Nation
THE STATES
Benue
The PDP elders’ caucus in Benue South West
Senatorial zone has excluded former Niger Delta Affairs Ministers minster Sam Odeh and Mr Harris Ogbole from contesting the governorship primaries of the party.
The meeting which was held in Otukpo last Monday also urged the remaining aspirants in the race to harmonise their positions and present a formidable candidate who would challenge aspirants from the other zones of the state.
Our Correspondent reports that Odeh and Ogbole, a lawyer, were excluded from the contest following the unanimous endorsement of Senate President David Mark for another term in the senate.
Stakeholders at the meeting resolved that since Mark hails from Otukpo alongside the other two, it was inappropriate for them to contest for the governorship ticket of the party with aspirants from other local governments.
Ekiti
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State recently
said his administration has repositioned the state and put it in the limelight in the last four years.
Fayemi stated this at the inauguration of the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) in Ado- Ekiti.
He said the efforts of his administration in transforming the state had paid off with the state taking the lead virtually in all indices of human development.
According to the governor, this is attested to by local and international bodies as there have been tangible changes in the lives of the citizens.
The governor said that Ekiti had been rated highly in terms of efficiency, transparency and competitiveness among the states in Nigeria.
FCT
Director-General of National Orientation Agency
(NOA), Mr Mike Omeri, has described the death of former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mrs Remi Oyo, as a big blow to journalism and Nigeria.
In a statement in Abuja signed by Mr Paul Odenyi, NOA’s Assistant Director, Media, Omeri said that Oyo was an icon of development journalism.
“She was a patriot who saw journalism as a tool for national development; her death is a big blow to journalism and the nation.
“She was in a rare class of communication experts who saw journalism as a means to achieve peace, progress and development in the country,’’ he said.
Kaduna
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr
Gideon Gwani, has sunk 72 boreholes to ensure clean water for rural communities in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Gwani, who conducted newsmen round some of the projects yesterday said that the boreholes became necessary to minimise water-borne diseases that were common among the rural dwellers in the state.
“A healthy people are an asset to the nation and that is the essence of these projects,’’ Gwani said shortly after confirming that the projects were all functional and serving the communities.
He said that 50 more boreholes would soon be sunk in areas still in dire need of good water, adding that some people were still forced to rely on streams for drinking water.
Kogi
The workers in Ajaokuta Steel Company Lim
ited last Monday, commended the Federal Government for its efforts at reviving the industry.
The National President of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN), Mr. Otori Salihu gave the commendation at the annual leadership workshop of the association in Lokoja.
He said the recent delivery of consignment of billets to the company in preparation for resumption of production was a good development for the country and workers in the sector.
He called on all stakeholders in the steel industry, including workers, to support government efforts towards reviving the sector.
Kwara
Senator Gbemisola Saraki, a chieftain of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has donated four buses and food items worth N5 million to member of an Ilorin-based Islamic organisation.
Saraki made the donation at the national headquarters of Jamu’hiyat Qulumal Lillahi Yah’alu Society of Nigeria in commemoration of the 2014 Eid-li-Kabir festival.
She is the first daughter of the late ‘strongman of Kwara politics’, Dr Olusola Saraki,
In her speech the former senator, who represented Kwara Central at the Senate from 2003 to 2011, urged the Islamic body to continue to preach peace and love in Nigeria.
She said the two ingredients were essential for the continued existence of Nigeria as a nation.
Lagos
A General Physician, Dr Abiola Ajala, yesterday
advised parents to deworm their children periodically, at least every three months to prevent intestinal worms infestation.
Ajala, a paediatrician with Optimal Children Clinic Surulere, told newsmen in Lagos that children had a higher risk of worm infestations.
She said regular deworming improved a child’s nutritional status and growth which could otherwise be hindered by worm infestation.
“Parents are advised to deworm their children at least every three months with effective worm expellers.
Ogun
Senators Olugbenga Obadara and Adegbenga
Kaka, representing Ogun Central and Ogun East Senatorial districts, respectively, have urged politicians to uphold the tenets of their service to ensure peace and development.
The senators made the call yesterday while speaking to newsmen in Ijebu-Ode.
According to Kaka, equity, justice and purposeful service remained the bedrock for the consolidation of democratic structures and ideals.
“As politicians, we must always plan to fulfil our promises to the electorate because promise is a debt.
“Leaders must strive to be truthful to their followers at all times remembering that without them there will be no position in the first instance,’’ Kaka said.
Oyo
The wife of the Oyo State governor, Mrs Flo
rence Ajimobi, has expressed the state government’s commitment to the cause of widows.
Ajimobi gave the assurance at a programme she organised for 500 widows from local government areas during which she gave them various gift items.
She said the state government was committed to restoring the dignity of widows and stopping the stigma often associated with widowhood.
“We have thoughtfully designed this programme to coincide with the 2014 Sallah.
Plateau
Senator Victor Lar, representing Plateau South
at the National Assembly, has declared his intention to contest in the Plateau governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Lar made his intention known at the state headquarters of the party.
He said that if elected, his top priority would be to restore permanent peace to the state.
The governorship aspirant, who was received by the PDP Vice Chairman, Central Zone, Mr Yusuf Tokkit, urged the party to create a level playing ground for all aspirants.
L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ademorin Kuye, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, at a meeting of traditional rulers with Governor Fashola in Lagos recently.
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.