…Tinubu to declare conference open, Gov Eno as guest of honour         

All is now set for the 19th All Nigeria Editors Conference, as Publisher of Vanguard, Uncle Sam Amuka; former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba; Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY and Arise News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, and 300 editors will arrive Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday, for the annual conference.

In a press statement signed by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) President, Eze Anaba and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors in Nigeria, said that the conference would be declared open by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while Aremo Osoba and Uncle Amuka will serve as Father of the Day, and Chairman of the conference respectively.

The Guild said that it has invited masters of economy and technocrats from global and local institutions to interrogate the economic situation in Nigeria, amidst several concerns over monetary/ fiscal policy, missing gaps, and the role of the media executives/editors in resolving the challenges

According to the Guild, the annual conference slated for November 14 to 18, 2023, will also witness the launch of the NGE Media Trust Fund, with a theme “Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: Role of the Media.”

‘’With few days to our annual conference in Uyo, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, and many corporate organisations, like Nigeria Deposit insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) and United Bank for African have rallied support for the conference.

‘’Other organisations that have also rallied support for the conference, include, Delta State government, Nigerian Port Authority, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Dangote Group of Company and many others who have also indicated interests to be part of the conference.

 ‘’And we are excited by the huge support that is coming in from many stakeholders in our economy. It is an endorsement of the conceived aim and objective of the conference: to rally all the stakeholders in starting a robust conversation – aimed at resolving the nation’s current economic challenges’’, the Guild added.

The NGE further explained that the huge interest for the conference is also a testament to the fact that the media has the capacity to mobilise all stakeholders in voicing diverse opinions on good governance reform, helping to build public consensus to bring about change in the society; and facilitate trade, conveying ideas and innovation across boundaries.

The conference, which will also examine the Nigerian media sustainability and the existential threat by the Big Tech, and what the media ecosystem needs to do to arrest it, according to the statement, is planned to remind editors and media executives that economic actors need accurate, credible and timely information to allocate resources judiciously.

According to the Guild, ‘’The conference will also focus on issues around the need for the federal government to reduce the dependence on oil for exports and revenues, diversify its foreign exchange sources, close the infrastructure gap, build strong and effective institutions, as well as address governance issues and strengthen public financial management systems.

‘’Senior security experts and other stakeholders in the oil sector, including the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, are also expected to examine the impact of illegal oil refinery, bunkering and oil theft, which has continued to threaten the survival of the nation’s economy, and a major threat to Nigeria in meeting its revenue.’’

The statement stressed that the annual conference will also afford media executive and editors the uncommon opportunity to discuss issues affecting journalism profession and proffer solutions that will enhance its robust practice in the country.

[Vanguard]

University of Uyo held its 26th, 27th and 28th combined convocation ceremony for the 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 graduating classes last weekend during which 14, 866 were awarded post graduate and undergraduate degrees. Of these, 2672 got postgraduate degrees and 11, 295 received first degrees. First class degrees went to 136 graduating students. It was the first time that the 40-year-old institution would organize a combined convocation ceremony; and this was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the long ASUU strikes of 2020 and 2021 that disrupted academic activities in the nation’s federal government-owned universities. It was clear that a big event was taking place. Flights into Uyo were fully booked; the city was brimming with visitors and hotels were all occupied.

For me, the high point of the event was the award of honorary doctorate degree in law to Mr. Udom Inoyo, retired oil executive, philanthropist and a distinguished Nigerian of rarified pedigree. It is one of the most deserving of such honours made by the university since its establishment in 1983. I commend the Council and Senate of UniUyo for such a well-considered choice. I do not, by any means, wish to downplay the worthiness of the other two persons who were also honoured – Mr. Vincent Enyema, former goalkeeper of our national team and Senator (Mrs) Daisy T. Y. Danjuma, who served meritoriously in the sixth senate. Unfortunately, she could not attend the event but was represented. Enyema was a student of the university many years ago, but he elected to withdraw midway to continue his studies and professional football career elsewhere. This prompted some debate within Council and Senate of the university on whether he should be given the honorary degree. I am thankful that the university eventually decided to celebrate him for his achievements in football.

For Inoyo, who retired from Exxonmobil in 2020 as executive vice chairman, there was a general consensus both within the campus and across the country that he was a very justified choice for the laurel. I have known him for over three decades. He is one of the 13 persons that I honoured in my book, Akwa Ibom Heroes, published in December 2021, for their contributions to the abrogation of the onshore-offshore oil dichotomy. Led by then Gov. Victor Attah, the abolition of the dichotomy and subsequent payment of derivative funds to Akwa Ibom has led to the huge oil revenues the state has been earning since 2016. I look forward to when the state government will acknowledge their efforts.

Inoyo is indeed a man of sterling leadership qualities, high moral and ethical standing and compassion. He has a deep passion for education and human capacity development. In 2007, he inspired the establishment of the Inoyo Toro Foundation through which he executes his philanthropic activities. Through the foundation, he has attracted huge private sector investments in the education sector. So far, the Foundation has spent over N600 million on the development of teaching and learning in Akwa Ibom State. Recently, the Foundation announced its collaboration with an oil company, Savannah Energy, on award of scholarships to Akwa Ibom students with 50 undergraduate scholarships already being being rolled out. One remarkable achievement of the Foundation was its early identification of a young Physics teacher in a public secondary school, Mr. Ephraim Jacob Inyangudo, who, after winning a series of the Foundation’s awards, proceeded to receive the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Award in September 2022. Still, as a manifestation of his zeal and zest for quality education, Inoyo opened a library in his village of Ikot Okoro-Ubium to provide learning aids and development opportunities for students in the community.

In the heat of the COVID -19 pandemic when Nigerians had to be tested for the virus before they could board a plane or access some offices, Inoyo facilitated a donation of the $100,000 Molecular PCR testing equipment to Ibom Specialty Hospital, Uyo, making Akwa Ibom the only State in Nigeria with two PCR machines for testing suspected COVID-19 cases. The State Government had earlier installed one at the General Hospital, Ituk Mbang, near Uyo, but Inoyo had reckoned that one would not be adequate for the people whom he cares for so dearly. Talk of compassion! The Molecular PCR testing machine saved lives during the pandemic and is still used today for other purposes.

Beyond this, in 2020, the Akwa Ibom State Government set up a post-COVID-19 Economic Reconstruction Committee to fashion an economic roadmap for the state. Inoyo, having just retired from work, was appointed to serve in that Committee. He worked diligently even when the world was under a lockdown.

In 2014, Inoyo was the Guest Speaker at the 19TH/20TH Convocation of the University of Uyo, following which, in 2015, he promoted the establishment of the International Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Research (ICEESR) at the University. Subsequently, in 2017, he supported the University's Live Theatre Performance ‘Adiahaobong,’ a stage adaptation of Effiong Johnson’s play, Install The Princess.

Since his retirement, he has dedicated time to supporting many other capacity development initiatives across a broad range of areas:

1. Partnering with the Royal Arts Academy to flag off the first film mono-technic in Akwa Ibom, offering training in several aspects of the sector, such as script writing, cinematography, film editing, etc.

2. Promoting innovative solutions via the launch of the first Akwa Ibom Technology Week and a Pitch competition in 2021.

3. Instituting in 2021 the Ray Ekpu Annual Award for Investigative Journalism to build the capacity of journalists in Akwa Ibom state.

4. To galvanize interest in creative writing among the youth of Akwa Ibom State, hosted Professor Joseph A. Ushie on his conferment with Fellowship of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

Inoyo is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria, the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, the Danne Institute for Research Board and a Women in Energy Network trustee. A recipient of several professional and community awards, in 2012, ExxonMobil Cooperative Society, in recognition and appreciation of his leadership and promotion of corporate governance in the workplace, named a one-hundred-unit Housing Estate at Ajah, Lekki, Lagos, INOYO HAVEN after him.

An accomplished Oil and Gas industry professional, a consummate administrator Inoyo has a record of outstanding leadership in corporate organizations and community service. With an early career in the Cross River and Akwa Ibom state governments, he would later have a meteoric rise in Nigeria’s Upstream Oil and Gas industry, providing strategic business direction and leadership on the Board of ExxonMobil Companies in Nigeria for sixteen years. He was ultimately appointed the Vice Chairman in 2018, a position he held until retirement.

His oil-industry career started in 1989, when Mobil Producing Nigeria hired him to work at the Lagos office and by 1998, he was assigned to Mobil Exploration and Production, New Orleans, and later ExxonMobil Inter-America, Coral Gables, Florida and ExxonMobil Production Company in Houston, Texas, all in US. In 2000, Inoyo was transferred to Belgium, where he worked with the Center of Expertise for Compensation and Benefits, ExxonMobil Petroleum and Chemical BV, Brussels. He returned to Nigeria in 2001 to assume position as Manager of Human Resources Policies and Programs.

By 2002, he was appointed General Manager of External Relations, which enabled him to interface with critical stakeholders to mitigate the crisis in the oil-producing region. These engagements would also occur outside Nigeria, providing him with the platform to engage with relevant US Government departments, members of Congress, and non-profit groups to inform and elicit broad-spectrum support to resolving the restiveness. In 2007, he was identified by President Olusegun Obasanjo as one of the country's Economic Drivers and Bridge Builders. Inoyo was elected to the Board of Mobil Producing Nigeria as an Executive Director in 2004.

In 2006, he assumed the In-Country Human Resources Manager position and, beyond numerous strategic representations at various industry and government platforms, also served as the Chairman of the Human Resources Sub-Committee of the Oil Producers Trade Sector of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (OPTS). He utilized this platform to educate critical stakeholders about industry issues and peculiarities, promote Oil and Gas project resourcing, facilitate Nigerian Workforce Development, and secure a stable work environment through positive National Labour Union engagement. In 2017, Inoyo was appointed by the Presidency to serve on a committee for the interview and selection of would-be Federal Permanent Secretaries in Nigeria. He also served as the National President and Chairman of the Council of the Country’s Human Resources regulatory body, The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM).

A Political Science and Law graduate from the University of Calabar, Udom is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School and Thunderbird School of Global Management, USA. He enjoys interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, mentoring, golfing, and reading. His zest for knowledge has put him back in the classroom as a student at the Harvard Kennedy School. Married with four adult children, Inoyo is self-effacing, quiet and humble. He is a superlatively ethnic-blind personality who places a premium on merit and fairness even as he is humane.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has described Nigeria’s legislature as the most ridiculed and subject of attacks among the three arms of government in the country.

He said the reason for this barrage of ridicule aimed at the National Assembly was because of the lack of understanding of its workings.

He spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the 100th birthday colloquium in honour Senator Kunle Oyero, a member of the Senate in the Second Republic, representing Ogun Central.

The colloquium themed “Legislation in Nigeria: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, was organised by the Abeokuta Grammar School Old Boys’ Association (AGSOBA).

In his remarks, Akpabio said a number of Nigerians don’t even see the necessity of the legislature.

Represented by the Ogun Central Senator, Shuaib Afolabi Salis, the Senate president told critics of the National Assembly that if there had been a legislature in place in 2007, the country would have since had a life president.

“The one arm of government that people don’t really understand and it’s always a subject of ridicule and attack is the legislature. In fact, people sometimes don’t think the legislature is doing anything at all.

“But picture a situation where there was no legislature in 2007, there would have been a life president in Nigeria. Picture a situation in Nigeria where there was no legislature, a number of things would have gone wrong in Nigeria.

“Because people don’t understand the legislature, there is also a problem. Like someone puts it, Legislators are sometimes the victims of the system.

“I gave Dr Reuben Abati (a moderator at the event) a few examples. In the ninth legislature, there were some senators that even from afar, you could say they were doing what senators should do. They were moving motions, sponsoring bills and making the right interventions.

“In the chamber, the roles of the legislature are three: making laws, oversight function and appropriation. Most of those senators were doing those things, but guess what? None of them returned. This is because the metric of measuring the performance (of senators) by the people who vote is different from what the syllabus dictates.

“The syllabus will say as a legislator your role is to make law, perform oversight and make appropriation, those are the three things a legislator is expected to do. But any senator, any member of the National Assembly that confines himself to that will not get a return ticket even in his party.

“Because the metric of measuring the performance of legislators is the number of transformers…’Distinguished Senator, my wife has put to bed, ‘Distinguished Senator, my mother-in-law is dead’, ‘Distinguished Senator, I want to do a freedom ceremony from my apprenticeship,” among other requests are those of the things that people who truly vote, measure your performances with.”

He expressed worry that the elite have left the voting power to those “who do not understand the choices before them,” and asked them to take keen interest and participation in the election process.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has welcomed the decision of the Senate to probe alleged admission racketeering in universities, saying the exam body will be vindicated.

Recall that the Senate on Wednesday agreed to investigate allegations of admission racketeering in the nation’s universities following a motion moved by Senator Onyeka Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North).

Nwebonyi, who cited the admission travails of one Chinyere Ekwe at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), alleged that university staff members conspired with JAMB officials to carry out unwholesome practices, prompting the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to call for a fair hearing.

Reacting to the development, JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, commended the Senate for giving an opportunity to the exam body to defend itself over the issue.

He said JAMB did not offer a provisional admission letter to the candidate and as a result welcomed the counsel of the Senate president that the matter be investigated, saying, “We will cooperate with the Senate.”

The Accord Party governorship candidate in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Kogi State, Admiral Usman Jibrin (retired) has called for the cancellation of the election following the exclusion of his party’s name from the ballot paper.

Jibrin made the call at a press conference at Anyigba in Dekina LGA of the state on Sunday.

He described the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a surprise turn of events, saying, he is contemplating legal action against the body over the incident.

He expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, stating that the omission of his party’s name infringed on the democratic rights of the electorate and undermined the principles of a free and fair election.

“The exclusion of the Accord from the ballot paper in most of the polling units has raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process,” he said.

He added: “We are deeply disappointed by the decision of INEC to exclude the Accord from the ballot paper.

“This not only undermines the democratic process but also denies the people of Kogi State the opportunity to make an informed choice.

“We are left with no option but to call for the cancellation of the election and explore legal avenues to address this injustice.”

He noted that INEC had not released an official statement on the matter, stressing that the electoral body should address the issue promptly to provide clarity and maintain the integrity of the election.

Spiritual Father and Chairman of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide, Prophet Samuel Adefila Abidoye, has died.

Naija News reports that his death was confirmed by the Secretariat of the church headed by the Secretary-General, Special Apostle Ademola Odetundun.

The Secretariat disclosed that the Spiritual Father died Sunday morning at about 10:00 am at the age of 103 in his Ilorin home, the Kwara state capital.

Narrating how he died, Apostle Odetundun said that the late spiritual father had his breakfast, almost dressing up to prepare for service, when he said that he wanted to rest for a while.

“He passed on peacefully, thereafter”, he said, adding that burial arrangements would be announced later.

Baba Aladura, Dr. Prophet Samuel Adefila Abidoye was born on June 26 as a Prince at Omu Aran, Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State. His father was Odetundun Abegunde, who was Oba Olomu of Omu Aran, which was in Ilorin Province at the time. His mother’s name was Tinuade Tinuola, daughter of Niniola, a princess of Oponda in the present Isin Local Government of Kwara State.

He started schooling at N. A. Primary School, Omu Aran in May 1934. He lost his father on the Valentine’s day of 14th February 1938 which made the Lovers’ Day especially memorable to him personally. Around 1938, a Reverend Man of God, Senior Apostle Prophet Peter Oyinloye from Rore near Omu Aran, introduced Baba Samuel Abidoye to the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. Meanwhile, just as other converts in other folds, this new convert and others were made to memorize the catechism, which they had to recite before baptism. Thereafter, he was given the grace of seeing our Lord Jesus Christ in his dreams and in a trance in 1958.

Governorship Candidate Blames INEC Officials

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Kogi State, Muritala Ajaka, has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged manipulation of the gubernatorial election in the state.

Naija News reports that Ajaka, vying to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, spoke on Sunday during Channels Television’s ‘The Verdict programme for the off-cycle governorship elections’.

He accused INEC of compromising the exercise through the officials sent to the state.

Akaja maintained the party had evidence of results sheets already written before the commencement of the election, and, unfortunately, things happened that way.

The SDP candidate also appreciated President Bola Tinubu for providing adequate security during the election.

He said, “INEC disappointed all of us. Check from the results. Just like the last man [on the show] was complaining, INEC gave us the impression that everything was going to work perfectly but it turned out the other way.

“I want to believe the team that was sent to the state were the ones that compromised. Before the commencement of the election, the results sheets were already out everywhere in the whole of Kogi Central.

“Of course, we have written to them and have evidence. It is just unfortunate that these things happened this way.

“If we had known we were going into a jungle, we would have prepared for a jungle arrangement. The Federal Government has done its own part. We must give kudos to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. He provided security for everybody.

“INEC too, the arrangement from and before the commencement of the exercise, everything was all right. But the officials of the INEC – sent to Kogi state – were the ones that compromised. They gave the result sheets to Yahaya Bello. Results were written before the election.”

Meanwhile, 18 out of the 21 local government area results have been collated, INEC said there will be a supplementary election in 59 polling units in the state on November 18.

The SDP candidate is trailing his APC counterpart, Usman Ododo, from the announced results.

The All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate, Usman Ododo, has been announced winner of the just concluded November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.

Ododo won with 446,237 votes, defeating his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, who garnered 259,052, while Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party pulled 46,362 votes.

This is despite INEC announcing that fresh polls will be conducted in some polling units in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the state on November 18, 2023.

The Returning Officer for the Kogi State governorship election, Prof Johnson Urama disclosed this on Sunday evening.

“Ahmed Ododo of APC, having certified by the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” said Urama.

The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities has written a protest letter to the Federal Government, demanding that the government rescind the plan to deduct 40 percent of the Internally Generated Revenues of federal universities.

The Secretary-General Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, who disclosed this to our correspondent in a phone interview at the weekend, said the government could not be demanding 40 per cent of varsities IGR when it had refused to grant them autonomy.

The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government in a letter dated October 17, 2023, titled ‘Implementation of 40% automatic deduction from internally generated revenue of partially funded federal government institutions,’ said it would begin the deduction with effect from November 2023.

The letter signed by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, Director of Revenue and Investment, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Felix Ore-ofe Ogundairo, said the auto-deduction policy of gross IGR was in line with the Finance Circular with reference number FMFBNP/OTHERS/IGR/CRF/12/2021 dated December 20, 2021.

Ochefu, speaking with our correspondent, said should the Federal Government spurn the plea by the VCs and goes ahead with the policy, parents would bear the consequences.

Ochefu explained that the Finance Act 2020 specified that 40 percent could only be sent to the FG if there was a surplus, saying in the case of universities, there was no surplus but a lack of funding because universities only get user charges from students and not profits or revenues.

He said, “If you look at the Act, it didn’t say 40% IGR, but surplus. So, who determines what is surplus? The Finance Act of 2020 is explanatory and it is the institution that is supposed to decide and send you the surplus if there is any. But FG says it now wants to deduct it from the source. We have protested, and written to the Ministry of Education. If they insist, it means they want to ground the universities to a halt. Or we will be forced to add the 40 percent to what we are charging the end users and these end users are complaining already. We told the Ministry of Education to write the Ministry of Finance to halt the development. The letter was written on Thursday.”

He added, “Ultimately, any decision taken, it is the parents that will bear it. Schools are not commercial activities; they are social entities. Parents will bear it if FG insists on a 40 per cent deduction. For the government to sit down somewhere and equate universities, colleges, and polytechnics as revenue centres, that isn’t possible. They are not funding universities well enough. If you grant autonomy and we are charging the normal rate then we will give you the 40 percent.”

Also, the National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said, “As a union, we are in a meeting to take the decision. They are not supposed to deduct anything from anyone. The university is not generating revenue, this means you want to give students loans and you want to go back to the universities to collect it as 40% IGR.

“These are universities that are not properly funded. Parents are complaining that they can’t pay the current fees, yet you want to collect 40 percent of the little universities earn.”

Five persons died while one sustained injuries in an accident at Ososa Junction on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway on Sunday.

Eight persons were involved in the accident, but two escaped unhurt.

Spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, Mrs Florence Okpe, confirmed the accident to newsmen in Abeokuta on Sunday.

She said the early morning crash involved an unregistered Mack truck and a Honda Accord car also without a registration number.

Okpe said the accident was caused by excessive speed and wrongful overtaking on the part of the driver of the Honda car leading to a collision.

She added that the injured victim was taken to General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode while the deceased were deposited at the morgue of the same hospital.

(NAN)