A prominent Islamic Scholar based in Kaduna State, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has revealed what bandits told him their grievances are during his previous encounter with them.

Naija News reports that Sheikh Gumi has, in recent years, become actively engaged in meeting with bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers terrorising the Northern part of Nigeria, a development that some citizens have condemned.

Speaking, however, during a recent interview, Sheikh Gumi, who insisted that having a roundtable talk is the way forward with the bandits, said the ‘criminals’ have told him that their grievances are that the government displaced them from their ancestral homes.

He said they further lamented that they were being killed and bombarded by airstrikes, adding that when they surrendered, security operatives came back and picked them up and killed them in an extra-judicial manner.

“They also said the amnesty programme failed after the negotiation. Luckily for us, they are not challenging government authority. That is on the positive side, but the danger is that we have terrorists that are trying to infiltrate them. So, we either bring them to our own side or we allow the terrorists to hijack them, and certainly, that will be another story,” Sheikh Gumi told Vanguard.

He added: “The Boko Haram recently ambushed Army and killed many of them. Gorilla warfare does not end like that. We don’t want this issue of banditry to be prolonged; we want a quick solution. They have not joined the religious terrorists, and when you look at their grievances, which according to them are, no school, no social amenities, no roads, they feel they should have their share of the national cake as Nigerians.”

The Government Started The Violence

While replying to a question by the interview on why the bandits, instead of seeking negotiation with the government, resolved to violence, Sheikh Gumi said the government started the violent attack.

“First, we introduced violence to them, and they now found it as the way. Secondly, they are not schooled. They don’t reason like you and I do. How would you want somebody who is not schooled to reason like you? If you give them all the opportunity to have a good life, school, social amenities, etc., then if they come up with weapons, we can crucify them.

“So, I will advise the government to come up with a very strong committee that will look holistically into the problem. All stakeholders will be on the table, and we iron out an action plan to solve the problem, not the political gathering like the one they did in Katsina or Zamfara. No! It has to involve every one of them, and a solution will be reached.

Speaking on what his demand would be to both sides if he was to be part of the new negotiation, the renowned Islamic cleric said: “My approach to all of these is that it has to be holistic. It has to be with the military, the politicians, the traditional institutions and the religious leaders, the traditional Fulani leadership, the vigilance group, as well as the communities in the bush comprising of the women, farmers and families. If we bring all these people together with the bandits, Insha Allah, we will have fruitful and lasting solutions.

“But when people go to the government and tell them, ‘I can facilitate negotiation with the bandits,’ government should first look at their motive and their sincerity in doing this. Some of them are out to make money because they use this kind of situation to siphon money. Also, if the bandits do not see the faces they know and can really trust, it will not work because it is all about confidence.”

Sheikh Gumi noted that there are many people with different grievances in the country. He said: “I just heard from a security source that in Niger state, a few days ago, one Fulani man lost over 200 cattle. Then a bug truck loaded full of rice was attacked and confiscated, with a proviso that their cattle are released. So, it’s like attacks and counterattacks. Sometimes, it is some people seeking vengeance. It is a complex issue. We need to all come together. But if certain people persuade the government into making a negotiation without making it holistic, then it may not work. The meeting with them is no more a secret. But what I am calling for is a holistic approach to resolving all aspects of the issue. And if after such holistic meetings where all sides to the issues have been discussed and resolved, and violence continues, no one will blame the government if it decides to use the bomb to deal with them. But if you don’t give room for a wide peace meeting, you can’t do that; even God will not forgive you if you do that.”

Gumi, however, volunteered to be an adviser to those involved in the reported negotiation team, saying he could show them how to reach peace talk with the bandits.

He admonished that clerics, emirs, military officers, academicians, politicians and traditional institutions can form part of the negotiation team.

Unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova stunned Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-4 to win the Wimbledon women's singles final on Saturday.

There have been a string of surprise Grand Slam winners in a period of flux for the women's game but Wimbledon had been the exception until now, with Vondrousova taking advantage of a nervous performance from the Tunisian to claim a stunning victory.

Vondrousova climbed up the stands Pat Cash-style to hug her team in the players' box, while Jabeur sat disconsolately in her chair.

She said: "I don't know what's happening now. Ons, congratulations, you're such an inspiration for all of us, I hope you are going to win one day.

"After everything I've been through - I had a cast on this time last year - and now I can't believe I'm holding this trophy."

Vondrousova's husband Stepan, who has been at home looking after their pet cat for the last two weeks, managed to make it for the final and a double celebration.

"It's amazing, tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary," she added.

Vondrousova has a penchant for tattoos, but asked if she would be getting another to mark her achievement, she said: "I made a bet with my coach that if I won a Grand Slam he's going to get one also. I think we'll go tomorrow [Sunday].

"I think I'm going to have some beer. It's been an exhausting few weeks."

In a topsy-turvy opening set Jabeur, the sixth seed, led by a break of serve at 4-2 but was immediately broken to love by the Czech world No 42.

A bad miss from the Tunisian gave Vondrousova two more break points and another unforced error put the underdog 5-4 ahead.

Vondrousova comfortably served out to love, making just six unforced errors in a 40-minute opening set.

Jabeur's collapse continued at the start of the second set, handing Vondrousova the initiative by dropping serve in the first game.

She fought back by winning three successive games but, just as she had in the first set, Vondrousova proved too strong towards the end.

She produced a nervy display under the Centre Court roof, however, and Vondrousova, who had wrist surgery last year and missed the tournament, stayed cool to claim the title to become the first unseeded woman to win the title.

The Czech had her own supporters, including husband Stepan Simek, who had passed over the responsibility of looking after their cat Frankie to fly to London for the final.

This was not the 24-year-old's first time on such a stage having burst through as a 19-year-old at the French Open in 2019 before losing in the final to Ashleigh Barty.

Injuries had prevented her building on that, and she came to London as a tourist last summer during Wimbledon with her wrist in a cast after two operations.

Just eight months ago, she was ranked outside the top 100 and winning a title in the rather less glamorous surroundings of The Shrewsbury Club in Shropshire.

Vondrousova adds her name to the storied list of Czech Grand Slam champions including Jana Novotna, Petra Kvitova, Barbora Krejcikova, and Marketa Vondrousova.

Jabeur was bidding to become the first Arab player to win a Grand Slam title and the first African woman to win one of the four majors.

The Tunisian, last year's losing finalist as well, broke down in tears after receiving her runners-up trophy from the Princess of Wales.

"This is very tough. It's the most painful loss of my career," she said.

"Congratulations to Marketa and her team. You are an amazing player, I know you had a lot of injuries and I'm very happy for you.

"It's going to be a tough day for me today [Saturday] but I'm not going to give up. I'm going to come back stronger."

Jabeur thanked the crowd for their support and then added: "I promise I'll come back one day and win this tournament."

[Skysport]

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Saturday said that the floating of the nation’s currency had caused a drop in vehicle importation in the nation’s ports.

The agents also said that vehicles imported into the country were trapped at the ports due to the rise in exchange rate which skyrocketed vehicle duties.

They disclosed these in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Alhaji Rilwan Amuni, Taskforce Chairman of ANLCA, told NAN that the floating of the naira was inevitable because the government wanted a uniform rate.

Amuni, however, urged the government to look into other levies paid at the ports.

According to him, the challenges faced by customs agents at the ports were enormous because of the high dollar rate which hiked duties on vehicles to over 50 per cent.

“The job we used to do after the advent of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in which we charged N1.4 million, is now like N2.2 million and this has resulted in vehicles being trapped in the ports.

“Also, there has been a drop in importation because things are really biting hard,” he said.

Amuni added that the development had affected goods already imported, noting that they had no choice but to clear at the current rate.

He also urged the government to look into the levy placed on used goods, adding that they are proposing for a dialogue with the Federal Government on ways to jettison this levy so that there would be relief.

“Some people are confusing the tax that was suspended recently with the issue of levy. It is not the levy that they removed, it’s the Import Adjustment Tax that was supposed to have started.

“We are appealing to the government to remove the levy because what does a poor man derive when he buys a Corolla 2004 and pays duty and fine again? The only goods that are supposed to have levy are luxury goods.

“Maybe you are a big man and you want to ride a yacht, or helicopter, that is what they are supposed to levy not on used goods,” he said.

Contributing, Mr Michael Imonitie, the Secretary, the ANLCA TinCan chapter, said goods were not being cleared at the port due to the challenge.

Imonitie disclosed that out of 100 importers, only 20 were taking their goods out of the ports.

According to him, this means that most goods will be incurring demurrage and overtime or even abandoned.

“We all know that there is going to be a negative effect on the clearance of vehicles at the port.

“Since the government announced a uniform exchange rate, the exchange rate has risen from N422.3 to N589.55 and now N770.88 which is a pure black market rate. The exchange rate of CBN is N756/N757, government was supposed to have given us a notice of either 60 or 90 days before implementation.

“This is because a lot of importers have opened their Form M at the old exchange rate. I have not seen any importers that have done any new importation. Most of the goods in the port are old stock.

“This means that the end cost of goods will be high. If I am being forced to pay the exchange rate twice what I have paid before it means that the end users will be the ones to suffer it,” he said.

He said that the burden was on importers and being felt by the clearing agents, and the customs brokers, due to the jobs they do, and most of their clients do not have the difference to pay for the exchange rate.

“Some goods have been lying down in the port, some agents are going the extra mile to borrow money from individuals because banks have not opened the window for soft loans.

“The hardship is almost 85 per cent of what the government has imposed on us.

“The importers are sourcing the money for clearing agents because they are the ones that pay the bill, they pay terminal operators and shipping lines, and we only take our commission.

“Now, the importers are complaining and we want them to channel their complaints through the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Commerce of Nigeria because their voices need to be heard,” he said.

[Vanguard]

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says politicians should hinge their political aspirations on vision.

His media office quoted him as saying this while speaking at a funeral service held in the honour of Aniema Donald Etiebet, daughter of the late Donald Etiebet, a former senator.

The funeral was held in Abak LGA of Akwa Ibom.

While eulogizing her, Akpabio described Aniema as his “strong” supporter, who ensured that he was elected senator.

“She was a very strong supporter of mine, who had the sight and the vision of what was about to happen in the senatorial district,” he said.

“She did all she could to ensure that I emerged the senator representing the good people of Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district, which finally led to my being elected by my colleagues as the president of the 10th senate.

“Aniema was a chip off the old block. When some people who were misled, gathered at Ritman University against me, Aniema stood her ground against them.

“She invited me to her father’s house, prayed for and campaigned for me. God answered her prayers because she had the vision of a better thing for Akwa Ibom north-west senatorial district”.

[TheCable]

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) in the 2023 general elections Peter Obi has dismissed a false report against him.

Naija News reports that the Dailypost newspaper had written about a purported interview where the former Anambra governor revealed his plans to become president in 2027.

However,  in a statement released on Saturday, Obi stressed that he never granted any interview or made press remarks about plans on becoming president in 2027.

He also maintained that the report about his reaction to recent appointees into the federal government were fabricated and untrue.

The LP candidate maintained that he will continue to speak on tropical national issues via recognized news and media outfits, adding that his focus and that of the Obidents movement is keen on creating the new Nigeria.

His statement reads: “I have noticed with dismay, an emerging pattern where fake media reports and news items are predicated on interviews and press remarks I never granted. Two recent instances relate to my saying that I am looking forward to running for office in 2027 on a supposed Arise TV interview that never took place.

“The other is about my reaction to prospective appointees into the Federal Government. Both reports are bogus. Regrettably, our politics have sunken to this abysmal level where manipulation of the media space is now a trade.

“For me, I shall continue to speak on topical national issues via recognized news and media outfits. But I  certainly will not concern myself with cheap distractive trolls. My focus and that of the Obidient Movement will not derail from the original mission of creating a new

“Nigeria, which we believe is POssible. Our emphasis has never been on political positions or personal aggrandizement, but on putting the nation on the right footing and deepening our democracy by helping to elevate and empower the downtrodden in our society.

“That was why our messages during the electioneering campaigns were all issue-driven.”

[NaijaNews]

A legal practitioner and social critic, Inibehe Effiong, has alleged that the Department of State Services, DSS, is a political tool in the hands of every Aso Rock occupant.

He added that the secret police is notorious for bungling cases and creating needless political tensions.

In a statement via his Twitter handle on Saturday, Effiong claimed the DSS, also known as the State Security Service, SSS, needs to rethink its involvement in cases, insisting it is embarrassing.

His statement followed a report that the Federal Government had filed a charge against the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, at the Federal High Court, boardering on illegal possession of firearms.

The human rights lawyer stated that illegal possession of firearms is a crime for the police, noting that it is ridiculous to detain Emefiele for one month only to come up with the charge.

He added, “it seems the suspension and arrest of Emefiele were not propelled by any interest in holding him accountable for mismanagement of public resources, but a political vendetta.”

He wrote, “The SSS has taken Nigerians for granted again. I’m upset about the two-count charge filed against suspended CBN Governor, Emefiele.

“Illegal possession of firearms without more is a crime for the police. It’s ridiculous to detain Emefiele for one month only to come up with this.

“I have always maintained the position that the SSS is essentially a political tool in the hands of every occupant of Aso Rock. They are notorious for bungling cases and creating needless political tensions. The SSS needs to rethink its involvement in cases. It’s embarrassing.

“The Naira redesign policy is not a crime, and it is immaterial whether it was properly implemented or not. It seems the suspension and arrest of Emefiele were not propelled by any interest in holding him accountable for mismanagement of public resources but a political vendetta.

“Where are the charges on terrorism financing?

“Why is Mr. Tinubu handling this case like this?

“Many Nigerians supported Emefiele’s suspension because he made nonsense of the CBN’s regulatory processes and independence. We wanted better monetary policies from the CBN.

“However, with the way the case is going, it appears that the government has a different agenda.”

[DailyPost]

As the story of the non-guilty verdict of Benjamin Mendy fills the air today, down here in Nigeria, a Magistrate Court sitting in Kaura, Nasarawa state also today found one Josiah Moses not guilty of rape allegations he was accused of in 2019 after he had spent about four years in prison before he was found not guilty and released today.

Benjamin Mendy, the former Manchester City football star was in October 2022 accused of raping a 24-year-old woman, similarly, a 29 years old woman also alleged that the football star molested and attempted to rape her two years earlier. He was found innocent of the rape and the attempted rape allegations and was released today after months of being behind bars.

Well, Benjamin Mendy and Josiah Moses who were both found not guilty and released today were even fortunate enough to not have lost their lives from the ordeal, unlike one late Izu who could not take the framing and accusations and was forced to take his life in 2020. The story of Izu is always evergreen in my memory, a budding fashion designer in his early 20s. His name was added to the list of rapists that was circulated on Twitter. He reached out to the compilers of the list to clear his name, his accuser confirmed that Izu never raped or attempted to rape her but she won’t take his name off the list of rapists. Izu could not take it anymore and he had to commit suicide to end it all.

Understandably, it is a societal thing that when it involves rape everyone gets sentimental and emotional and sides with the accuser or the presumed victim while the accused person loses the benefit of doubt or the presumption of innocence as provided by the Constitution. Immediately you are accused of rape, there is the likelihood that everyone, including the investigators and prosecutors, even your family and friends will believe your accuser over you, even when you are framed.

As a lawyer, I cannot count how many persons I have encountered who are languishing in prison detention for false rape accusations. Some are still in prison because they are indigent and cannot afford a lawyer to help them out, in fact, Josiah Moses was not able to afford a lawyer, he was represented pro bono. Just imagine if our office had not come along to represent him free of charge he wouldn’t have been out yet.

People like the late Izu have lost their lives by being falsely accused of rape, people like Benjamin Mendy will forever have their lives and careers ruined, and people like Josiah Moses suffered and lost a whole four years of his life; all these incidents and many more poses the question, whether there is a punishment for false rape accusers, if there is, is it commensurate or stringent enough to deter mischief makers from falsely accusing persons of rape?

As the punishment for rape in most jurisdictions of the world is a life sentence, nobody cares if you are framed or not, if you are not able to prove that you didn’t do it you will be jailed for life for something that you didn’t do, the same way should the punishment for false accusation of rape attract a life jail term but no, that is not the case; in the UK the accusers of Benjamin Mendy is likely going to pay just £2000 as a fine and or some months in jail and that will be it while back home in Nigeria, there is no provision for any punishment not even monetary fine against the false accusers of Josiah Moses. The worst he can do is to seek monetary compensation from the state and not from his accuser since it is the state that prosecuted him.

Nigerian laws should be amended to provide punishment for false rape accusers, not just some punishment but a stringent one. Lying under oath to incriminate a person itself is perjury which is a crime punishable with at least 14 years jail term as provided in S. 118 of the criminal code act and if the perjurer lies to incriminate a person for an offense punishable with a death sentence or life sentence, the accuser is to be punished with life jail term. False rape accusers should be prosecuted under the provisions of section 118 of the criminal code since they lied under oath to incriminate another, but this is yet to be the case.

Aside from false rape accusers being prosecuted for perjury and sent to jail, they should as well be made to pay substantial monetary compensation to the accused, compensating him for the stain on his name and for the lost time. The name of a false rape accuser should as well be on public record so that anyone interested can access and see it.

Once people are aware that if you accuse someone of rape and it ends up being a false accusation, you will be made to pay heavily for it, there will be little or no false rape accusations and innocent persons won’t be losing their lives and be sent to jail for something they did not do.

As a disclaimer, I as an individual and also as a legal practitioner condemns rape in its totality and I believe that no punishment melted on a rapist is enough but my submission is while rapists are being punished, false rape accusers should as well be punished, with that we can minimize the case of false rape accusations which are most times concocted as a vendetta by scorned lovers or angry exes. The side effect no doubt is that it may discourage genuine rape victims to come forward but as a principle of natural Justice postulates that it is better and more satisfactory for ten guilty persons to go free than one innocent person to be punished, we can live with rapists going scot free than innocent people falsely accused being punished for the offence they didn’t commit.

Stan Alieke is a legal practitioner. 

Speculations have emerged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other senators, including Adeola Yayi, allegedly padded President Bola Tinubu’s palliative budget with over N200 billion.

According to SaharaReporters, the Senate President and some of his colleagues allegedly took advantage of the amendment of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act to pad the budget by over N200 billion.

Naija News recalls that the Senate on Thursday approved Tinubu’s request to appropriate N500 billion for palliatives to cushion the effects of the removal of the petrol subsidy on Nigerians.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), who sponsored the motion which was given accelerated passage by the Senate, had said, “Mr. President, my highly esteemed colleagues, permit me to lead the Debate on this very important Bill which seeks to authorize the issuance of the sum of Five Hundred Billion (N500, 000, 000, 000.00 Naira only

“This sum has been extracted from the 2022 Supplementary Appropriations Act of Eight Hundred and Nineteen Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Eighth Hundred and Fifteen (819, 536, 937, 815.00) Naira only for the provision of Palliatives to Nigerians to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.”

The Senate followed an earlier approval by the House of Representatives, to amend the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.

The N500 billion will be taken from the N819 billion Supplementary Appropriation Act.

However, sources have disclosed to SaharaReporters that Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District), Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau (Kano North Senatorial District), and Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly called Yayi (Ogun West Senatorial District) were the significant architects of the budget padding.

One of the sources said, “Akpabio and Adeola Yayi inserted over N200 billion into Tinubu’s palliative budget. They padded in more than N200 billion in the amended 2022 supplementary budget.”

Another source also revealed that some senators, including the Chief Whip, Ali Ndume (Borno South), opposed the act

“Senator Ali Ndume and others opposed it vehemently. Many senators walked out, but Senator Akpabio still went ahead and passed the fraud.

“Akpabio, Senator Jibrin Barau, and Senator Adeola Yayi are the major architects of the budget padding,” another source said.

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters show how funds were allocated under the column -2022 supplementary amendment (New amount) for projects that hitherto had no allocations under column – 2022 supplementary bill (Amount).

For instance, N1 billion was suddenly earmarked for the “supply of Tricycles (Keke NAPEP) to the underprivileged in the society,” N2 billion was allocated to the “construction of public buildings in various communities and villages,” N4 billion was earmarked for rehabilitation and construction of selected critical roads while N2 billion was allocated for the “construction of block of 3 classrooms with furniture and toilet, construction and furnishing of skills acquisition centres and construction of primary healthcare centres with furniture in some selected communities and towns”.

Other include N500 million for the construction of Edi Road, Sabo Market and Ilaro Township Road, Yewa South, Ogun State; N1 billion for the construction of roads in Imeko, Afon, Iwoye, and Obada, Ogun State; N1 billion for the construction of Ilashe-Agbara Road, Agbara Ado Odo-Ota in Ogun; N1 billion for the construction of market square -Fadama Ring Road, Imasayi, Yewa North and Ota Lafenwa Road section 1, Ota, Ogun State.

N800 million for police barracks, Old Baggage Link Road, Ode Ogun Idiroko, Ogun State

-N700 million for the construction of some rural roads in Ikot Ekpene LGA, Akwa Ibom, to enhance agricultural output

-N1.25 billion for the construction of some rural roads in Essien Udim LGA to improve farm produce

N1.25 billion for the construction of Afama Ikot Ebak, Ikot Akpan Essiet, Ura Kpan Ikot Ukpang, and Ikot Ebie OkonRoads to boost agricultural output N1.25 billion

-N400 million for the construction of Ibi Akpan-Not Akan/Old Federal Government College Roads to boost farm produce.

-N1.25 billion for the construction of some rural roads in Abiakpo Ikot Essien-Ikono to ease the movement of farm produce.

N1.25 billion for the construction of some rural roads in Abiakpo Ikot Essien-Ikono to ease the movement of farm produce-N1 billion for enhancing agricultural output by constructing all-in-one solar street lights on some roads in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Abak LGA and Essien Udim.

N2 billion for the repair of flood-prone sections along the Abuja-Keffi expressway (Abuja bound) from Km 0+000 – Km 9+400 and construction of township road in Bare-Bari Bauya and Lailai in Yobe State-N1 billion for the supply of brand-new Toyota/Lexus Jeeps-N1 billion for the supply and installation of 300 KVA/500KVA transformers and electrification in selected towns and villages-N2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of critical roads in south-south and southeast of the country-N2.5 billion for the construction and maintenance of critical roads linking selected towns-N2.5 billion for the provision of 3 x 300 KVA solar mini-grid and solar streetlights in selected communities-N3 billion for mini-grid and other solar-powered installations on selected locations and roads

-N3 billion for the construction of roads and other infrastructure in some selected areas -N3 billion for the reconstruction/construction of classrooms and provision of furniture in areas affected by flood and some selected areas-N2 billion to repairs on flood-prone sections along Abuja-Keffi Expressway-N900 million for the rehabilitation of Dan Fodiyo Teaching Hospital Annex Argungu Phase 1 in Kebbi State-N1 billion for the construction of Section I of Iyin-Ilawe Ekiti State-N1 billion for the construction of Section II of Iyin-Ilawe Ekiti State-N1 billion for the construction of inner roads in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State-N1 billion for the construction of inner roads in Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti State-N70 billion for the provision of operational vehicles for members, office equipment, furniture fittings and other capital items for the 10th National Assembly.

The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday, urged wives of the 36 state governors to use their positions meaningfully.

Mrs Tinubu urged the governor’s wives to use the position they are in to positively impact not only the lives of people in their states but also that of other Nigerians.

The First Lady gave the advise when she hosted the wives of the 36 state governors.

Her meeting with the governor’s wives was to formally introduce and acquaint them with the objectives and the mission of the Renewed Hope Initiative.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mrs Tinubu’s spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi, titled, ‘First Lady Sen Oluremi Tinubu CON meets with Wives of Governors on Renewed Hope Initiative’.

While congratulating the wives of the governors on the successful conduct of the 2023 elections which brought their husbands to office, Mrs Tinubu reminded them that it is time to keep promises made during the elections.

She said she would require the support of the wives of the state governors to reach every nook and cranny of the country.

The First Lady assured the governors’ wives that the RHI will not interfere with their personal programmes and projects, adding that their support would be impactful.

She said, “I wish to remind each of us that the exalted positions we are in today should be seen as an opportunity to impact more meaningfully, not only in the lives of people in your states but Nigeria as a whole”.

While speaking with journalists after the meeting, the wife of Kwara State Governor, Amb. Olufolake Abdulrazak assured Tinubu of her willingness and commitment of the wives of the governors to support RHI.

She said they would go back and elect zonal coordinators to ensure that the grassroots are reached.

She also confirmed that RHI will not in any way affect their individual projects in their various states but instead complement their efforts.

The Renewed Hope Initiative is a pet project of the Office of the First Lady.

A bill seeking to establish a Federal University of Information and Communication Technology in Lagos State has passed its first reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill was sponsored by Hon Philip Agbese (APC-Benue), representing Ado/ Okpokwu/ Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Speaking during plenary, Agbese said the proposed institution, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria, will be groundbreaking and revolutionary.

He said in a world now driven by information and communication technology, a corresponding citadel of learning is long-overdue in our nation.

Highlighting some of the benefits, Agbese said: “With ingenuity and drive, young Nigerians would invent fundamental technologies, launch new industries, and create millions of local jobs.

“The university would bridge the mastery and skill-set gap toward our march to a knowledge-based economy.

“This proposed institution will also advance knowledge in science, information, communication technology, and other areas that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

“It will provide quality educational programs to serve those seeking a solid foundation in skills to be competitive in the job market and to obtain successful employment involving the application of space-age information technologies.”

He, therefore, expressed confidence that the proposed university will “bring succour to many gifted Nigerians in the ICT ecosystem who are often denied admission into conventional universities.”

On the choice of its location, Agbese noted that Lagos as the economic capital of Nigeria is the most sophisticated and cosmopolitan state in the country.

He said most multinational companies and top ICT firms are domiciled there, adding that Lagos Island is the heartbeat of the state.