Nation
THE STATES
Ekiti
The Ekiti State judicial workers say they will commence a five- day warning strike today to protest against the government’s failure to improve their welfare.
The workers, who spoke under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Ekiti State chapter, made this known in a letter dated January 10, 2011 and addressed to Governor Kayode Fayemi.
A copy of the letter, which was made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, was jointly signed by Comrade Ibiyemi Michael and Comrade Owolabi Tayo, the Chairman and Secretary of the union respectively.
The union accused the state government of not implementing the 156 percent increase in the allowances and fringe benefits approved by the Federal Government for judicial workers.
Besides, the union lamented the government’s refusal to pay its members the 20 percent year 2010 Christmas Bonus approved by the governor.
FCT
Four Presidential aspirants on the platform of ANPP on Saturday promised Nigerians to reform the country, if voted into power in the April general elections.
The aspirants, who addressed over 5,000 delegates at the Eagles Square, venue of the ANPP National Convention in Abuja, were Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State, Chief Harry Akande, Alhaji Bashir Tofa and Alhaji Dauda Birmah.
Addressing the convention, Shekarau said the occasion was “a day of great history, a great moment of change for ANPP and for Nigeria as a whole’’.
Shekarau, who broke the jinx of second term as Governor of the state, said the expected change in Nigeria would come with the election of a credible and experienced leader to midwife the much needed change.
Plateau
Bank customers in Jos have complained about the continued closure of banks in the city, in spite of the return of peace to the troubled city.
Banks in Jos have shut their doors to customers since the past five days, following the recurring spate of killings in the city.
Sources in some of the banks told newsmen that the closure was as a result of the precarious security situation in the city.
Mr Gwotbit David, a customer waiting at the Secretariat Branch of First Bank at Hwolshe, appealed to the banks to consider the suffering of the people.
He urged the banks to consider devising ways of attending to customers on skeletal basis.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Branch of the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) yesterday suspended its planned strike over the non-payment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure(CONMESS) by the State Government.
The Tide’s source reports that the suspension, followed the acceptance of the State Government to implement the policy 100 per cent
The state’s branch Chairman of the association, Dr Solomon Avidime, confirmed the development to newsmen in Kaduna, after an emergency meeting held with representatives of the State Government.
Avidime said that members of the association had wanted to embark on an indefinite industrial action from today, to press their demand, but noted that the government’s action had averted the planned action.
Katsina
The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, has advised leaders to win people’s confidence by prioritising their needs.
Kabir gave the advice yesterday in Katsina when the state’s Committee on the Payment of Cumulative Gratuities to Local Government Pensioners, paid him a courtesy call at his palace.
He said the payment of the cumulative gratuities to the beneficiaries had come at the right time when government was paying more attention to issues relating to the welfare of citizens.
He urged the committee to justify the confidence reposed in it by the government.
According to him, the emirate is willing to offer useful advice to leaders who are open to ideas and suggestions.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has donated N1 million to the state’s chapter of the Nigerian Legion to improve the welfare of its members.
Governor Saidu Dakingari, made the donation on Friday in Birnin Kebbi at the launching of an appeal fund as part of activities to mark the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Week.
Dakingari, who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Alhaji Shehu Sambawa, said that further support would be provided to the legion.
He said that members of the legion had played vital roles in attaining peace and unity of the country.
The Chairman of the state’s chapter of the legion, Jibo Dabai, commended the state’s authorities for sustaining its support to members of the legion.
“We will not relent in seeking further support in the implementation of policies and programmes that will help in developing the society,” he said.
Lagos
The Federal Government has been urged to terminate the services of MEAVIS Ltd, a concessionaire charged with the mandate to generate revenue for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) made the call at a news conference yesterday in Ikeja in Lagos State.
The President of ATSSSAN, Mr Benjamin Okewu, told journalists that FAAN had not been able to maintain airports in the country because of non-remittance of funds from MEAVIS.
Okewu alleged that the FAAN/MEAVIS agreement had not in anyway impacted positively on the nation’s airports.
He claimed that FAAN was generating enough money to maintain its airports in the country before MAEVIS came on board.
Ogun
Senator Ibikunle Amosun on Friday in Abeokuta emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ogun.
The Tide’s source reports that Amosun, an accountant, emerged the candidate out of 10 other contestants in a consensus arrangement adopted by the party.
Amosun was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the 2007 general elections in Ogun.
Presenting Amosun to jubilant supporters at the party’s Secretariat in Abeokuta, the State Chairman of ACN, Alhaji Tajudeen Bello, described the consensus process as rigorous.
He said that at the end of the day, Amosun emerged, based on the approval of the other 10 governorship aspirants.
Osun
The Director, Osun Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) , Dr Funso Ajao, says the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the state still stands at 1.2 per cent.
Ajao told newsmen in Osogbo on Friday that the committee would continue to create awareness through sustained campaigns on Radio and Television programmes on the virus.
Ajao said that the committee would continue to carry out counselling and testing at various centres as a means of further reducing the prevalence of the scourge.
He said that awareness creation was a major strategy of controlling the spread of the virus and that through testing, people could know their status.
The Director, however, did not disclose the actual figure of people, who tested positive to the virus, saying that he needed time to collate the figures from the various counselling and testing centres.
Sokoto
Alhaji Abdulkadir Jalani, Chairman of Sabon-Birni Local Government in Sokoto state, has called on Nigerians to always pray for God’s intervention in political activities of the country.
Jalani told The Tide’s source in Sokoto that the nation was in dire need of prayers to ensure peaceful conduct of the forth coming general elections.
He said that prayers were vital in ensuring the success of the elections.
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi