Mary Remmmy Njoku, the Nollywood actress, has urged women to be cautious and avoid becoming victims in Nigeria.

The movie star, who was reacting to the recent reports of the disappearance of some ladies in parts of the country, said any woman who falls victim in Nigeria is doomed because people would still blame her for her misfortune.

She said Nigerians have to do better when it comes to apportioning blame to victims, especially females.

On her Instagram story, she wrote: “Dear ladies, whatever you do, don’t ever be a victim in Nigeria. Cos your own do finish.

Even if you die, ‘na your fault.’ Sad. We need to start doing better as a people!”

Doyin Okupe, a former presidential spokesman, has said state governors should decide the new minimum wage they can pay to workers.

Okupe faulted the national minimum wage Act which mandates governors to pay a uniform minimum wage to the workers in their various states.

Featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Okupe said: “We should not make laws that are all-encompassing, that make it compulsory for all governors in the federation to obey them. They are sub nationalities on their own.

“I mean for instance, if you pay a minimum wage in Lagos, why should I pay that in Sokoto? Let every governor decide for his own state by his own people that this is what I can afford.”

This is coming when the Federal Government proposed a fresh N62,000, while labour reduced their demand from N494,000 to N250,000.

The demand for an improved wage led to labour declaring an indefinite strike on Monday but was called off on Tuesday.

The industrial action was called off to give room for more negotiations.

Meanwhile, state governors have lamented that they can’t pay N60,000.

They noted that some states can’t pay the current N30,000 minimum wage.

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has commented on the lingering political crisis in the state involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Amaechi, who spoke during his recent visit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Hon. Okorinama, West, in Port Harcourt, expressed his decision not to endorse either Governor Fubara or the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike, in the ongoing political scenario in Rivers.

Amaechi highlighted Governor Fubara’s popularity as a response to the negative sentiment towards Minister Wike.

According to him, the Rivers State people are tired of Wike, hence Fubara’s popularity.

He also touched upon the changing political landscape in the state, noting that some of his former supporters were now aligning with different factions based on personal motives.

Additionally, Amaechi urged young supporters to actively participate in shaping the state’s governance.

He said, “I can’t stand and join either Sim or Wike. I will not join Sim, I will not join Wike.

“But don’t forget, they are not big without you people, I hope you know that.

“What Sim thinks is popularity today is because he is anti-Wike. That’s his popularity, not that Sim is the best man on earth. It’s because he is anti-Wike and because the state is tired of Wike.”

Funke Akindele, the record-breaking Nollywood actress and producer, has disclosed the role that ace musician D’banj played in her career.

The Nigerian box office’s highest grossing filmmaker disclosed that D’banj supported her financially to start her ‘Jenifa’ brand of films, which shot her to fame.

She spoke at D’banj’s 20 years in the music industry anniversary dinner held in Lagos on Saturday.

Akindele said, “After the big break with ‘Jenifa’, I was out there, and people were celebrating me. A club owner invited me to his club then. He said, ‘I want to host you. You’re very hard working. I love ‘Jenifa”. Come with your cast and crew members.’ So, we went and I saw D’banj for the first time. I was starstruck. But he said, ‘I am here to celebrate you.’ So we danced and he gave me his number.

“He took me to a quiet place and said, ‘Why did you let ‘Jenifa’ go like that? That’s a brand that you can feed on for the rest of your life.’ I was like, ‘What’s this guy saying? Me that was doing Yoruba movies.’ He said, ‘No, ‘Jenifa’ has to come back. Get in touch with me, any support you need I will give you.’ So I reached out to him and he said, ‘When you’ve a brand, you feed on the brand. You milk the brand very well, make money out of it.’

“He gave me some money and said, ‘Go and write another ‘Jenifa’, I support you with this money.’ I was like, ‘Really? No strings attached?’ He said, ‘No.’ That was how he filmed ‘The Return Of Jenifa.’ And till date, the brand is still relevant. Christmas 2024, we are coming with ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’.”

Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has praised the recent South African election results as a prime example of a transparent and efficient democratic electoral process.

He contrasted this with Nigeria’s 2023 general election, which he referred to as a “show of shame.”

Recall that Obi was the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the last general election.

In a thread on his official X handle on Saturday, Peter Obi stressed that this stark difference is a painful reminder of Nigeria’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance.

He commended the robustness and transparency of the South African election, particularly highlighting their seamless online dissemination of results as a testament to their commitment to democratic principles and technological advancement.

However, Obi lamented the lack of transparency and controversy surrounding Nigeria’s electoral process.

Obi wrote: “The outcome of the recent South African election results remains a shining example of what a transparent and efficient democratic electoral process should look like.

“With about 60% voter turnout, over 90% of polling stations opening on time, and allowing diaspora voting, the results and updates were provided in real-time without any technical glitches during the election.

“This demonstrated the robustness and transparency of their system. The seamless online dissemination of results further highlights their commitment to democratic principles and technological advancement.

“This is in stark contrast to the ‘show of shame’ that the giant of Africa, Nigeria, presented to the world in 2023. Nigeria’s 2023 election, with less than 30% voter turnout and over 60% of polling stations starting late, no diaspora voting, and plagued by allegations of fraud and widespread irregularities, experienced all forms of glitches despite enormous expenditure to the tune of about a billion dollars (direct allocation of ₦313 billion and donor agencies’ support).

“The process has been widely discredited. The differences between the two countries’ electoral processes are both stark and lamentable. South Africa’s Election Results Center, with its state-of-the-art electronic board, showcased results with unparalleled precision and speed.

“Meanwhile, Nigeria’s electoral process is mired in controversy and lacks transparency. This glaring juxtaposition is a painful reminder of our country’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance.

“It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive electoral reforms to ensure that our elections are free, fair, and credible. We must learn from South Africa’s example and strive to build a system that restores the people’s faith in our democracy.

“The time for action is now, and we cannot afford to delay any longer in addressing these critical issues for a new Nigeria is POssible!”

Governor Siminalayi Fubara‘s government of Rivers State has authorized the allocation of ₦19.5 billion for the reconstruction of the State Assembly Chambers, which the government destroyed during the political turmoil in the state.

The approval was granted during the State Executive Council Meeting on Friday evening at the government house in Port Harcourt.

Following the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Special Projects, Dr Rowland Obed-Whyte, informed the press that Monier Construction Company Nigeria Limited (MCC) was granted the contract for ₦19,566,621,284.24.

The project is expected to be finished within 9 months and will consist of a new Assembly Complex with 34 en suite offices, a two-story building with an elevator, gallery, meeting rooms, and a conference hall.

Additionally, the renovation and refurbishment of other structures within the House of Assembly Complex that were not demolished are included in the project’s specifications.

Obed-Whyte said that upon completion, the Rivers State House of Assembly building will be one of the finest Assembly complexes in the country. This approval is part of the comprehensive deliberations of the State Executive Council on Friday.

The government has also approved renovating and upgrading four zonal hospitals and other healthcare infrastructure projects in the state.

The construction of the Kalaibiama/Epellema road and bridge in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area has also been approved.

The four Zonal Hospitals are situated in Ahoada Town in the Ahead East Local Government Area, Degema Town in the Degema Local Government, Omoku Town in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government, and Bori Town in the Khana Local Government Area.

Other healthcare infrastructure initiatives include renovating Bonny General Hospital, renovating and upgrading the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Rumuigbo, and building a new General Hospital in Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The hospital projects have been allocated a budget of ₦26,350,310,714.88, while the Kalaibiama-Epellema road and bridge in the Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area will require ₦29,035,907,233.76.

Following the meeting, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, informed the press that the ministry had requested approval to cancel and terminate all existing contracts for the Zonal Hospitals in the State.

According to Oreh, new contracts will be awarded to ensure the completion of the projects, including the renovation of Bonny General Hospital.

She said, “We are thankful to the Rivers State Executive Council that the various decisions sought and prayers that were made by the Rivers State Ministry of Health for the approval of the termination of the contracts for the completion of the Zonal Hospitals at Ahoada, Bori, Degema and Omoku, and the re-award of fresh contracts for their completion were approved.

“That the request to the State Executive Council for the approval of the award of these contracts in total summed up to N26, 350, 310, 714. 88k that was approved for the completion of those Zonal Hospitals, the renovation of Bonny General Hospital and the upgrade of the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital.

“This also included the construction of a new General Hospital at Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which were not among those initially awarded for renovation.”

She mentioned that the new contractors will be deployed to the site to begin construction work on various projects within the health sector, aiming to enhance healthcare services in the State.

State governors and the private sector have reportedly rejected the ₦62,000 new national minimum wage proposed by the federal government.

Naija News earlier reported that the Federal Government had increased its new national minimum wage offer from ₦60,000 to ₦62,000.

On the other hand, organised labour has also reduced its demand from ₦494,000 to ₦250,000.

However, findings by Punch have indicated that while the Federal Government may be ready to accept ₦65,000 as the new minimum wage, governors and the organised private sector insist that any figure above ₦57,000 may not be sustainable.

According to insiders, the governors’ major argument is that the states would be left with nothing for developmental projects if they accepted a minimum wage above ₦57,000, as they would have to pay a large chunk of their resources as wages to workers.

However, the negotiation for a new minimum wage is far from over as Organised Labour and the Federal Government continue to make offers and counter-offers.

A governor from the South who spoke with the aforementioned publication lamented how he would use huge amounts to pay less than 200,000 civil servants in the state, who did not constitute more than five percent of the population.

Organised Private Sector also accused the federal government of making decisions without consulting them.

“The FG has literally shaved our heads in our absence. Though we had nominal representations, they were not allowed to come back to us for proper consultation,” said a manufacturer in Lagos who craved anonymity

Also, documents seen with one of the governors who is a member of the negotiation team show the states’ precarious financial status and their inability to pay anything above the ₦57,000 they proposed alongside the private sector.

One of the documents, which was released by the secretariat of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum and titled, ‘Comparative Analysis of States Gross Allocation Between Subsidy and Non-Subsidy Regimes (January – December 2023)’, showed the gross income received by states from the Federation Account.

A prominent member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assertion of continuing former President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies, describing it as a mere extension of problematic governance.

In a recent interview with Saturday Sun in Abuja, Galadima argued that Tinubu’s commitment to uphold Buhari’s policies contradicts his administration’s current stance of distancing itself from the challenges facing the nation.

According to Galadima, President Tinubu clarified during his campaign that his administration would build on his predecessor’s policies.

Therefore, Tinubu and his cabinet’s recent attempts to blame the previous administration for the current economic woes are deemed misleading.

“President Tinubu should own up to the responsibilities of his office, having stated his intent to follow Buhari’s footsteps. It is unfair to now place the blame on Buhari’s doorstep,” Galadima asserted.

Galadima, a former ally of the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, said: “I don’t want politicians to do blame game. Of course, everybody knew that Buhari has destroyed this country in so many facets, but especially the economy and security. Everybody knows that. It is not news. But equally, Tinubu has told us that he was going to build on what Buhari left behind. So, that is the only promise he made, that he was going to start from where Buhari stopped. He can’t blame Buhari. He has already taken responsibility for what Buhari has done.”

He also explained why he would continue to oppose the establishment of state police in the country. He said: “You know you young men, you thought it is pleasure, including governors, because they didn’t know. Most of them didn’t know when there was native authority police. If you see a Hausa man in China or in the United States who migrated, it was because of the use of state police in Kano and Jigawa against citizens. These governors, when they allow state police to take root, they will be the first victims because their successors will ban them from entering their own states. Just imagine a Fubara or a Ganduje, when he was governor, having state police…”

Galadima said those accusing Tinubu of nepotism were wrong, saying that the presidential system encourages nepotism, even in the United States.

According to Galadima, “As far as I am concerned, we are running a presidential system of government. It is at the pleasure of the man in office that he should hire those that he personally believes can assist him deliver the dividends of democracy. What will be bad is that if those he hires have no knowledge, have no capacity and don’t understand anything and he puts them there to help run the economy or the security of the country aground. But as far as I am concerned, I don’t care, any Nigerian, as I said during Obasanjo, and I said also during Buhari. So, Tinubu is no exception. He can hire anybody that he believes can help him deliver dividends of democracy.

“You don’t know that United States President Kennedy made his brother, same father, same mother, the Attorney-General of the US? Do you know that Bush was an Ambassador under Richard Nixon and when he became President; his son was also a governor in another state? And when he left, his son contested for presidency and became President of the United States? So, if we are doing as it is done in the United States, done in Europe, why do we blame somebody because he appoints his brother, or his people, or his tribe or his religion? What we should demand of them is accountability and good governance.”

The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma on Friday expressed optimism that the minimum wage offer of N62,000 jointly proposed by the federal government and Organised Private Sector (OPS) will become law.

Organised Labour on Tuesday (June 4, 2024) called off their industrial action in what they described as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to a higher national minimum wage above the N60,000 earlier proposed.

However, THE WHISTLER reported that although OPS and the federal government proposed the sum of N62,000 a 3.33 per cent increase from the earlier N60,000 rejected.

The Organised labour again rejected the amount, insisting on N250,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerians.

But Uzodinma while answering questions shortly after the tripartite committee meeting for minimum wage in Abuja said, “We expect what happened in 2018, to repeat itself”. 

Recall in 2018, the OPS and Organised Labour proposed N30,000 while the federal government under the administration of Former President Muhammadu Buhari proposed N24,000.

The two figures went to the president as a recommendation for his consideration for onward transmission to the National Assembly for it to become a law and the majority proposal of N30,000 was enacted.

In the same vein, Uzodinma said, “We were able to engage the critical stakeholders at the committee by the end of the day.

“Out of the three parties involved, the OPS, government and organised labour we met and two parties have agreed to go with N62,000, as of yesterday (Thursday) Labour insisted on N494,000 today they came down to N250,000.

“Among the three parties, two have come to be the majority. So, the majority will always have their way and the minority can have their say.

“Arising from what happened in 2018, when the government lost after offering N24,000 and OPS and Labour offered N30,000. When the recommendation got to the then-president, he approved and took the opposition party.

“In the same margin, we expect when this gets to the president he will also take the majority position”.

Weighing in on the minimum wage disparity, the Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on National New minimum wage, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji said the two recommendations would be sent to the president to act on.

He said, “In the last four months, the issue of the new national minimum wage has been the topic discussed everywhere A lot of work has gone into it, the plenary meeting today is our 12th meeting”.

“And the recommendation today came as a deeper understanding and studies of all the economic indices. Caution has been displayed so that a figure that will further throw the country into confusion is not allowed.

“This is because the very moment a party goes into an agreement that it knows it cannot afford, then it is going to create another problem and the federal government and OPS have agreed to the figure of what they term what they can afford”.

The chairman noted that the committee was to recommend a minimum wage but was not bestowed the power to implement or approve a minimum wage.

Five persons have been confirmed dead as a three storey building collapses in Obingwu Asa in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State.

The 3 storey uncompleted building which has gotten to roofing level sank and collapsed on Friday night.

Seven people were said to be working on the site when the building collapsed.

Abia Assembly Passes Bill On Health Commodities Management Agency

Two workers were able to escape when they heard the sound of the building.

Evacuation is still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

More Details Later: