Prepare for fresh election, PDP tells defected Rivers lawmakers.

Prepare for fresh election, PDP tells defected Rivers lawmakers.

The Peoples Democratic Party has advised the 25 Rivers State House of Assembly members who defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress not to be deceived but to prepare for a fresh election.

It was reported that the crisis rocking the state House of Assembly took a new turn on December 11, 2023 with 27 members defecting from the ruling PDP in the state to the APC.

On Monday, at the instance of President Bola Tinubu, the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, signed an eight-point peace agreement with his predecessor and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to end the political crisis in the state.

Addressing a press conference after the PDP emergency National Working Committee meeting on Tuesday, the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, counseled the 25 lawmakers not to be deceived by anybody giving impracticable assurances in Abuja that they can return to the State House of Assembly without a fresh election.

Damagum said no respite for the lawmakers who by Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution vacated their seats because of defection from the PDP.

Section 109(1)(g) states “A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if: being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected:

It continued “Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored; or (h) the Speaker of the House of Assembly receives a certificate under the hand of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission stating that the provisions of section 110 of this Constitution have been complied with in respect of the recall of the member.”

The PDP national chairman insisted that “having vacated their seats, the only option available for the former lawmakers, if they wish to return to the House of Assembly, is to seek fresh nomination and re-election on the platform of any political party of their choice in line with the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.

He said, “The former Rivers lawmakers freely and without any cause vacated their seats, being fully aware of the consequences of defection from the party upon which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly without the conditions stipulated by the 1999 Constitution.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no division in the PDP at the national or any other level for that matter to justify the defection of the 25 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the party. They therefore vacated their seats for reasons best known to them and cannot return to the House of Assembly without passing through a fresh electoral process in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Moreover, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ehie Edison, officially declared the seats of the defected now former members vacant in line with Section 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.

“The Rivers State House of Assembly, having become functus officio on the matter cannot re-admit the former lawmakers unless through the channel of a fresh election.

“Our party, therefore, counsels the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly not to be deceived by anybody giving them the false hope and impracticable assurances in Abuja that they can return to the Rivers State House of Assembly without a fresh election or that the Independent National Electoral Commission can be stopped from conducting fresh election into the 25 Rivers State Constituencies where vacancies have occurred because of their defection.”

Damagum noted that Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clear in providing that no courts have powers to stop INEC from conducting elections wherever and whenever a vacancy occurs in any electoral constituency.

He demanded that INEC should, in line with Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act, 2022, fix a date for the conduct of a fresh election into the 25 State Constituencies in Rivers State where vacancies have occurred because of the defection.

No allocation to my office in six months, says Shaibu.

No allocation to my office in six months, says Shaibu.

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has said that his office has not been paid a six-month allowance owing to the tension between him and his principal, Godwin Obaseki.

The deputy governor, who stated this at the opening of the Correspondents Office in Benin on Tuesday, said that he had been running the office and doing other activities through goodwill and contributions from friends.

Shaibu, who described himself as an ambassador of the chapel, noted that he would forever be grateful to journalists as a write-up by an investigative reporter saved him from the grip of the dictator when he was incarcerated alongside other activists during the regime of the late Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha.

He said, “You know there is tension between the governor and I. And for six months, there has been no allocation to my office. So, whatever I am doing is contributions from friends and my goodwill; and I am still standing very strong.

“I am your ambassador anywhere I am. This is not because of politics, but because of what you have done to save my life in the cause of doing your work.

“I wouldn’t have been deputy governor today if I am not alive. A journalist who did an investigation and wrote a report saved my life in the hands of the military.

“So, you can see the reason why I come anytime you invite me, even if it is difficult, I must show up because that is the only way I can appreciate and encourage you.”

Shaibu said his desire was to ensure that good governance is seen and felt by the people, noting that Edo is top on his agenda with a view of strengthening institutions in the state.

He added, “I am also determined to make sure that in all things, Edo must be first and I am determined to strengthen institutions. I came into politics because I felt that we should have an egalitarian society. I came into politics to make institutions strong because that is the only way you can have the society of your dreams.

“When institutions are strong, you are able to deal with those guys that thinks they are powerful, moderate their excesses, and also promote and help the weak in the society.

“Institution does not know the rich, strong or the poor, it takes care of all strata of life. That is what I stand for, that is why I joined politics.

“That is why I have sacrificed a lot of things to make sure that Edo works. I even sacrificed my personal entitlement to make sure this institution works and in the coming weeks, I will give a stewardship of what I have done as deputy governor from 2016 to date.

“Very soon, there is going to be a world press conference to give my stewardship as deputy governor. And by the time I am done, Edo would have seen the level of sacrifice that some of us have made as deputy governor of Edo State.”

FG, BOI to disburse N75bn loan to MSMEs in 2024.

FG, BOI to disburse N75bn loan to MSMEs in 2024.

The Office of the Vice President on Tuesday said it would commence the disbursement of loans to Micro Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in collaboration with the Bank of Industry in January 2024.

“The loans totaling about N75bn will be given to small businesses nationwide at an interest rate of 9 per cent,” a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation & MSMEs, in the Office of the Vice President, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, revealed Tuesday.

The statement is titled ‘BOI-FG single digit loans for MSMEs to commence Jan 2024.’

Adekunle-Johnson said the FG and the Bank will leverage existing platforms to provide loans to small businesses, targeting women and youths.

He added that the Tinubu-led government has collaborated with stakeholders across the public and private sectors to provide massive support for MSMEs both in grants and loans in the past.

The Presidential aide cited the recent upward review of the Access Bank loan scheme for MSMEs from N30bn to N50bn.

“The upward review, according to the bank, is to increase the number of beneficiaries of the bank’s loan scheme and impact more livelihoods,” he stated.

Makinde presents staff of office to new Soun of Ogbomoso.

Makinde presents staff of office to new Soun of Ogbomoso.

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, presented the Instrument of Office and Staff of Office to the new Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Olaoye at Ogbomoso Township Stadium in Ogbomoso.

It was reported that Makinde had approved the selection of Oba Olaoye from Olaoye Ruling House, on September 2; while the kingmakers in the ancient town led by the Areago of Ogbomoso, High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin, installed him, on September 8, as the new Soun of Ogbomosoland.

Makinde, while presenting the staff of office to the new Soun, said, “I will now hand over the Instrument of Office and Staff of Office to Oba Ghandi Olaoye, Orumogege III.”

In his acceptance speech, Oba Olaoye said, “My service is premised on a clear vision. I am very aware of the words that the wisest of Kings recorded for us in the book of Proverbs that without a vision, the people perish.

“My vision for a prosperous and peaceful Ogbomosholand rests on a detailed 25-year plan, to be unveiled in the coming months. I promise to serve this vision with all I have, the relationships I have built over the years here in Nigeria and abroad, the experience I have garnered from running several successful businesses, and the skills garnered from more than 30 years of pastoring churches and other pastors. As I have said on several occasions, I have stopped being a church pastor and now become a shepherd of a people”, Oba Olaoye assured.

The monarch, therefore, urged other contestants to join hands with him to move the town forward.

Among the dignitaries at the presentation included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja III, Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, immediate past Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, former Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed, and a host of other eminent Nigerians.

Ekiti Govt Commits N2bn for Massive Upgrading of Schools — Deputy Governor.

Ekiti Govt Commits N2bn for Massive Upgrading of Schools — Deputy Governor.

......Solicits collaborative efforts for human capital devt.

Being part of the aggressive actions of the current government to revamp education sector, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, today revealed that a staggering sum of N2 billion was committed by Biodun Oyebanji's government for renovation and upgrading of schools .

Mrs Afuye added that government, has also been widening the scope of healthcare delivery and universal health coverage through great investments in primary healthcare cadre to mitigate the scourges of maternal and child mortality, low life expectancy and untimely death. 

The Deputy Governor said these in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, at a stakeholders' sensitization workshop on the implementation of Human Capital Development in the state.

Mrs Afuye, according to a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the fact that Governor Oyebanji makes Human capital Development Pillar III of his policy- thrust, substantiated how desirous the government was to develop the productive population.

The Deputy Governor saluted the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) for release the first tranche of funds to Ekiti through the National office of Human Capital Development Programme to begin life-changing projects in some critical sectors . 

She said the heartwarming indexes the government is recording in education, health and human capital development , were clear and well amplified testimonies to the huge investment being made by government in those critical areas of the economy.

The Deputy Governor, said: "As a serious government, adequate attention must be given to healthcare, nutrition , quality education, skills and jobs provision. If care is not taken, idle youth population portend an increased risk of social instability.

"Therefore all hands must be on deck to invest in relevant skills as we provide good paying jobs and opportunities. As you are aware human capital development is pillar III of this administration with the hallmark to provide quality education and equip our children. 

"Over N2bn was committed for the massive renovation and upgrade of schools throughout the 16LGs and 18LCDAs of the state to make learning environment more conducive for both teachers and students.

"Between January and now, the current government, had injected 1500 teachers to primary and 500 to secondary schools. We want to assure you that we will continue to invest in Human Capital Development".

The Deputy Governor revealed further that the government has demonstrated significant commitment to boosting universal health coverage, unfettered access to family planning, antenatal care delivery, free treatment for under five children and free malaria treatment for all. 

"The current government had also approved payment of new salary structures for health workers in the primary healthcare development cadre to serve as morale booster".

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Human Capital Development (HCD), Hon. Gbenga Agbeyo, said the National office of the body was established in 2018 under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari , sequel to poor rating of Nigeria by World Bank in terms of HCD.

Agbeyo stated that the government of Governor Oyebanji has been taking proactive actions to put Ekiti on the world map of progressive states in job provision, access to quality education and wealth creation.

The Special Adviser stressed the state's readiness to synregise with the Southwest HCD Regional Consultant deployed to Ekiti, Mr. Adedayo Adeyanju to uplift Ekiti in the sectors captured under HCD.

Families of Fallen Heroes Deserve Empathy, Solidarity, Says Oyebanji.

Families of Fallen Heroes Deserve Empathy, Solidarity, Says Oyebanji.

..….as Governor, exco members, service chiefs launch armed forces emblem fund.

The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in Tuesday charged all Nigerians to express sympathies for those who died or suffered disabilities at the war fronts while defending the territorial integrity of the Nigerian nation.

The Ekiti State Chief Executive posited that the best honour Nigerians can accord them, is supporting their distressed families to overcome those harrowing challenges and sufferings caused by the deaths of their loved ones

Oyebanji spoke during an emblem launch/ appeal fund in commemoration of the 2024 Armed Remembrance Day in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

Oyebanji, represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, described the launching as a veritable opportunity to acknowledge the roles, contributions and and selfless services of the country’s fallen heroes and the living veterans of the Armed Forces.

The Governor expressed sympathies for those who died at the war fronts or suffered any form of disabilities while working assiduously to stabilise the nation, insisting that the country must exhibit huge appreciation to them.

“As people, we cannot overcelebrate our armed forces personnel, living or fallen, serving or retired, because of the contributions to national unity and security.

“Some of these Patriots returned from wars with injuries and medical challenges, thereby leaving their families to face hardship and depression and sometimes, live in abject poverty.

“As I speak, I am sure of the fact that thousands of military personnel are stationed across the country and beyond, preserving and protecting peace in the name of Nigeria. The bravery and vigilance of these officers must never be forgotten.

“Therefore, our gathering here is not only to celebrate the fallen heroes, but to also raise funds to assist the immediate families of the war veterans.

“As good citizens of this country, our concern and aspiration should be geared toward sustaining our peaceful coexistence. The adverse effect of war and unrest cannot be quantified as some of the damages and wounds caused by civil war and other violent occurrences in the country are still fresh with us.

Harping on the need for sustainable peace in Nigeria and his unflagging commitment to issue of security in Ekiti, Oyebanji stated that the focus and kernel of his administartion and policy thrust place high priority on security of lives and property.

Oyebanji added: “Since the inception of this administration, one of our major tasks is security of lives and property in the state. As much as you can witness, this administration has continued to improve on the security and we will not be deterred in sustaining the existing peace”.

The governor appealed to Nigerians to place priority on peace and refrain from acts that could stoke the fire of acrimony or unrest to allow the peace-building mission of this current administration be fully realisable.

In his address, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Col. Atoki Abdurasaq (rtd), said Nigeria should continue to honour those galant soldiers, who sacrificed their lives, comforts and dedicated their energies to keep the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation.

“The emblem launch is aimed at raising funds in supporting the families of those who died at the warfronts, while fighting for our nation. This is the best honour we can do for their families, so that their efforts won’t be in vain”.

At the occasion, Governor Oyebanji, his Deputy, members of the State Executive Council, Local Government Chairmen and the service Chiefs, donated to the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem/Appeal Fund.

Ondo raises N900m from motorcycle, tricycle riders in 11 months.

Ondo raises N900m from motorcycle, tricycle riders in 11 months.

ODIRS Office, Akure.

The Ondo State Government said it has so far generated N900m from the sales of tickets to commercial motorcyclists and tricyclists across the state.

The government hoped to make over N1 billion before the end of December 2023.

The Chairman of the state Internal Revenue Service, Mr Tolu Adegbie, stated this on Monday at the 2023 raffle draw ceremony for commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators in the state which was held in Akure.

Adegbie, however, noted that the state recorded a revenue shortfall compared to 2022 when it generated N1 billion between January and November, attributing the decline to some factors which included naira scarcity problem experienced in the early part of the year and the removal of fuel subsidy.

He said, “A sum of N900 million has been generated compared to last year. I mean from January to November, we’ve generated about N900 million. Meanwhile, this time last year, January to November, we had done N1 billion. This is for motorcycles and tricycles, but the bulk is from motorcycles.

“For the tricycle, they are doing roughly about N250 – N350 million which is not much. That is why we are giving out more gifts to the motorcyclists. We’ve charged the tricycle owners, even fewer in number, to increase their performance.”

He expressed optimism that by the end of this month (December), the revenue generated from motorcycle and tricycle owners will be over N1 billion.

Earlier, in his remarks, the Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Special Duty and Strategy, Doyin Odebowale, explained that when the present government came on board, the revenue being generated from commercial motorcyclists was about N400,000 in a month and N4.8million in a year. In 2018, Akeredolu administration was able to generate N350 million.

At the programme various items ranging from motorcycles, bags of rice, among others were gifted to operators by the ODIRS, to appreciate their commitment.