Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu has pledged his loyalty to his principal, Godwin Obaseki despite the rift between them.

He, however, noted that loyalty has nothing to do with his ambition to become the governor of Edo state.

Shaibu who spoke on Sunday at the 32nd anniversary of Edo State, held at the New Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, Edo State, described the governor as his elder brother.

This is coming following weeks of dispute between the governor and his deputy. The deputy had gone to a Federal High Court in Abuja and obtained an injunction to stop the governor and state assembly from plots to impeach him.

Obaseki on his part had expressed shock at his deputy’s action and accused him of plotting a coup against him.

Shaibu, however, said, “My loyalty to the governor remains absolute. I see that everybody is in solidarity. I am also in solidarity with the governor. I am also declaring my unalloyed loyalty to the governor and nothing more.”

“As for the issues that are around town when I was away, I really would not want to talk about them, especially about the governor. He is my elder brother and boss and I don’t think I should talk about anything.

“And if I have issues with him, I think it is better settled at home and not in the media. I am well brought up.

“I can tell you that from my Christian background if you make a vow with God that you want to do something, you must fulfill it. And the vow I have taken with God is that I will continue to support Godwin Obaseki as the governor of Edo State from the beginning to the end.

“But that does not stop anything that has to do with ambition. Ambition is personal and it does not affect loyalty. My loyalty to the governor remains absolute. I see that everybody is doing solidarity. I am also in solidarity with the governor. I am also declaring my unalloyed solidarity and loyalty to the governor and nothing more.”

Few hours after a statement personally signed by her stating that she has acted within the law for being a minister while still observing her mandatory one year national youth service, Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has disowned the statement.

A terse statement released by Suleiman Haruna, who’s the Deputy Director, Press at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation said the Minister has not authorised any statement.

A statement earlier issued and signed by her noted that, “In a decided case before a Federal High Court Abuja in 2021, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ruled that the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the grundnorm, does not require anyone to even present a first-degree certificate or any other certificate, including the NYSC certificate to be appointed a Minister in Nigeria.”

She had frowned at what she called a barrage of attacks on her person stressing that, “I decided to participate in the current NYSC programme in fulfilment of my own personal commitment and out of sense of duty which I am proud of.

But in a fresh statement authored by Haruna titled STATEMENT FROM BARR. HANNATU MUSA MUSAWA, HON. MINISTER OF ART, CULTURE AND CREATIVE ECONOMY, it clarified that “The piece is inaccurately associated with her in relation to the current NYSC discussion.”

The statement read in part, “The Minister clarifies that she has not released any official statement regarding the aforementioned matter and kindly asks the public to be cautious of unverified information.”

The statement added that she deeply values and appreciates “the support, solidarity, and understanding of Nigerians in these times.

“For clarity, I wish to state that I have not issued any statement on the current issue,” the statement quoting the Minister said.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has sarcastically extolled the educational ingenuity of President Bola Tinubu.

This is coming amid the latest waves of controversies that dog Tinubu’s academic records at Chicago State University (CSU), United States.

The issue is currently a subject of litigation after the former Vice President approached a U.S. court for an injunction to compelling CSU to release the academic records of Tinubu.

Tinubu’s credentials show that he graduated from CSU in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting and management.

However, there are obvious discrepancies in the certificate that Tinubu submitted to INEC and another one from CSU which showed that the gender of the person that attended the university was female. The year of graduation and date of birth were also different from the one being paraded by Tinubu.

Tinubu on Thursday, however, said the disparities in the two certificates were due to mistakes made by an unnamed clerk who issued them.

Taking to his Twitter account on Sunday, Atiku wondered how President Tinubu attended Chicago State University without primary and secondary education.

He said Tinubu must have been a genius to achieve such an academic feat. He called on Nigerians to help him unravel the Tinubu’s conundrum.

Atiku wrote, “I woke up this morning wondering how we got to this cul de sac. In 1999, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu claimed he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children Home School in Ibadan.

“According to him, his next port of call in his educational journey was Government College Ibadan and, Richard Daley College and Chicago State University in the United States.

“Curiously, in 2023, Tinubu settled with attending only Chicago State University. I am scratching my head. How is that possible? Methinks that all well-meaning Nigerians should be as confused as I am with Tinubu’s declaration that he had no primary and secondary education, yet he has a university degree. You may wish to #AskTinubu how he attained this feat so that we can learn from his ingenuity.”

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has lifted the suspension order slammed on the Lagos state chairman of the union, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) and other members by former president of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa.

The newly inaugurated National President of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, lifted the suspension order in an inaugural address in Abuja.

He explained that one of the problems created by the former administration of Alhaji Baruwa was the arbitrary suspension and expulsion of members he considered his enemies.

“One of the main problems created by Baruwa was the arbitrary suspension and expulsion of members perceived as his enemies. Through this, he destroyed the union, especially in the southwest. So, I, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, on behalf of other members of my executive, leaders and members of our union throughout the country, hereby lift the illegal suspension of our esteemed members throughout the country.

“Of particular concern is the suspension of Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, the Lagos state chairman of f our union. He was unfairly treated by Alhaji Baruwa. It was a pure case of misuse of power . We hereby appeal to Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya to come back home. NURTW is one big family and that is where you belong”

Alhaji Agbede stated that he would try and ensure that all the State councils of the union currently under the state owned Park and Garages Committee return back to NURTW.

” By the special grace of God, we shall be meeting all the governors in southwest for discussion on how to work together. We will cooperate with them in Oyo, Ogun,Osun, Lagos,Ondo and Ekiti to get our union back on track. It is a new dawn in NURTW”.

On other plans, he said the union under his leadership will work closely with the federal government to ensure that people get benefit from government programs.

” I have worked with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu before and it was beneficial so now that we are both at the national level we shall replicate some things we did in Lagos. For instance, we took part in the success story of BRT program and some of LAMATA projects. We shall replicate the same thing at the federal level.”

President Bola Tinubu says servicing Nigeria’s external debt with 90 percent of the country’s revenue is not sustainable.

Tinubu made the comment on Sunday in Abuja while declaring open the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

On May 19, 2023, KPMG projected that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio may exceed 100 percent this year. The Debt Management Office (DMO) later pegged the figure at 73.5 percent, describing it as unsustainable and a threat.

Prior to these projections, Nigeria had spent 80.6 percent of its revenue on debts serving with the hope that it would plunge to 60 percent this year.

Speaking at the conference, the president described the high debt service-to-revenue ratio as “a path to destruction”.

He stated that the prosperity Nigerians require will only occur once the society is rid of poverty — with the cooperation of the country’s private sector leaders.

“Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable,” Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s media adviser, quoted Tinubu as saying in a statement.

“We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world.

“We cannot have the country we desire without the reforms we have initiated. It is painful at the beginning, in the short and medium term, but we must do what we have to do to take this nation to its great destiny. It is not about you and it is not about me. It is about our generations yet unborn, for whom we must bequeath a great and prosperous country.”

Tinubu also gave assurances of his commitment to dealing with the issue of remuneration for judicial officers and legal practitioners, stating that “true justice reform must begin with world-class salaries and benefits for legal professionals in Nigeria”.

He said Nigerians complain a lot about the past instead of changing their attitude and working with determination.

“You are learned. I want to learn. Why are we so blessed and we are still lacking? We must have a change of attitude and a change of our mindset. We accuse our nation and its previous leaders. We complain a lot of the past. Is that the solution? No! Let us look forward and be determined!” the president said.

The conference, themed, ‘Getting it Right: Charting the Course for Nigeria’s Nation-Building’, had over 16,000 lawyers in attendance.

Those present at the event include Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation; Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president; Nyesom Wike, minister for the federal capital territory.

Others are John Enoh, minister of sports; Boss Mustapha, former secretary to the government of the federation, and other senior government officials.

Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, says he won’t stop speaking truth to power no matter whose ox is gored.

This is as he said that federal government wants to drown out his voice with its cacophony of deceit over his position on the fuel subsidy removal.

Recall that Obaseki had expressed shock at the seeming lack of plan by the administration of President Bola Tinubu for post-subsidy removal.

Responding to this, Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, said the federal government understands the difficulty Nigerians are facing following the petrol subsidy removal.

FCT minister: Wike unhappy with congratulatory billboards, advertorials in his honour
The minister added that Obaseki was trying to shift focus away from his “poor performance” at state level and also claimed that the governor was absent in NEC meetings under the current administration.

In a statement on Sunday, Chris Nehikhare, the Edo commissioner for communication and orientation, the Edo government said it was unfortunate that the federal government wants to gag Obaseki over his opinion on subsidy.

Nehikhare described the minister’s claim as “blatantly false”, and that records are available to show that the governor was not absent at these meetings.

“It is unfortunate and sad that the federal government now wants to gag citizens and even a popularly elected governor from speaking truth to power and expressing himself in the light of the perilous times we have fallen into,” the commissioner said.

“The claim that governor Godwin Obaseki failed to attend the National Economic Council (NEC) meetings is blatantly false. The governor has attended all NEC meetings since the onset of this administration and records are there to prove this fact.

“The area where the minister may be referring to as non-performance should be the condition of the extensive federal roads running through the state, which the federal government has abandoned and even prevented us from intervening to repair claiming that contracts for their repairs have been awarded.”

The commissioner cited the recent achievements of the state in areas of education, agriculture and technology, adding that records of Edo state government’s performance are available for Nigerians to verify.

Lagos State government has warned motorists against covering number plates without authorisation, use of faded number plates, use of damaged number plates, misuse of the number plate, and non-use of the number plate.

The state government noted that the use of defective vehicle registration number plates on Lagos roads and those without any number fixed on their vehicles is against Sections 15 and 16 of the state’s Transport Reform Law 2018.

The warning was given by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola over the weekend.

Citing Section 16 of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, (TSRL) 2018, Toriola reiterated that, ‘A person, who drives a vehicle that is not registered, or does not have affixed identification mark in the prescribed manner, commits an offence’.

Highlighting the need for vehicles to be properly registered with number plates, the Permanent Secretary opined that a no-number vehicle can be used to commit crimes that may never be tracked.

“The purpose of using number plate is for proper identification and security as it is personalised for each vehicle”, he started.

Toriola explained that the use of private number plates for commercial vehicles and otherwise also violates the TSRL, 2018.

The Permanent Secretary advised individuals who are at the moment not willing to register their vehicles for one reason or the other, to contact the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, (MVAA) of the state for the issuance of a Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT) in line with section 193 of the TSRL, 2018 pending their final decision on permanent registration or otherwise.

Toriola who stressed that the law enforcement agencies have the mandate to apprehend defaulters, urged vehicle owners to comply with the state government to strengthen the security architecture already put in place.

The Government of Cameroon has notified the Federal Government of it’s plan to open the Lagdo Dam so as to reduce the level of water caused by the persistent rain in Cameroun.

The notification was sent to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) through a letter signed by Umar Salisu, the Ministry’s Director of African Affairs in Cameroon

The alert issued by the ministry of foreign affairs on August 21 said the Cameroonian government plans to “open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River in days ahead.”

This, it said, is due to the heavy rainfall around the dam catchment area in Northern Cameroon.

According to Salisu, the Cameroonian authorities will be releasing “only modulated variable small amount of water at a time”.

This is in order to mitigate and avoid damages that the released water may cause along the River Benue basin in both Cameroon and in Nigeria.

The ministry, urged NEMA to take precautionary measures in order to reduce damages.

The letter added, “It would be appreciated if the esteemed agency takes all the necessary proactive steps and actions that will mitigate the damage as well as sensitise the populace living in such areas for vigilance and all necessary precautions. “

The ministry also urged residents of the affected areas to remain calm and to follow the instructions of the authorities.

Due to the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in the past, many Nigerian communities along the courses of River Niger and River Benue have been affected by flood.

At least, flooding killed more than 300 persons, injured 500 persons and displaced 100,000 others in 2022, according to records disclosed by the National Emergency Management Agency.

The Kaduna State Command of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, says its operatives have arrested 84 suspects and seized 451.976kg of illicit drugs in Kaduna.

The state Commander, NDLEA, Mr Ibrahim Braji, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Kaduna, that the arrest and the seizure were made in July.

Braji said within the period under review, the command secured six convictions of suspects.

The commander said the various drugs seized included Indian Hemp, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Tramadol and other Psychotropic substances.

“Grand total weight of drug seized within the period under review is 451.976kg.

The commander also disclosed that its operatives also recovered 90 rounds of live ammunition; Live bullets of 7.62mm calibres and a new Jojef pump action gun with registration number 23-0174.

“Within the month under review, 18 illicit drug joints have been dismantled across the state which included Kantin Agah, Hayin Dan-mani, Mando, Anguwan Dosa, Mararabar Rido, Tukur-Tukur and Sabon Gari.

Others are Palladan, Unguwar Doki, Mekera, Rigasa, Dan Daura, Karji, Ghana road, Television, Unguwar Ma’azu, Kudenden and Jushi.

Braji appealed to parents to watch over their children and know the kind of friends they associated with at all times.

He warned illegal drug dealers to look for better livelihood, adding that if they refused, the agency would go after them and ensure they faced the full wrath of the law.

NAN

Some political and civil society groups have said the Labour Party has assumed the status of the major opposition party in Nigeria and not the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, any longer.

They made their positions known on Sunday in separate interviews with THE WHISTLER.

The PDP came to power in 1999, when Nigeria returned to civil rule, and retained the presidency for 16 years until 2015 when it lost to the APC.

Yet, eight years after the APC took power, many Nigerians believe PDP has not discharged its role as the main opposition party effectively.

Secretary-General of the Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) Willy Ezugwu, in an interview with THE WHISTLER, described the PDP as opposition in theory and not in practice.

Ezugwu noted that the PDP has ceded the status of the main opposition party to the Labour Party (LP).

The LP was regarded as one of the parties that merely made up the numbers on INEC’s list of registered political parties until Peter Obi, a former PDP chieftain, joined just before the 2023 general elections.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER, Ezugwu said, “PDP is not playing any opposition. The party is in total disarray. They are not one body; They are not together.

“It is quite unfortunate because PDP is supposed to be a viable, strong opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). I can even say it is the Labour Party (LP) that is now the major opposition party.”

A stalwart of the PDP, former Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, who led an intra-party revolt against the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar before and during the 2023 general elections, has just been appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by President Bola Tinubu.

Wike had claimed that PDP leaders approved his involvement in the Tibubu-led APC government.

He also revealed that PDP governors nominated persons for appointment by Tinubu.

Ezugwu described the development as unfortunate, adding that the PDP’s failure to effectively challenge the APC was not in the interest of Nigeria’s democracy.

“You know in Nigeria all the political parties usually flock around the ruling party, which is not right. That is not how to grow democracy. In every democracy, there must be a strong opposition to make the government sit up.

“As things stand now, PDP is the opposition in theory not in practice.

“Even before the election it was clear that the PDP was totally divided – the former chairman of the party (Iyorchia Ayu) was not genuine. He was behaving like somebody who was working for a master instead of the party and that is why most of the governors fell out with the party, particularly PDP governors in the southern part of the country.”

Ezugwu blamed insincerity for the failure of PDP leaders to reconcile with the G5 governors even after the presidential election.

Led by Wike, the G5 governors, including Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), did not support Atiku during the election after Ayu refused to accede to their demand that he should resign as national chairman.

Ezugwu added, “That is how they started having a major problem and unfortunately they couldn’t come together until after the elections. And even after the elections, if they were sincere to themselves they would have been able to mend fences but they could not.

“Is it Wike that has now taken appointment from the APC government that you will now expect to go back to being a PDP member 100 per cent? It is not possible. The same applies to Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Ortom, and Makinde.

“So it is very unfortunate that PDP couldn’t show a good example of an opposition party.”

An activist, Deji Adeyanju, and a former senator from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani, also questioned PDP’s status as an opposition party after Wike’s revelations on the party’s leaders’ alleged romance with the ruling APC.

Adeyanju described the PDP as ‘useless’, while Sani said the party has no business challenging Tinubu’s election in court.

Also speaking with THE WHISTLER, an activist, Olu Omotayo, President, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), suggested that the PDP has not provided effective opposition to the APC because the party’s attention is focused more on the outcome of the suit is filed to challenge Tinubu’s victory before the presidential election petition tribunal.

Omotayo expressed hopes that, after the tribunal delivers its verdict, the party will provide more constructive opposition to the government, depending on the outcome of the judgement.

“Attention is focused more on the court now than on issues of governance and what is happening in the country. So maybe I think after the tribunal has delivered its verdict, we will start seeing more constructive criticism of government policy from the PDP.

“The two major opposition political parties (PDP and LP) are focusing on what is happening in court for now and I think that is why we have not seen much in terms of constructive opposition,” Omotayo said.

However, the leadership of the PDP did not respond to suggestions that the party is not effective as an opposition party.

THE WHISTLER contacted the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, to get the party’s reaction on the matter.

Asked if the PDP is discharging its role as the main opposition to the ruling APC effectively, the party’s spokesman said, “That is for you to decide, not for me. That is your judgement, you can take your position on that.”

THE WHISTLER also sought Ologunagba’s comments on Wike’s claims that the PDP leadership approved his involvement in the APC government and that PDP governors nominated individuals for appointment by Tinubu.

Ologunagba said the PDP will address the matter at the appropriate time.

“Our party will come up with a position; when we are ready we will inform you. We will always do that,” he said