Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, has submitted the list of his commissioner-nominees for scrutiny by the state House of Assembly.

The list, seen by our correspondent on Friday, was signed by the secretary to the state government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia.

They include Barr Lloyd I. Ekweremadu, son of former deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu. Versatile broadcaster Ala Eze Aka is among the nominees.

Others are Prince Lawrence Eze, Sir Okey Ogbodo, Barr Kingsley Ude, Professor Ndubueze Mbah, Mrs Ngozi Eni, Professor Sam Ugwu, Pharmacist Chika Ugwoke, Professor Emmanuel I. Obi, Ben Ugochi Madueke, Engr Gerrald Otiji, Nathaniel Urama, Dr Malachy Agbo
and Adaoro Chukwu.

Onyia, while noting that the list was not yet completed, appealed for a speedy consideration.

“While this may not be the exhaustive list, I’m optimistic that this request will receive your usual expeditious consideration,” he said.

Nigeria, the acclaimed giant of Africa, was conspicuously absent yesterday, as African leaders gathered in St Petersburg, Russia, to discuss ways Nuclear power can help solve the continent’s perennial energy crisis.

However, representatives of other countries present, unanimously agreed that the continent has a better option in nuclear energy against the prevalent hydro power source, to light up Africa again.

They also agreed that the continent needs regional co-operation to pursue aggressive reformation of their different power sectors with nuclear energy.

The positions were taken at a session: “Nuclear technologies for the development of African continent” at the ongoing Russia-Africa Economic Forum in St Petersburg Russia.

Panelists to the session who reached the conclusion, included Alexey Likhachev, Director General, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM; Ibrahim Uwizeye, Minister of Hydraulics, Energy and Mining of the Republic of Burundi; Doto Mashaka Biteko, Minister of Minerals of Tanzania; Zhemu Soda, Minister of Energy and Power Development of Zimbabwe; Amged El-Wakeel, Chairman of the Board, Nuclear Power Plants Authority of Egypt; Fidele Ndahayo, Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Atomic Energy Board; and Princess Mthombeni, Founder, Africa4Nuclear; Nuclear Communication and Technology Specialist of South Africa.

Asked why Nigeeia was not invited to such important discussion, considering the country’s precarious energy situation, organisers of the event said the relevant agencies did not just respond to the call.

The leaders took turns to present their levels of power efficiency and x-rayed how nuclear energy can engender wealth creation, energy efficiency, technology sovereignty and advanced medicine.

According to El Wakeel, Nuclear energy has helped Egypt in many ways including clean water, health, Agriculture and electricity even as the country still needs to further advance its economy, using the technology.

Cross River State House of Assembly, on Thursday, passed a vote of confidence on the Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, after he was expelled on Monday the University of Calabar, UNICAL, following poor performance.

Ayambem, who was elected Speaker of the Assembly in June, was studying Economics in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

However, he was withdrawn alongside 637 others for below average Cumulative Grades Aggregates, CGPA.

His withdrawal has resonated across the state with some persons insinuating that his removal from the school might not be unconnected with his victory over Hilary Bisong, son of the Vice Chancellor who contested against him for the position.

Vice-Chancellor reacts
Speaking on Wednesday, Professor Flourence Obi, the Vice Chancellor, said she is not aware of the status of the Speaker as a student of the school and that she was simply obeying National Universities Commission, NUC, guidelines on the average performance of every student.

Smarting from the sack of their Speaker from the university and public perception of his abilities, the state legislature passed a vote of confidence on him during a plenary.

The motion was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Sylvester Agabi, on behalf of the legislators.

Agabi pointed out that within its 33 days in office, the 10th Assembly had passed over 10 motions, taken about five matters of public interest, carried out oversight functions on several sectors, adding that some bills have passed second reading.

He attributed these successes to the able leadership of the Speaker whom he described as the “people’s Speaker”.

The motion was seconded by the Deputy Leader of the House and member representing Abi constituency, Davies Etta, who also extolled the qualities of the Speaker.

Reacting, the Speaker said his emergence as Speaker was an act of God and promised to lead the Assembly with love and commitment.

Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala has revealed her dad is not happy with her celebration in Nigeria’s 3-2 win against Australia.

Oshoala came on as a second-half substitute to score Nigeria’s third goal of the game.

In the heat of the moment, she pulled off her jersey to create an ‘iconic’ image, which has now gone viral across the world.

The image has also generated some reactions from football fans.

The Barcelona Femeni forward, who is a Muslim, took to her Instagram page to reveal her dad was not happy with her choice of celebration.

“My dad is definitely not happy with my choice of celebration but then again, Life is a collection of MOMENTS. #Alhamdulillah #Grateful #Moments”

 

 

 

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Bandits on Wednesday abducted at least 23 women in a forest near Damaga community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Daily Trust gathered.

The women including young ladies went into the forest to fetch firewood when they were intercepted by a gang of armed men on motorbikes. The criminals then herded them to their enclaves inside the forest.

The abduction came two days after seven soldiers and 22 farmers were killed in a gunfight between the troops and armed men near Kangon Garucci community in Maru Local Government Area of the state.

“We have just finished a headcount of those who managed to escape and return to the community and we have found out that 23 of our women are with the bandits. They have yet to contact families to demand for ransom,” said a resident, Ayuba Damaga.

In a similar development, at least 10 construction workers were kidnapped by armed men from their residential houses in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of the state.

“The armed men invaded low cost houses at the outskirts of the town around 12am on Wednesday and abducted the staff of a construction company. They were later driven out of the town after hours of a gunfight with security operatives,” Aliyu Mafara told Daily Trust.

When contacted the spokesman of the state police command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, said he would get the details later.

“We had a meeting with DPOs and tactical commanders, so please give me some times I will get back to you later,” he said. However, he had yet to get back as of the time of filing the report.

President Bola Tinubu has said he is not oblivious of the fact that Nigerians are experiencing pain and suffering at the moment following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

President Tinubu said he understands that the rise in the prices of commodities and the cost of living have made things more difficult for Nigerians.

The Nigerian leader stated this on Thursday while receiving All Progressives Congress (APC) national youth leaders from across the country at the State House in Abuja.

Tinubu said he feels the pains of citizens and assured them that the hardships of the moment will give way to a more “prosperous, equitable and inclusive economy.”

He said: “I make my pledge to the country that no decision will be difficult for this administration to take for the prosperity and unity of this country. Economic reforms could be slow. Be patient a little more.

“I can assure you that I understand the pains you are going through. It is not easy to get out of the monster of over 40 years called fuel subsidy.”

The president told the youths that his administration would include them in governance, and decision-making processes.

Tinubu added that the federal government would do everything necessary to widen the net in order to accommodate more women and youths.

He said this would be done by “liaising with our lending institutions to give micro-loans at a very low-interest rate for economic activities among the citizens”.

Also speaking at the meeting, the APC National Youth leader, Dayo Israel, told the president that the youths had come to congratulate him on the party’s victory at the polls.

Israel said they also came to seek inclusion in the appointments into the dissolved boards and agencies of government.

A Nigerian doctor based in the United Kingdom has lost custody of his 16-year-old son to the government after flogging him with a belt.

This was revealed by a child rights advocate known as pepstalk1 on her Instagram page on Wednesday.

She narrated that the Nigerian doctor flogged his son after he caught him and his friends invited over to study together watching an inappropriate video.

His friends reportedly informed the police and told them that while the father was beating his son with a belt, the doctor repeatedly said, “Is this how you want to become a doctor?”

She said, “Two friends of a Nigerian doctor’s son two months ago came over to the doctor’s residence to sleep over and study in preparation for their General Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

“At 3 am in the night, the doctor tip-toed into the boy’s room and caught them watching an improper video, the father got angry with his son and beat him with a belt in front of his friends.

“The two friends ran out of the scene to call the police and they came over and took the boy away. The case was later held in court and during the session, the friends said that they heard the father saying that “Is this how you want to become a doctor” while beating his son?

“The boy also said that his father was always beating him to study the subject that he doesn’t want and his father want him to study medicine at the university.

“The court later ruled that the doctor’s 16-year-old son be taken into custody care and can no longer go back to his father’s house.”

Former senator, Shehu Sani, has described the ministerial nomination of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, by President Bola Tinubu, as a tragedy.

Naija News reported that Tinubu on Thursday finally submitted the list of his 28 ministerial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Speaking on the development in an interview on Arise TV, Sani said it is saddening that El-Rufai is given another opportunity to serve the country, considering all he has done and said during his administration in Kaduna state.

According to the Senator, Tinubu rewarded those who betrayed their party and principal, but it was not the best time to please and appease former governors.

He noted that the list falls short of Nigerians’ expectations considering the time taken to reales the list, stressing that the ministerial list was a big disappointment.

Shehu Sani added that President Tinubu must prioritize pleasing Nigerians because the eight years of the past administration were a complete waste.

In his words, “With the nomination I have seen with the one which represents Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai is a tragedy that such a man is given an opportunity to serve this country again with all that he has done and said in office, and I don’t think that if President Tinubu means well.

“This is not the best time to please and appease former governors. It is the best time to appease Nigerians and to bring in competent hands that will deliver. As far as I am concerned, that list, to some extent, is a big disappointment, and it has not been able to meet the expectations of the people considering the time taken for those names to come out.

“I think the best thing for the president to do at this time is to know that the eight years of the last administration was a complete waste, and this is an opportunity for him to prove that he has the vision, the competence and the capacity to lead this country to a higher level than the way he met it. But with the kind of people he has now brought in close to him, I think there is going to be a problem.

“From what I know, there are people who were brought in because they betrayed their party, principal, and this is the time to composite them, and that should not be with a serious national position as this.”

Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the authorities of federal universities across the country to suspend the increase in fees which the schools recently implemented.

In a statement issued by Tayo Soyemi on behalf of Falana and Falana Chambers on Thursday, the lawyer called on the schools to suspend the increase especially because of the financial effect that the recent fuel subsidy removal has had on Nigerians.

The statement read in part, “Since the federal government has not lifted the 1975 policy which abolished the payment of tuition fees in federal tertiary institutions, the federal universities lack the power to impose astronomical tuition fees on students.”

“The payment of school fees in junior secondary schools is illegal as Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act and Section 15 of the Child’s Rights Act have imposed a legal obligation on the federal and state governments to provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child from primary to junior secondary level.

“We have noted that the governments have not taken cognizance of the plight of physically challenged people in the implementation of the new education policy. It is pertinent to point out that it is illegal to collect school fees from physically challenged students.”

Federal Universities across the country have already increased their fees for new and returning students, some of them by as much as 400%, which has led to a public outcry among Nigerians. Members of the House Of Reps had moved against the strike, urging the FG to suspend the fee increments.

The effort yielded no positive result, however, as the fee hikes have already been implemented by respective universities.

Mohammed Bello el-Rufai, the son of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and some children of former governors have been appointed as the Chairpersons of various standing committees of the House of Representatives.

Naija News reports that some of the children of former governors are first-timers in the lower chamber

Recall that the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the constitution of 134 standing committees in the Green Chamber during the plenary session on Thursday.

A critical look at the list released by the Speaker shows that five children of former governors are among the lawmakers named to chair the various committees.

– Suenu Ibori (PDP) — Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) Committee

– Mohammed Bello el-Rufai (APC) — Banking Regulation Committee

– Adegboyega Adefarati (APC) — Labour, Employment and Productivity Committee

– Olamiju Akala (APC) — Youth in Parliament Committee

– Olumide Osoba (APC) — Justice Committee

Below are the names of the children of former governors.

Mohammed Bello- El-Rufai – son of former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Suenu Ibori – daughter of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.

Adegboyega Adefarati – son of the late former governor of Ondo state, Adebayo Adefarati.

Olamiju Akala – son of the late former governor of Oyo state, Adebayo Akala.

Olumide Osoba – son of the former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba.