February 2022 – Page 23

Post Date : February 22, 2022

Uzodinma accuses APC ex-DG of working for PDP

The governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma, has accused the immediate past Director General of Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman of being a mole while he lasted as the DG PGF. Uzodinma’s Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, in a statement in Owerri, the state capital, on Tuesday, said that Lukman was being sponsored by Peoples Democratic Party to discredit the ruling party. The statement read, “The former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Mohammed Lukman has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mole in the midst of the All Progressives Congress (APC). “Lukman, who recently hurriedly resigned his appointment as DG of the PGF to avoid a pending sack over unbecoming demeanour has continued to run his mouth in ways that suggest that his sojourn in the midst of progressive politicians in APC was nothing but a design to spy on the Party in the interest of his co-conspirators in the opposition PDP. “On Monday, February 21, Lukman was credited by a section of media to have accused some respected APC Leaders, including Governors, of holding the Party captive and working with Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) against the February 26 Convention that has been postponed to March 26. “Ordinarily, we would have ignored Lukman if he did not have the misfortune of bringing the name of Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State into the picture of his thoughtless and careless statement. “Interestingly, perhaps except for His Excellency Dapo Abiodun, three of them – His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, His Excellency Yahaya Bello and His Excellency Hope Uzodimma – are all aspiring to become Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates,” Lukman reportedly said. “It is obvious that Lukman had been engaged by enemies of democracy to deliberately discredit respected APC Governors and Leaders like Uzodimma just because their selfish political permutations are not working out. “Even when Governor Uzodimma, barely two weeks ago, came out to distance himself from any Presidential contest, Lukman would deliberately overlook that to make insinuaions that were borne out of hatred for Governor Uzodimma due to the latter’s rising profile in APC and the trust his colleagues have reposed on him because of his many years of experience in politics and sincerity of purpose. “One would have thought that Lukman must have learnt his lesson by now given that he is still being haunted by the illogical spirit that led to his near sack in office recently. But how wrong can we possibly be! “As an aide to the body of Governors, Lukman probably saw himself in the mould of His Excellencies and would not humble himself to take directives from his bosses in the interest of their States in particular and the Country at large. “He was therefore, in good stead, issuing controversial statements that were not only antagonistic to the leadership of the Party he pretends to be part of but quite anti-thetical to the views of his bosses. “Few weeks out of office, Lukman is behaving true to type – a mole planted amidst the APC top echelon to spy on them. “Why would Lukman’s feeling about the postponement of the APC Convention be in sync with the feeling of the opposition politicians and the few APC members known for anti-party activities? “Regardless of those Governors and CECPC Members Lukman was content discrediting, could it have been possible to move the date of the Convention without the buy-in of the leader of the Party, President Muhammadu Buhari? “The point is that Lukman deserves our pity. He has lost touch with the current reality in politics and except he retraces his steps by committing whole-heartedly to the supremacy of the Party encapsulated in the power invested in the leadership, it would be difficult for him to deny he is not a mole in APC.” Several calls put to Lukman was unanswered. He had yet to respond to a text message as of the time of filing this report.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

ASUU strike to end soon — FG

The Federal Government on Tuesday assured that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be called off soon, saying it was taken aback by the renewed strike which university teachers embarked on February 14, 2022. Addressing the resumed conciliation meeting with the Union, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said the government was surprised ASUU negated the understanding and assurances it gave through the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle. Quoting Senator Ngige, Deputy Director Press and Public Relations, Charles Akpan, who was in Botswana for the meeting of the African Regional Labour Administrative Centre, ARLAC, when ASUU declared action, the Minister said he thought the university teachers and their employer, the Ministry of Education would have resolved the areas of disputes within days. According to him, “I sincerely thought ASUU and the Ministry of Education would have resolved the issues, which hopefully are not major areas of dispute, warranting industrial action. To my surprise, I came back, and the strike is still on. Be that as it may, it is the mandate of my Ministry to apprehend industrial disputes wherever they occur and we have apprehended this. “From this negotiation, we are having today, ASUU will appreciate that government means no harm. This is because even if there are still lapses in the implementation of the agreement, they are not such that will lead to industrial action. To that extent, we have to do everything possible to resolve this. “But I must tell you that on the government side, they were taken by surprise in that before then, NIREC met with you (ASUU) and reported to the President. Having met with you (ASUU) and having given the details of their meeting with you, we sincerely hoped we won’t again take this route of industrial action. So, the government side is taken by surprise- Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and all are taken aback.” Ngige however assured that, the strike had been apprehended by his Ministry and that the ongoing conciliation would prepare the ground for an expanded meeting that will involve NIREC. “It is my mandate to apprehend industrial disputes and this has been apprehended so we can discuss, and later expand to what is called tripartite plus meeting, involving members of NIREC who are top religious and traditional rulers, we cannot push aside. And that is as soon as we are done and agree on issues here.” The Minister expressed optimism that the strike would be called off soon to enable students to go back to school, saying “It should not be one month strike. In fact, there is nothing like one month strike or warning strike in labour parlance. A strike is a strike. We want this to end as soon as possible, as we sort out all grey areas in the agreement as the ILO Principles at Work allows for renegotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. So we go back to the draft agreement. We must avoid another situation where our children bear the brunt of two elephants fighting.” As a neutral negotiator, however, the Minister urged the government side of the negotiation to leave no stone unturned infidelity to agreed timelines, noting “I hence urge the government side to be realistic and factual as far as this negotiation goes. I wear a double cap, first as a conciliator and then, a Minister of the Government of the Federation. While I say so far, so good, let’s not rest on our oars. We must keep to the timelines.” He debunked claims by ASUU that all the items in the 2020 MOA had not been fully implemented, stating that the ones not completed, were in progress. Ngige said “I did a correspondence on the report by NITDA on University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS to you (ASUU) in December 2021 and you sent your observation in a reply in February 2022. I made that available to all the parties involved, and this is the observation from ASUU. So, as far as I’m concerned, it is a work in progress. I’m not the Minister of Education. My Ministry is not your direct employer, but I take these proactive measures to fast track agreements and ensure we meet up the timelines. “Apart from that, all the issues in the agreement are being religiously implemented, including but not limited to the payment of Earned Academic Allowances through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation in November / December 2021. So, most of the issues in the 2020 agreement, which moved over to 2021, and for which we met in October 2021, to make a progress report, are all works in progress. So it is wrong for you to say nobody is doing anything on the MOA.” Speaking, ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, blamed the Federal Government for the ongoing strike, alleging that apart from not implementing the 2020 MOA, the government also failed to convene the regular implementation monitoring meeting as agreed. ASUU insisted that calling off the industrial action depended entirely on the Federal Government as members were determined not to shift ground until their demands are met.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

No Way’ Russia Would Invade Ukraine If I Was Still In Power, Says Trump

‘ Former US President Donald Trump boasted of his close relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, arguing that the Ukraine crisis would not have happened under his administration. “If properly handled, there was absolutely no reason that the situation currently happening in Ukraine should have happened at all,” he said in a statement. “I know Vladimir Putin very well, and he would have never done during the Trump administration what he is doing now, no way!”. Russia is facing an international backlash after Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine to secure two breakaway enclaves. The move came with tens of thousands of Russian soldiers on Ukraine’s borders and amid warnings of an all-out invasion. President Joe Biden imposed economic sanctions on the two enclaves, but on the question of penalties against Russia itself, a US official told reporters: “We are going to assess what Russia’s done.” Biden will address the nation at 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Russia’s actions, the White House said. But Trump, who had been largely silent on the escalating Russian threat to the US ally, criticized the “weak” response which he said did not match Russia’s actions. “Now it has begun, oil prices are going higher and higher, and Putin is not only getting what he always wanted, but getting, because of the oil and gas surge, richer and richer,” Trump added. Former White House Russia advisor Fiona Hill told CNN Sunday that Trump’s foreign policy had emboldened Putin. The former president’s foreign policy, she argued, had been driven by personal concerns rather than the national interest. “There’s no Team America for Trump. Not once did I see him do anything to put America first. Not once. Not for a single second,” said Hill, one of Trump’s most senior aides. Ukraine found itself caught in a US domestic political firestorm when then-president Trump asked its leader to launch a spurious corruption probe into Joe Biden’s family ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Accusations that Trump tried to block military aid to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky sparked the first of two impeachments of the Republican.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

Strike: I’m Shocked Education Ministry, ASUU Didn’t Resolve Crisis – Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said he is surprised that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Ministry of Education are yet to resolve their face-off, which has led to the current strike by the union. Ngige, while speaking at the resumed conciliation meeting with the union on Tuesday, said the government was surprised ASUU negated on the understanding and assurances it gave the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the Chairman of CAN, Rev. Supo Ayokunle. The minister, who said he was in Botswana for the meeting of the African Regional Labour Administrative Centre (ARLAC) when ASUU declared the strike, stated that the government was taken aback by the renewed strike by the university lecturers, which started on February 14, 2022. He said, “I sincerely thought ASUU and the Ministry of Education would have resolved the issues, which, hopefully, are not major areas of dispute, warranting industrial action. To my surprise, I came back, and the strike is still on. Be that as it may, it is the mandate of my ministry to apprehend industrial disputes wherever they occur and we have apprehended this. “From this negotiation we are having today, ASUU will appreciate that government means no harm. This is because even if there are still lapses in the implementation of the agreement, they are not such that will lead to industrial action. To that extent, we have to do everything possible to resolve this.” Ngige continued, “But I must tell you that on the government side, they were taken by surprise in that before then, NIREC met with you (ASUU) and reported to the President. Having met with you (ASUU) and having given the details of their meeting with you, we sincerely hoped we won’t again take this route of industrial action. “So, the government side is taken by surprise – Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and all are taken aback.” Ngige, however, assured that the strike had been apprehended by his Ministry and that the ongoing conciliation would prepare the ground for an expanded meeting that would involve NIREC. “It is my mandate to apprehend industrial disputes and this has been apprehended; so, we can discuss, and later expand to what is called tripartite plus meeting, involving members of NIREC who are top religious and traditional rulers we cannot push aside. And that is as soon as we are done and agree on issues here,” he added.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

Makinde approves March 11 for installation of new Olubadan

Seyi Makinde, the Oyo governor, has approved March 11 for the installation of the new Olubadan of Ibadan. The approval was contained in a letter addressed to Lekan Balogun, the Olubadan designate, and signed by Bashir Olanrewaju, permanent secretary, ministry of local government and chieftaincy matters in Oyo. The governor also congratulated Balogun on his elevation as Olubadan. “I refer to a letter dated No.IBSELG243TI/17 of February 16, 2022, on the above subject and inform you that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, has approved March 11, 2022 as the date of the installation of the new Olubadan of Ibadan,” the letter reads. “Once again, Congratulations Kabiyesi.” The governor had, on February 14, approved Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland. The governor’s approval came after the Olubadan-in-Council recommended Balogun as the next king. Balogun will succeed Saliu Adetunji, who died on January 2, 2022, at the age of 93. Adetunji spent six years on the throne before his death.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

Group Lauds IGP for the arrest of Abba Kyari

The Nigerian Consultative Forum (NCF) has lauded the Inspector-General of Police (IG) for his swift and prompt action in setting up of an investigative team to unravel the circumstances and involvement of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari and four other police officers in the current raging drug scandal. They were however earlier indicted by both internal investigation of the police and the leadership of NIgerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). NCF in a statement in Abuja signed by its President Dede Uzor A Uzor and Secretary Mazi Udemadu Frank. Udemadu, said the proactiveness of the IGP in the matter showed that there is still hope for redemption of the shattered image of the police in the country which have been embroiled in high level corruption and other unethical practices. NCF called on the IGP to extend the same eagerness to other departments of the NIgerian Police which have been enmeshed in endemic corruption. The departments said the groups includes the State Criminal Investigation Departments (SCIDs), the State Anti kidnapping Units, the State FIIBs, the Police Mobile units among special departments/units of the police. The departments mentioned above according to NCF are known for corruptive tendencies with their criminal activities very glaring which they often celebrate. NCF therefore asked IGP to embark on an aggressive surgical operation if he really wants to fight corrupt practices within the force. “He should extend his anti-corruption battle to the State Police Commands, Area Commands and Police Divisions, stressing that some of the Commissioners of Police post officers on conditional extortive grounds and always subject them to either weekly or monthly returns or stand removed in the event of failure to meet up with their criminal and extortive demands. Such senior police officers, the group said, should be meted with adequate punishment in line with the Police Act as amended and extant laws of Police Service Commission . “These officers have grossly painted the image of the police in very bad colour”, warning that if the IGP want to be taken serious, he should extend his network of investigation to the above stated areas,Dede Uzor directed. 22nd Feb. 2022

Post Date : February 22, 2022

APC agrees on zoning for convention, presidency

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has agreed to alternate offices between the north and south in the forthcoming dispensation. This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) after their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Disclosing this while responding to a question, Kaduna Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i dispelled reports of division among the APC Governors. He however admitted there were disagreements overtime for the party’s National Convention. Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, El-Rufa’i revealed that agreement had been reached on the zoning formula. Explaining the newly agreed arrangements with regards to sharing positions in the party, El-Rufa’i said all offices that were occupied by northerners in the last eight years will go to the south and vice versa under the new arrangement. “We have agreed a zoning formula for all the six geo-political zones. Essentially, northern zone will have the positions the South had in the last eight years and vice versa. “It is a very simple, equitable and fair formula. We will now go back and consult at the zonal level and look at the positions that are available and the process of the convention preparation we started in earnest. “So, by the grace of God, on the 26th of March, we would have done our national convention,” he said. At the meeting were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari. Eighteen of the Governors are in attendance at the meeting taking place at the Council Chambers. They are from Yobe, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Cross River, Kaduna, Lagos, Borno, Niger, Gombe, Osun, Kebbi, Anambra dep, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kano, Imo, Kogi, Ogun, and Plateau states. The outgoing Anambra Deputy Governor is also in attendance. Details Shortly…

Post Date : February 22, 2022

President Buhari Likely To Sign Electoral Bill On Wednesday – Sources

Hours after the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity told Channels Television that President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law soon, sources in the Presidency have put the likely time as tomorrow. The sources disclosed to Channels Television on Tuesday that President Buhari will likely sign the re-worked electoral act amendment bill into law on Wednesday, February 23. According to the sources, all is now set for the President to append his signature to the bill. This comes a few hours after Mr Femi Adesina during an interview on Sunrise Daily said President Buhari will sign the bill any moment from now. “It could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be anytime, but within the 30 days. It could be signed today; it could be signed tomorrow. In a matter of hours, not days. Hours could be 24 hours, it could be 48 hours; not days, not weeks,” Adesina said early on Tuesday morning. This hint also comes amid protests by civil society groups in Abuja demanding that President Buhari assent the bill. The groups on Tuesday morning gathered and displayed various placards at the Unity Fountain asking the President to sign the bill. Re-Amended Electoral Bill The National Assembly on January 31, transmitted the re-amended Electoral Act Amendment Bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent. President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on NASS Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare explained that the transmission of the bill was in line with the provisions of Section 58 (3) of the 1999 Constitution and the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2 LFN 2004. Earlier before this, lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives passed the harmonised version of the bill. President Buhari withheld his assent to the bill in November last year, citing the cost of conducting direct primary elections, security challenges, and possible manipulation of electoral processes by political actors as part of the reasons for his decision. The President said he will sign the bill when the necessary adjustment is done. He said such changes must include the addition of consensus candidates, indirect primary options to the mode of selecting a candidate for an election, as against the initial direct mode as the only option to conduct primaries by political parties.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

2023: Kwankwaso, Dalung, Galadima, others form Third Force

A former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Tuesday announced the formation of Third Force, under the aegis of The National Movement, thereby lightening the political temper of Nigeria towards the 2023 Presidency. Others in the team with him include Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi of Kaduna State; former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung; popular Northern critic, Buba Galadima; and other prominent Nigerians. According to them, the Third Force would take over power from the All Progressives Congress in 2023. The TNM said it was conscious of its strong duties to save Nigeria from disintegration. While promising to save democracy and rescue the nation, the TNM said it was set to battle for the soul of Nigeria from the hands of APC and the Peoples Democratic Party. Prominent Nigerians at the International Conference Centre, venue of the event were elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai; Air Vice Marshall Ifeanaju; Solomon Edoda; Nweze Onu; Falasade Aliyu; Rufai Alkali; Suleiman Hunkuyi; Grace Ben; Umale Shittu; Ibrahim Ringim; Ali Gwaska; Paul Okala; Rufai Hanga; Idris Wada; Abdulrahman Abubakar, among several others. Speaking at the occasion, the Convener of the event, Kwankwaso said it was a collective desire to rescue the country. “We all left our comfort zones to grace the occasion. It is a special day in the life of our nation. A special day to redeem the nation. “For too long, Nigerians have been waiting for this day. For too long friends of Nigerians abroad have been waiting for this day and the time is today and now. “Today, all Nigerians cut across all social, religious and regions have gathered. It is our collective resolve to rescue our nation from this difficult situation.” Kwankwaso said he met with his friends during the COVID-19 lockdown and resolved that a step must be taken to rescue Nigeria. “We resolved that there must be a Nigeria first before politics. While some of us will want to contest, we must work together to rescue the country. “The National Movement has members in every local government area and outside the country,” Kwankwaso said.

Post Date : February 22, 2022

Gov Udom fires CoS

TENSION is brewing in Akwa Ibom State as governor Udom Emmanuel on Tuesday relieved Akparawa Ephraim Inyangeyen of his appointment as his Chief of Staff. The Secretary to State Government (SSG), Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, announced Inyangeyen’s sack in a letter dated 22nd February, 2022, and made available to newsmen yesterday in Uyo. Ekuwem stated: “On behalf of His Excellency, the Governor, government and the good people of Akwa Ibom State, I write to convey to you, the Governor’s profound appreciation of the worthy contributions you made to the development of our dear State while you served as Chief of Staff to the Governor. “However, given the urgent need to match skill set and competencies to the task of maintaining the momentum of economic development in peace, your services are no longer required and you are hereby relieved of your position, as Chief of Staff ( CoS) to His Excellency, the Governor with immediate effect. “You are therefore directed to handover all property of government in your possession, to the Secretary to State Government. “Please, accept the assurances of His Excellency, the Governor’s goodwill and highest regards as you proceed to other endeavours”