before we arrested him has actually paid off for EFCC. His stubbornness has assisted in opening new investigation frontiers. If he had honoured our invitation as a gentleman, we might not have been able to get these new areas of investigation.”

    To get to the root of the matter,  the EFCC has written to the management of the National Assembly to explain why it paid N2.5billion to Omisore.

    The letter followed the discovery of the strange remittance in Omisore’s account by the management when he was a serving senator.

    But the management, in a response to the EFCC signed by a top official, said Omisore was not awarded any contract or engaged for any service to have warranted such a payment.

    In a follow-up letter, the anti-graft agency mandated the management to be more “forthcoming on what the N2.5billion was meant for to have earned remittance into the account of the ex-deputy governor”.

    The NASS bureaucracy has up till the end of this week to clarify the “purpose of such a huge payment” to an individual.

    There were indications that the commission may quiz two former National Assembly and Senate Clarks as well as and some management members of staff in the Finance Department, including directors.

    According to EFCC findings, the strange payment of N2.5billion was discovered during the screening of Omisore’s transactions in the course of investigating a N1.310billion  illegally allocated to Omisore and three companies by the ONSA.

    The source added: “We were able to detect that the sum in question was transferred from the Skye Bank account of the National Assembly to Omisore’s account.

    “We got a letter from the management that Omisore did not at any time execute any contract for the National Assembly or offer any service to be able to earn such a payment.

    “We have written another letter to the management to explain why the money was paid to Omisore. We want those in the relevant desk behind the payment to guide the EFCC accordingly.

    “We are expecting a detailed response from the management of the National Assembly, including vouchers for the payment and authorisation. Once we get their response, we will invite those connected with it.

    The source explained: “This was why we secured a court warrant to detain Omisore to get to the roots of this latest payment.”

    After about three months of hide and seek, the EFCC arrested Omisore in Abuja for alleged N1.310billion ONSA slush funds traced to him  and three companies.

    According to a report by the EFCC, the funds were  remitted as follows: Fimex Gilt Limited (N160m)-8/8/2014in UBA; Metropolitan Consortium (N350m)—9/7/14 in First Bank; Sawanara (N300m)—1/8/14 in First Bank and Metropolitan Consortium (N350m)-1/8/14 in First Bank.

  • We didn’t share from Edo security vote, say police

    Edo State Commissioner of Police Mr Chris Ezike has debunked the claim by the factional People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, that the state command receives N5 million out of N500 million the state government got as security vote monthly.

    At a meeting with reporters at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Forum  in Benin City, Ize-Iyamu said an unnamed Commissioner of Police confided in him that the state command receives N5 million naira as security vote.

    Refuting the claim, Ezike, who spoke with reporters yesterday said the police is not partisan and would not stoop to the level portrayed by the candidate.

    He added that the police would not like to dabble into such a political matter.

  • Edo won’t vote for candidate with court case, says Oshiomhole

    Edo won’t vote for candidate with court case, says Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has advised the people to reject any candidate who has a case with the anti-graft body during the election..

    Receiving members of the Catholic Women Organisation, Benin Diocese, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City, the state capital, Oshiomhole said: “ Politics is now a business where even evil doers will call themselves pastors. And once they say you are a pastor, the unsuspecting person will think this must be a man of God. Yet, he is a man of evil.

    “Now, it will require you as mothers to try to enlighten women to look critically at the pedigree of people who are seeking votes, because a he-goat is never going to be able to deliver a baby no matter how fat it seems to look. And a lizard will only give birth to another lizard.”

    The governor added: “As we speak, more candidates are emerging. It is very interesting to see some political parties nominating people who have confessed to stealing public funds, who went to the bank to collect seven hundred million naira that was meant for defence;  to protect Christians who were being killed by Boko Haram. Money that was meant to protect them was stolen by these people. At least, they confessed to seven hundred.

    “There are many more they collected under the table, but this one, God caught them because they collected it from the bank, and they couldn’t deny it because the bank documents are there. Even people like that are offering themselves for election. They were not in government; they were stealing government money, when they take charge of the treasury what will be left?”

    Oshiomhole urged the women to educate the people to vote wisely in the interest of democracy.

    He said: “We need massive education. As mothers, nobody has a greater stake in the future of our state than yourselves because, if the state grows and prospers and government is properly run, you will benefit and the children will benefit. If the government is mismanaged, again if the children are hungry, it is the mother they will descend on.”

    He added:, “So, we will solicit your support, obviously we need it now for the next election because they say success without a worthy successor is a failure, because it is easier to destroy a house than to build it. Anybody can destroy, but it is not everybody that can build. And unfortunately, when electioneering starts because of the level of poverty in our country, even thieves will masquerade as angels, and they will be smooth talkers, and can confuse people.”

    The President of Catholic Women Organisation, Lady Gloria Ngozi Anaedo, the group was in the Government House to express appreciation to Oshiomhole for his unparalleled infrastructural development. She congratulated the governor for the the success of the party primary that produced Godwin Obaseki as the flag bearer of the ruling party.

    She said: “On behalf of Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Benin Arch Diocese, we have come to appreciate you for the work you have been doing in Edo State. We have been watching with keen interest as the year is passing by, and we are proud. You know, we women, when I child is doing well, we are always happy.

    “So, we have come specially to tell you thank you, our Comrade Governor, that you have never let us down, mostly the catholic family. We have searched through and we have to confirm to you to tell you that you have done well. And really, you have done well because what you have done in Edo State is not a paper work. It is something you go, you see. The health care is there. The road network, in fact, we quite appreciate you.

    “We cannot mention them because they are so many. So are very proud of you. In education, you have attained more than one hundred percent, and so many areas. So, we the catholic women, we deem it fit to come and say, well done, our comrade Governor. You have done what has not been thought of anybody in Edo State, and God will continue to guide and protect you.”

    Anaedo added: “We also have to tell you that we are solidly behind you. Any time any day, we, the Catholic women, are solidly behind you. Any time you call on us for anything, don’t be afraid, we will come out to help you to do whatever you send us to do.”

  • ASUP decries education’s vote

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on the Federal Government to address what it termed “defective posture” of the 2016 budget for being against the education sector in general and the polytechnic sub-sector in particular.

    In a communiqué at the end of the 83rd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUP held at Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia, the union decried the delay in passing the bill for the amendment of the Polytechnics Act and the non-implementation of the report of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) Assessment of polytechnics.

    ASUP President, Usman Dutse, in a statement, noted the recurrent delay in payment of staff salaries, especially in state-owned polytechnics and monotechnics.

    The union described as worrisome the delay in promotions and payment of benefits by the management of some polytechnics/mono-technics and the continued dichotomy between polytechnics and university graduates in the country.

    “NEC strongly called on the Federal Government to address the defects in the 2016 budget, especially as it affects the education sector in general and the polytechnic sector in particular, and revert the cut in personnel cost within three weeks of this communiqué in order to avert any industrial disharmony that may follow.

    “NEC passionately called on the National Assembly to, without delay, pass the bill for the amendment of the Polytechnic Act to reflect contemporary realities. NEC frowned at the perennial inhuman delay in the payment of staff salaries in the polytechnic sector and strongly urged the concerned government agencies to take immediate steps to pay all arrears of salary without further delay,” Dutse said.

    ASUP president said the union viewed with contempt the unwholesome meddling of some polytechnic management in the affairs of the union through victimisation of active members in the chapters. He urged the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and College of Technology (COHEADs) to call their members to order to forestall truncating the already fragile academic peace on campuses.

  • ‘Abia North prepared to vote APGA again’

    ‘Abia North prepared to vote APGA again’

    Chief David Onuoha-Bourdex is the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for Abia North Senatorial election. In this interview OGOCHUKWU ANIOKE, he speaks on the nullification of the March 28, last year’s National Assembly election and the rerun ordered by the Court of Appeal

    How do you feel about the rerun election ordered by Court of Appeal for Abia North Senatorial zone?

    I feel disappointed because we had a timeline for the things we promised to achieve for our people. But, on the other hand, I feel the temporary setback would restore credibility to the process and legitimacy to us more than if the court had declared us as the winners of the election. It might interest you to know that among the candidates for the Senate seat, we are the party prepared for election. We had a contract with the people and we communicated our manifesto to the people. In my manifesto, which was well documented and given to the voters, we outlined the vision that would drive our senatorial representation. The document is aptly titled the change you deserve is coming; we promised to mainstream the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Abia North Senatorial district in the legislative agenda of the National Assembly. In the course of the electioneering campaign, I told our people that I have dreamt, envisioned and lived my dream of pioneering innovation, wealth creation and raising the bar of economic development in our society. You can therefore imagine our frustration when political jobbers that had no clear-cut vision or mission for the good of our people, used dubious methods to steal the mandate given to me by the good people of Abia North Senatorial district. Of course, I decided to challenge the vote to convince my people that we mean business.

    But, what gives you the confidence that you were the choice of the voters, being a new comer to politics?

    That is the point I am making; our people have never been allowed the freedom to choose their representatives. I say this without fear of equivocation. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had never won elections in Abia State. It has always been rigging, manipulation, inducement and falsification of results. It was those three evils of imposition, intimidation and impunity that became the undoing of the party in 2015. I saw that the people had become tired and frustrated by these serial abuses of democracy. That was part of the reason why I titled my vision document the change you deserve is coming. It is written in black and white; so we saw the change that was coming and told our people that clearly. We may be new in politics as your question suggested, but we have been around as leaders in various ways. That is how we earned the trust and confidence of the people. Those you call the old faces in politics are those that fouled the system; they are the ones responsible for the alienation of the masses. They are those who see politics and public office as opportunity to plunder, kill and maim. On March 28, the people voted against that trend, but they wanted to falsify the wishes of the people. But, we said no and made our voice strong because we are confident of the support and prayers of the masses. Now they have seen that indeed I possess the vision, the drive and self-actualisation to pioneer that change in Abia North’s political leadership.

    Former Governor Orji Kalu has been giving the impression that the election was nullified because of his petition…

    If you are looking for those that are good at making impressions, I am not interested. I am only interested in how to change the reality of warped and imposed leadership that had kept our people to the ground. I told you that I set agenda by which the people evaluated my candidacy for the senatorial seat. And what were the salient points on that agenda? I said it loud that we needed to reposition our people and our people to benefit from the polity. As an innovative entrepreneur, I know that we have huge potentials in Arochukwu, Ohafia, Isuikwuato, Bende and Umunneochi to lead the change in urban city development. So, I was able to unfold my vision to the people. How the available resources and potentials in these areas must be tapped through good political leadership with the capacity to interact and collaborate with others in the Senate, to harness and ignite these enormous potentials of our people in the areas of entrepreneurship, agriculture and commerce. So, it was not about impression, we did not want to impress anybody but we set out a compass for social action to uplift the people and create health and happiness in the zone. Did you read the personal attacks the other candidates are hauling on themselves? Both the PDP and PPA candidates are behaving like the sons Eli in the Bible; they are fighting themselves because they have nothing in stock for the good of the people. The rerun election is going to be a referendum on the candidates’ antecedents. The people of Abia North know their sons and daughters. They cannot be deceived by impressions.

    But, some people say Abia State has been voting the PDP since 1999 and that your party is not on ground….

    When you say some people, you did not say whether they are from the state, in or outside the state. Those people must be referring to the old things that I told earlier the people rejected. You remember how Jesus Christ said that those who came before were robbers and marauders? I am saying that those that held Abia down since 1999 came through the windows and even had to break the roof to grab the mandate. And in 2015, after 16 years of rape and plunder, the people’s eyes were opened and they said enough is enough. They rejected the highway men and settled for the new leadership with focus, humanity and vision. It is with that acute vision that we discovered that all the while our constituency suffered from high-level of weak industrialisation and commercial growth. We pointed out too that while the PDP was busy sharing money, our agricultural sector was relegated to the background, despite the large arable land at our disposal. Moreover, we were bedeviled by poor educational institutions, low social amenities and near absence of federal infrastructure, especially roads and bridges.

    With a different party at the centre, do you think you can achieve all that lofty vision and what are your chances in the rerun election?

    The political grass is now greener at the national level than before. What I mean by that is that the rejection of the PDP that started from the federal level can only make meaning if it trickles down. I am further strengthened by the rejection which my people handed to the old order. So, by voting for APGA in Abia State, the people have ensured that all things shall become new. You see the same way the PDP was rejected at the centre, our people in their wisdom have decided to vote APGA. We share in the national vision of purity, prudence and patriotism. You can see from the driving philosophy of APGA that the emphasis is on the wellbeing of the people, not in amassing too much money for the promotion of bribery and corruption.

  • A vote for the widows

    A vote for the widows

    It was a diligent service to womanhood penultimate Saturday when the International Women’s Society (IWS)  hosted a Widows New Year party at its Lekki-Epe Expressway Secretariat, reports NNEKA NWANERI.           

    They beamed with smiles and looked their best in the uniformed Ankara material chosen for the occasion. Though beraaved, the widows were asked to leave their children at home, attend the event so that they could have some fun. An approximate of a hundred of them in attendance went home happy with lots of goodies and gifts.

    Leading the team of IWS was Hajiya Zainab Saleh,  the key sponsor of the programmer and Lagos State Governor’s wife, Omobolanle Ambode, whose arrival at the venue ignited the faces of the women, who erupted in jubilation and dancing.

    Though the society has been in existence for 58 years, the annual feast of the widows has held consistently since 1998, said the President of IWS, Hajiya Zainab Saleh, while giving her welcome address. Lauding the support of wives of Lagos governor over the years in the project, The Nation learnt that Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Dame Abimbola Fashola, both former wives of the Lagos State governors are honorary members of the society.

    She urged the widows to enjoy their day to the fullest, hoping that the little they are able to do for them will go a long way in putting smiles on their faces, admonishing that the older widows support the new ones in terms of good counseling and guardianship.

    The high point of the day was a special endowment for 16 of state’s First Lady also specially endowed 10 other women.  It was noted that last week, IWS visited the IDP camp in Bornu State to distribute relief materials  to the women.

    Chairperson of the widows Trust Fund, Mrs Gbemi Sasore, noted that the 100 widows present at the event were just a small percentage of those residing in Lagos, and effort is still being made to mobilise more of them into skill acquisition and mentoring.

    It was noted that many of the widows, despite grieving on the loss of their loved ones, are bread winners of their homes.

    “Stay the course because you are the mothers of our leaders tomorrow and despite what life thrust on you,you are still custodians of our homes and that is why we have been mindful of your plights and caring for you since 1998.”

    Mrs Ambode, listed characteristics associated with widowhood such as mood swings; feeling of isolation, rejection, home upkeep, single parenting, in-law headaches, depression and other sundry challenges capable of slowing them down in life; adding that their strength is derived from their resolve and determination never to succumb to the threatening circumstances, but rather, see God as their rock and fortress in their trying times. She added that the get-together will assure them that they can still live long and fulfilled lives despite the demise of their loved ones.

    Urging the widows to have a means of livelihood and regular source of income, they were called to learn and master the art of being self sufficient instead of relying on the male folk who most times have conditions attached to their assistance.

    “This is a practical way to help you navigate the storm and be gainfully engaged in a regular job, business or vocations. These monies you have been endowed with must be used solely for investment in your businesses and not to solve other domestic issues.”

    The widow who wore the prettiest dress style won a sewing machine, while others, through a raffle dip, went home with prizes such as portable gasoline generators, laces and georges and other items.

    Also, each woman went home with a 5kg gas cooker, carton of noodles, Honeywell products and other undisclosed items.

  • ‘Keep faith with your one man, one vote promise’

    ‘Keep faith with your one man, one vote promise’

    A socio cultural group, N’Edo gheria has admonished the Edo state governor, comrade Adams Oshiomhole to keep faith with his electoral promise of One man one vote

    The group said it has become imperative because of the prevailing notion within the polity that the governor has endorsed a particular candidate ahead of others which has pitched him as godfather

    In a statement signed by the coordinator, Agene Patrick added that though the governor has the right to support any person, he should however be mindful that his open support can be taking for bias

    The statement read in part: “It has come to our notice the talk in town about the comrades open endorsement of an aspirant ahead of the governorship election in Edo state is counter productive

    “We believe that his open display for supporting and even campaigning for the said aspirant has created the feeling and message to those who are serving in various capacity as government appointees that they should queue into his agenda thereby causing psychological and mental instability to other aspirants

    “Just as we believe that the governor has the right to do so by endorsing an aspirant, it should however be reminded that its implication for the now is that he should see himself as a judge whose role should not be biased.

    “The governor should not make himself the godfather in any form, he should be seen as objective, father to all, fair in dealing with every aspirants rather than carrying on in a manner that he is doing now.

    “When We think that this position will not be in the good interest of other aspirants and their supporters. ”

     

  • Budget 2016: Senate justifies N115b National Assembly vote

    Budget 2016: Senate justifies N115b National Assembly vote

    The Senate yesterday justified the allocation of N115 billion for the National Assembly in the 2016 budget.

    It also urged the government to explore  tax avenues to fund the N6.08 trillion budget.

    Making his contribution in continuation of the debate of the general principle of the 2016 Appropriation Bill, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, said N115billion allocation to the National Assembly represents only 1.8 per cent of the total budget figure of N6.08 trillion.

    He said some of those who criticised the allocation spoke as if the vote was provided for senators and members of the House of Representatives alone to share.

    The Osun Central lawmaker said the provision was also made to pay the salaries and allowances of those in the National Assembly bureaucracy and agencies.

    He said: “I want to point out that I have looked at the budget and in the light of all the opprobrium that has been heaped on the National Assembly in the press, I want to report that this year’s budget contains a total request of N115 billion for the National Assembly. This represents only 1.8 per cent of the N6.08 trillion.”

    On how to fund the budget, he said 54 per cent of the $3.8 trillion budget will be sourced from taxation.

    He said: “If we are going to move this country forward, we must go back to what we did in the days of Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe.

    “Nobody in my village will go to his farm until he can produce his tax receipt, we need ingenuity to bring this to pass.”

    He said time has come to tax items such as cigarette, alcohol and imposing heavy fines on wife beaters.

    “Text messages cost N3.81 a page; if we add just N1 to a page of text message and we say that the money belongs to government, we will make billions.

    “We must install toll roads; but that is not enough because across the world, when you park at any airport, you pay per hour; we must do what the rest of the world does.

    “We must begin to tax allowances. Nigeria is the only country that shelters the bulk of the earnings of its workers and call them allowances.”

    Immediately he suggested that allowances should be taxed, the senators began to murmur and showed other signs of disapproval.

    Looking at his colleagues, Adeyey asked: “You don’t want your allowances taxed? They will be taxed. If we are going to save this country, we must reduce the cost of government.”

    He noted that “there are too many parastatals and when you look at these parastatals, many of them have failed in their missions, we continue to protect them and give them money, it is time for them to go.”

  • ‘Vote for credible persons’

    The Chairman, Electoral Committee, National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Dr Idowu Ogunkoya, has called on members to vote for credible executives in the group’s forthcoming election.

    Ogunkoya said the tenure of the last executive elapsed, which necessitated the Board of Trustees, chaired by Archbishop Adeyemi  Atilade, to dissolve it.

    He said: “We are looking for a candidate that will uplift the standard of NANTMP. Right now, the association does not have a national office, even the website is not functioning.

    “We do not have a traditional medicine college in Nigeria; all these are available in Ghana. The association was founded by the Obasanjo administration in 2007 and till date no outstanding feat has been achieved.

    “That is why we are sacrificing our time and money to get a credible candidate to lead NANTMP this time. We seek someone who is able and capable to perform as an arrowhead.

    “We want an executive that would get there, work, get the money budgeted for and improve the standard of traditional medicine in Nigeria. They should be able to get into governance and sway interested parties to regulate traditional medicine.”