Nation
THE STATES
Benin
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor
Osayuki Oshodi, resumed work Monday after almost three months absence due to ill health.
It would be recalled that Prof Oshodin, until yesterday, was last seen in the institution’s campus in May, fuelling speculations about his health and calls for the appointment of a successor.
Amidst such speculation, Prof Oshodin, who wore a grey suit, yesterday made a surprise appearance at the institution’s Senate building at about 11:00 a.m. to attend a meeting of the appointment and promotion board of the university amidst shouts of joy by senior staff of the university who welcomed him.
Meanwhile, three associations in the university’s branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) Monday berated calls by some sections in the university for the appointment of a substantive vice-chancellor for the institution because of the absence of Prof Oshodin.
SSANU, NAAT and NASU, who were represented at a press briefing at the institution by Comrade John Osaretin Alile, Comrade S.M. Momoh and Joel Idonije respectively, noted that it smacked of mischief for anyone to claim that the absence of the vice-chancellor had created tension and slowed down activities within the university.
Ekiti
The current wave of policy change across some states
controlled by the All Progress Congress (APC) has been attributed to the defeat suffered by the party in the June 21 governorship election.
The Minister of State for Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye who spoke yesterday, commended the people of Ekiti State for “liberating Yoruba people from bondage”.
Adeyeye, who briefed journalists in his Ise-Ekiti country home, said the reversal of tuition fees from over N300,000 to N25,000 by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and the planned review of the ban on Okada in the state was an “act of deceit propelled by the fear of an impending rejection by the people in 2015.”
The minister said he was proud to be part of the June 21 governorship election, which according to him has forced the APC governors to embark on “desperate review of anti-people policies. Ekiti people can now hold their heads high having liberated the South-west from oppression”.
FCT
An Abuja-based group, Service Integrity Group, has faulted
a news report purportedly insinuating that the new Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Danladi Kifas, was not qualified to be appointed into the exalted position because he was allegedly indicted by a probe panel.
A statement issued by the Coordinator of the group, Mallam Sherrif Abdulahi, said: “Our attention was drawn to a news-report purported to insinuate that the new Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi , was indicted by a panel and therefore not qualified to hold public office.
“We affirm that Mr. Kifasi was cleared of any purported indictment as early as March 2006 and was also given clean bill of health by the Attorney General of the Federation in July 2006.
Kano
Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Deputy to Governor Rabiu
Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state has broken his silence over his ambition to govern Kano after 2015, saying he is interested in the guber-race.
Ganduje during a meeting with Kano Correspondents Chapel Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said his willingness to subject himself to succeed his boss, if given the chance was borne out of his large wealth of experience and urge to build on the gigantic legacies of Governor Kwankwaso.
Ganduje, however, stated that he would be willing to wait until the Kwankwasiyya political movement of the Kano All Progressive Congress (APC) decides who will carry the flag.
Ours is a party that has just been put in place. The APC it is a merger party. So, I will urge you to wait until the time when there will be news or no news. I am interested, but I have not declared, we are still consulting, Ganduje added.
Kebbi
The office of the Permanent Secretary at the Government
House in Birnin Kebbi was gutted by fire yesterday.
Sources at the Government House told our reporter that the incident which occurred at about 4:40pm affected files and documents inside the permanent secretary’s office. An official said there was no injury or loss of life.
“The Head of Civil Service, Alh Baballe Umar Yauri, just visited the scene and a committee will be set up to investigate the cause of the fire. He will also talk to the press later,” he said. Unconfirmed sources said the fire was caused by an electrical surge.
Kogi
The traditional ruler of Itoduma community in Ibaji Local
Government Area of Kogi State, Ogah Attah, David Ademu Onate, has called on Governor Idris Wada to provide the community with electricity.
Chief Onate made the call yesterday in an interview with newsmen at Itoduma community, shortly after a reception organized in his honour.
Onate said “people of the area had been fighting for an autonomous traditional ruler, and that now that they had gotten one, they would now fight for development.
Onate, who was crowned on October 14, 2013 by Attah Igala, Michael Ameh Oboni 11, called on the people to remain peaceful and united.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has suspended,
Tanko Tunga, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker for six months.
Our correspondent reports that Tunga was suspended for violating the Assembly’s rules.He was also accused of attempting to snatch the mace and insulting his colleagues.
Tunga has been placed on half salary for the duration of his suspension.
Also, the state house of assembly directed its Clerk, Ego Maikeffi, to write the National Judicial Council (NJC) reporting Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, for violating Section 188.
Niger
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) will
train 8,000 professional welders with a view to replacing expatriates working in similar capacity in the oil and gas industry.
Executive Secretary of PTDF, Mr. Femi Ajayi, said this yesterday while flagging off an entrepreneurship development training programme for trainees of the welders in Minna, Niger State.
”The skills gap audit and several reports since 2011 have identified fabrication as the area with the highest potential for Nigerian content development. Yet, it is one in which the least capacity development has been recorded over time.
Ondo
Many more lives in the Niger Delta region would be
touched through the programme and projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) as its funding improves.
The Ondo State Representative on the Governing Board of the Commission, Barrister Benson Amuwa, said this while speaking at the flag- off of the Free Medical Programme in Igbobini, Ese Odo Local Government Area and Igo, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
During the programme, which was organised in collaboration with Universal Medical Foundation and Pro-Health International, over 6,000 residents of the riverine communities of Ondo State received free medical services.
Barr. Amuwa urged the people to cooperate and support the medical teams to work effectively, promising that NDDC is determined to bring healthcare to the doorstep of the people.
Oyo
Former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja,
has decried the omission of his name on the voters’ registration list.
Ladoja expressed his disappointment when he visited Ward 3, Ibadan North Local Government area of the state, where he went to collect his permanent voter card.
Commenting on the development, Publicity Secretary, Accord Party, Dr Nureni Adeniran, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve upon the process, so as not to deny eligible voters their rights.
Adeniran also urged the people yet to register to avail themselves of the opportunity.
Taraba
The Taraba State House of Assembly has resolved to
investigate the N10 billion loan procured in 2012 for the construction of four kilometres roads in each of the 16 local councils of the state.
Charles Maijankai had in a motion told the House that the roads were poorly done and prayed that a committee be set up to investigate utilisation of the funds.
He recalled that the House in 2012 approved the sum of N10 billion for the road projects, which were handled by Taraba State Road Construction Agency (TARCMA) and PW Company.
The motion was seconded by Muhammad Gaayam at a sitting which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Adamu Tanko Maikari.
Contributing to debate on the motion, former speaker of the House, Istifanus Haruna Gbana, said the contractors compromised standards in handling the project, adding that those concerned should be summoned.
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.