One Esther Godwin has inflicted bodily harm and severe injury on a nursing mother, Endurance Samuel, over alleged extra marital affair with her husband.
The 39-year-old food vendor reportedly attacked and poured hot water on Samuel.
The incident took place in Olofin community of Idanre, in the Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo state.
Esther has since been arrested by police in the southwestern state.
According to sources in the community, the suspect, had contacted Endurance via phone to come for the debt of palm oil owed her by her husband, Sunday Godwin.
Oblivious of Esther’s sinister plan for her, Endurance rushed down to Esther’s residence, in the hope of receiving the palm oil owed her.
However, upon her arrival, Endurance greeted with violent attack as Esther, who was spurred by suspicions and allegations of infidelity, allegedly poured hot water on her, causing severe burns.
The victim, who sustained injuries from the scalding water, was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital, where she received treatment for the severe burns
Narrating how the incident happened, Endurance, explained that “She (Esther) called me from where I was learning tailoring to come and collect the palm oil her husband is owing me. I also work as a labourer for some farmers in the town.
”I rushed out of my oga’s shop excitedly to the place, not knowing that the call was just to lure me to her own shop where she was selling food, to pour hot water on me for the offence I did not commit.”
Meanwhile, the suspect’s husband, denied having a relationship with Endurance and claimed that he merely hired her as a farm labour.
“I was surprised by this development and have been paying for the victim’s treatment at the hospital since the incident occurred.”
Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has revealed why the Department of State Services (DSS) will not prosecute the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Recalls that Emefiele has been detained for weeks by the DSS over alleged terrorism, money laundering, and other allegations.
The Secret Police, after a directive of the court, charged Emefiele to court for possessing one single-barrel shotgun without a license.
In a lengthy post on his Twitter handle, Sowore claimed that the DSS would eventually release the former CBN governor.
He claimed that Emefiele’s detention had nothing to do with the gravity of his alleged high crimes but that he was being held on behalf of those in power.
According to him, if Emefiele is charged to court for the alleged crimes, he would implicate a lot of influential persons in the Mohammadu Buhari-led administration as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sowore said, “For those who may not be familiar with the modus of the @OfficialDSSNG, holding @GodwinIEmefiele had nothing to do with the gravity of his high crimes, the game is to hold him on behalf of those in power.
“If @GodwinIEmefiele was to be prosecuted for his real financial crimes, economic sabotage, money laundering, and terrorism financing involvement, FX round-tripping, etc., he would take down with him @MBuhari, and his entire family, in-laws, members of his inner circle, lots of @OfficialAPCNg leaders, state governors, Senators, media practitioners, military and police top brass and even people in @OfficialDSSNG,@officialEFCC as well as civil society. A lot would come crashing down. Right now, negotiations are ongoing. This is just the “holding charge” before they let him go!
“Above is similar to how they started with former NSA Col. Sambo Dasuki. He was first charged with illegal possession of firearms, precisely in August of 2015! The rest is now history.”
wing to disagreements arising from preparations for the recent general election, the Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been split into two. TheNation reports
UNITY is strength and a house divided against itself cannot stand. These wise sayings vividly illustrate the predicament of the Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Until two months ago, the APC was the ruling party in Plateau but has now become an opposition party due to disunity among its members.
The genesis of the party’s crisis could be traced to its primaries held in the last quarter of last year to pick candidates for the various elective positions in the recent general election.
There was a sharp disagreement among members over the conduct of the governorship primary in particular. The result of that contest, which saw the emergence of Dr Nentawe Yilewada as its flag bearer for the election, became the primary factor that destabilised the party. The other 17 aspirants protested the emergence of Nentawe, alleging that he was imposed on the chapter by higher authorities.
The inability of the party to resolve the conflict that emanated from the primary eventually resulted in its poor performance at the polls. The first sign that the party was in disarray surfaced when it lost the February 25 presidential election to the Labour Party’s (LP) Peter Obi. It also lost two senatorial seats and five out of the eight House of Representatives seats to the main opposition party, the PDP. It eventually lost the governorship election and the control of the state House of Assembly, by losing in many of the constituencies it represented during the last legislative session also to the PDP.
The Plateau APC went into the 2023 general election as a divided house; the party was split into two factions and remains so to date. One faction comprises the 17 aggrieved governorship aspirants and their supporters. The other faction is made up of members loyal to Lalong and the party’s governorship candidate, Dr Nentawe Yilewada.
It became clearer to all that after the abysmal failure in the 2023 general elections, the aggrieved faction led by Chief Amos Gizo began to launch efforts to create another party secretariat for APC since the APC leadership had failed to address their grievances and bring them back into the fold. Prominent among the new faction of APC are former governor of the state Joshua Dariye, former minister for women affairs and social development Dame Pauline Tallen, former minister of state for information Alhaji Salisu Nakande, former member of the National Assembly Alphonsus Komsol, Chief Amos Gizo, Senator Hezekiah Dimka, Sen. Nora Daduut, Lumumba Adeh, Alhaji Dasuki Nakande, Comptroller Victor Dimka, Chief Danyaro Sarpiya among others.
Those in former gov Lalong’s faction are Dr Nentawe Yilewada, Yusufu Gagdi and Senator Diket Plang. APC stalwart Alphonsus Komsol told The Nation: “The division in Plateau APC began from the presidential primary where the immediate past governor instructed all Plateau delegates to vote for Rotimi Amaechi to emerge as the APC presidential candidate. But, some of us who are die-hard disciples of Tinubu decided to vote Tinubu against Lalong’s presidential candidate. Since then some of us who disobeyed Lalong’s instruction were marked for victimisation in the party. That was where the crack in the party started. But the crack got widened and the party was messed up with the imposition of governorship candidate.”
Shortly after the recent general election in which Lalong himself lost his senatorial bid to the PDP and also failed to deliver his state for President Tinubu, some of the aggrieved members of the APC were said to have engaged in anti-party activities, and were listed up for disciplinary action. The rumour that the party was bent on suspending certain chieftains was confirmed in a recent stakeholders meeting in Jos, when the party chairman, Rufus Bature said: “The APC is aware of the desperate attempts by some members of the party to tear it apart through a wild goose chase of creating a parallel party office. We are aware of their nocturnal activities which we seriously frown at.
“The party has also watched with great dismay the activities of some self-styled leaders who have been jumping from pillar to post in search of federal appointments, especially ministerial appointments. Their embarrassing behaviour has portrayed them as people who want to reap where they did not sow.
“The party took note of their anti-party activities before, during and after the recent general election and has set machinery in motion to deal with such sundry issues at all levels. In doing so, due process would be followed and those who need to be sanctioned would be sanctioned in line with the party’s constitution. Let me advise them to bury the thought in their interest because the party would not allow such selfish individuals who are perpetual office seekers to temper with its rank and file.”
Ishaya Itse, a chieftain of the party, has cautioned Bature not to suspend any party member, because, in his view, he (Bature) lacks the power to do so. Itse called on other members of the party to disregard Bature’s warning. He added that any attempt to suspend anyone amounts to disrespect to the constitution of Nigeria.
In a statement, Itse said: “Rufus Bature is not an elected APC chairman. Therefore, he doesn’t have the right to threaten stakeholders with suspension. I am aware that Lalong has instructed APC wards and local government chairmen to suspend and expel some key members from the party. Such an attempt will fail. According to him, these are the same people that couldn’t deliver their polling units to the APC and they are now coming out with empty threats to create tension and an atmosphere of chaos to look relevant. He disclosed that Lalong couldn’t deliver his ward and that he lost the senatorial election due to non-adherence to the guidelines of the APC, which landed him in total rejection by the voters. He advised Plateau APC to follow the part of honour and work for the overall interest of all members; rather than building a wall of faction and division.
“But, despite the existence of factions in the party in Plateau APC, a member of the House of Representatives, Yusufu Gagdi insists that the chapter is united. He said contrary to rumours that members of the Plateau State APC are at loggerheads with each other, there is no division at the moment. The recent party meeting held at its secretariat, for instance, was not for reconciliation purposes, as speculated, because there is nothing to reconcile in the APC. It was the usual party meeting. I was at the meeting.”
In contrast to Gagdi’s position, a leader of one of the factions of the party, Chief Amos Gizo said there are pending cases requiring reconciliation which the APC leadership has been trying to sweep under the carpet. Gizo who was one of the aspirants that vied for the party’s governorship ticket in the recent election said: “Yes, I was in the recent APC meeting, but I worried that the party leaders claimed to have held a reconciliatory meeting. But, what transpired during the meeting does not look like reconciliation because if it were reconciliation, which factions were reconciled? What was the resolution after the reconciliation?
“Those of us that represented the other faction came even though we were not invited; no invitation was extended to us as stakeholders. It was deceptive for anyone to take that meeting as a reconciliatory meeting. It was just a meeting of critical stakeholders. If you noticed, there was no agenda for the meeting; they handpicked some selected persons to speak. If it was a reconciliation meeting, as they tried to claim, who spoke on behalf of my group? But, we were there as stakeholders. It was not a reconciliatory meeting.
“The APC belongs to all of us. The conference hall where that meeting was held was set up by me when I was chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). So, I consider myself a critical stakeholder. I came to that meeting as the leader of the other group, and I was not allowed to talk. But, Lalong understood that some of us are still aggrieved and he used the opportunity to tender an apology; that, to me, is not reconciliation.
“You cannot talk about reconciliation without talking about what caused the conflict in the first place. So, to me, the meeting was just a waste of time. There was nothing like reconciliation. They will continue to pretend that there is no faction in Plateau APC. Let them look at the APC in Nasarawa State; the people that were denied the party ticket went into the SDP and they won elections. Is that the progress of a ruling party?
“Nobody is contesting Lalong’s leadership of the party. I could not talk of contesting that position because I’m never been a governor. If there was an APC governor before Lalong, he would not have been the party leader; the constitution is very clear about it. But, it is high time they stopped pretending in the interest of the party. We have just started and we shall see how it will end.”
From all indications, there is a big problem in Plateau APC. The party has been split into two factions. The Gizo-led faction, is in the process of setting up its secretariat in a strategic location in Jos. Only genuine reconciliation will resolve the internal conflict in the APC chapter.
More details have emerged revealing what led to the resignation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu.
Naija News had reported earlier that Adamu and the party’s National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, reportedly resigned from their position on Sunday.
It was gathered that the APC National Chairman resigned to save himself from being removed from office.
A source, who was privy to the details of the resignation, told WesternPost that Adamu was forced out over many issues, which included his non-support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the source, for the past two weeks, elements within the party have been calling for his resignation, threatening to remove him at the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting if he fails to resign.
The source further revealed that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu was one of the people who told Adamu to resign because he had become a liability to the party.
He was, however, forced to step down as the party chairman after Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma, told him that if he didn’t resign, they would remove him at the next NEC meeting.
Those calling for Adamu’s resignation accused him of working against the President during the party’s presidential primaries, publicly supporting former Senate President Ahmed Lawan, failing to fully back Tinubu even after securing the party’s ticket and mismanaging the party’s funds.
Lateef Popoola, an ally of the former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, has told the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan that the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, is plotting to strip Ladoja of his status as Otun Olubadan.
Naija News gathered that Ladoja’s ally disclosed this in an affidavit he deposed to before the court.
Popoola, who lives in Bodija, Ibadan, claimed that the alleged plot by the Olubadan to strip Ladoja of his title started after Ladoja rejected Governor Seyi Makinde’s offer to elevate Ibadan High Chiefs to crown-wearing Obas.
Recall that Ladoja had shunned a July 7 coronation ceremony where Governor Makinde elevated 10 Ibadan High Chiefs to crown-wearing Obas.
Following the elevation of the High Chiefs, Ladoja headed for court, seeking a declaration that the elevation of Ibadan High Chiefs to Oba was an illegality and an attempt to balkanise the Olubadan in Council.
In the suit filed before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, Ladoja joined the Olubadan as the first defendant. The ten newly-elevated High Chiefs were joined as 2nd to 11th defendants. Oyo State Governor, Makinde, was listed as the 12th defendant, while the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice was listed as the 13th defendant.
Popoola is one of the witnesses to testify in support of Ladoja’s suit.
In his affidavit filed before the court, Popoola stated, “Traditionally, Ibadan is known to have only a king, which is the Olubadan of Ibadan land (the first defendant), and all the other chiefs are cabinet members of the Olubadan of Ibadan land. It is only the Olubadan of Ibadan land that is to wear a crown, while the chiefs are identified with their beads.
“It is not within the purview of the first defendant (Olubadan) to elevate any of the High Chiefs or member of the Olubadan in Council to the status of His Royal Majesty, as traditionally, the only king known to Ibadan land is the Olubadan of Ibadan land.
“At no point in time did the claimant (Ladoja) signify interest to become His Royal Majesty or to put on a crown.
“To the dismay of the claimant, he started hearing in the media that he would be crowned on the 7th day of July 2023, when he had never consented to the non-traditional act masterminded by the first defendant (Olubadan).
“Since he had made it known to the first defendant that the act of elevating any of the Olubadan in Council members or High Chiefs to the status of His Royal Majesty is non-traditional, the first defendant had started plotting that if the claimant refused to be crowned, he would be denied of his status as Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land and that he would not be permitted to ascend the throne of Olubadan of Ibadan land when it is his turn.”
In a swift reaction, the Olubadan Advisory Council has described Ladoja’s accusation as unfounded and erroneous.
In a statement to journalists by the Personal Assistant (Media) to Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola, the Olubadan Advisory Council met on Thursday and deliberated on Ladoja’s matter.
At the emergency meeting of the Olubadan Advisory Council presided over by the Olubadan and eight of the newly-crowned Ibadan Obas, they chided Ladoja over his claims, saying nobody becomes Olubadan without the nomination by the Ibadan kingmakers consisting of members of the Advisory Council from Ekerin upward.
“Assuming God decrees him to become Olubadan, as he hopes and desires, where will the present Olubadan, being alleged to be plotting against, him be? Rather than looking for a scapegoat, he should check himself as there’s no way just one person can stand against ten others. We shall meet in court as he has already initiated,” the council said.
Rising food and energy costs combined with currency depreciation has pushed Nigeria’s inflation rate to the highest point in 18 years.
Inflation rate, which stood at 22.41 per cent in May, rose for the sixth consecutive month to around 24 per cent in June, according to average projection by many analysts.
Economic intelligence reports by many economic and finance firms yesterday indicated that inflation rate had risen further as Nigerians grapple with continuing food shortage, amid rising energy costs and decline in value of naira.
But most analysts were optimistic that the ongoing fiscal and monetary reforms by the government would moderate costs of living in the foreseeable future, with the economy expected to gain a strong traction in the medium to long term.
President Bola Tinubu had last week declared a state of emergency on food security with a bouquet of direct policy interventions in food production, processing, storage, transportation and pricing. These include immediate release of fertilisers and grains to farmers households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.
The government also plans a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilisation mechanism for critical grains and other food items. Other plans include activation of some 500,000 hectares of land to increase the availability of arable land for farming, active irrigation through all river basins to ensure all-year round farming, increased security for farms and creation of ranches among others.
Ahead of the release of the official inflation report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), independent consumer surveys and econometric models indicated that inflation remained high, driven by general increases across several baskets of living costs. The NBS is expected to release its official inflation report for June 2023 today.
Inflation rate had consecutively from 21.9 per cent in February 2023 to 22.04 per cent, 22.22 per cent and 22.41 per cent in March, April and May 2023.
Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), a leading independent economic and finance research firm, which took the lower band of the projections, stated that inflation could rise to 22.8 per cent in June, still within the highest point in 18 years.
FDC, which based its projection on time series model and survey of major retail markets in the nation’s economic focal point, Lagos, said headline inflation is now about 13.8 per cent above the upper bound of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s 6.0 to 9.0 per cent target.
According to FDC, the sustained rise in the general price level was mainly due to the spike in the food basket due to the Muslim’s festival of Eid ul Kabir, planting season effect and higher transport and logistics costs owing to the removal of the petrol subsidy.
FDC stated that its econometric model indicates that “inflation risks are elevated and an inflection point may not be reached anytime soon”.
Cordros Securities stated that it expected the headline inflation to rise by some 217 basis points to 24.58 per cent, within the range of average prediction by several analysts.
“Our expectation is hinged on the effective PMS subsidy removal and liberalisation of the foreign exchange (forex) market fueling pressure on the core basket amid the below-average off-season harvest and Salah festivities intensifying food prices,” Cordros Securities stated.
Analysts at Cordros Securities however said “government reforms and policies are expected to reap benefits in the medium-to-long term if they are maintained”.
Afrinvest Securities projected that inflation would rise to 25.04 per cent in June 2023, driven by broad-based pressure across the consumer price index (CPI) components.
Arthur Steven Asset Management Limited expected inflation rate to rise by some 200 basis points to about 24.5 per cent.
Highcap Securities also projected increase in inflation rate citing the prevailing macroeconomic situation.
Analysts meanwhile agreed that policy reforms by the new government were justifiable for the long-term benefit of the economy.
According to analysts, while policy reforms such as removal of petrol subsidy and abolition of multiple forex rates would be painful for households and businesses in the short term based on an anticipated squeeze in consumer wallets and increased production costs, the medium to long-term benefits would reposition the economy for sustainable growth.
“The subsidy removal, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), was justified by significant declining fiscal power over the years, for instance in first half 2023 budgeted subsidy spend was N3.4 trillion while baseline budget deficit estimation for the year is N11.7 trillion, and need to allow market forces hold more sway in the oil sector,” Afrinvest Securities stated.
While expecting inflation to remain elevated in the third quarter due to the lingering food shortages, currency depreciation and the impact of the fuel subsidy elimination, FDC expressed optimism on the possible positive effect of good policy reforms.
According to FDC, policy reforms play a significant role in shaping inflation expectations in Nigeria.
“With properly designed and effectively implemented policy reforms, inflation expectations can be anchored at lower levels, thereby reducing uncertainty and facilitating economic planning and investment decisions.
“In Nigeria, major policy reforms have been announced and implemented in the last month, which will most likely drive inflation expectation,” FDC stated.
A 19-year-old student, Benjamin Daberechi has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for attempting to export 7.2 kg of methamphetamine concealed in crayfish to Europe where he was going for studies.
The 19-year-old student was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Wednesday, during an outward clearance of passengers on Turkish Airlines flight TK 0624.
Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday, explained that the suspect had during an interview with the operatives claimed he was heading to Cyprus.
He said a white substance found in his luggage tested positive for Methamphetamine.
The statement explained, “While being interviewed by operatives, Daberechi claimed he was a student on his way to Cyprus for studies, but upon a thorough search of his luggage, he was found in possession of 7.2kg of whitish substance neatly concealed inside a sack of crayfish.”
He disclosed that a field test of the substance, however, proved positive to Methamphetamine.
He further revealed that a female lawyer identified as Ebikpolade Helen was arrested after operatives had recovered 5kg of cannabis and 12 bottles of skuchies in her Lekki apartment.
He said that the Lekki Lagos-based female lawyer, Helen, who specialises in the production and distribution of skuchies, a mixture of cannabis, opioids, and black currant, was arrested in a follow-up operation in Awka, Anambra State following an earlier seizure of 5kg cannabis and 12 bottles of prepared skuchies in her apartment at Lekki.
Babafemi added that operatives of the Tincan Port Command of the Agency on Tuesday, July 11, intercepted 116.5kg consignment of Colorado, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bags hidden in a heap of used vehicles parts on the floor of a container marked FCIU 8459700, bearing three units of used vehicles imported from Toronto, Canada.
Based on intelligence, the statement stated that the agency had requested a 100% examination of the container which arrived at the TICT terminal of the port on June 14, saying that a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service, Department of State Services, and other stakeholders on Tuesday, July 11, however, led to the discovery of 233 parcels of the illicit substance stashed inside travelling bags on the floor of the container, covered with used vehicle spare parts.
The statement explained that attempts to export various quantities of illicit substances through courier companies were equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigations in Lagos, pointing out that 336 grams of skunk stuffed inside computer hard drives going to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, were seized at a courier firm.
[DailyPost]
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has sought the support of Nigerians for the federal government’s soon-to-be unveiled solution to the raging crisis in the North West.
Daily Trust reports that the zone has been battling with increased banditry that has cost hundreds of lives and displaced thousands more with many stakeholders already advocating for a different approach to the government’s military strategy to the crisis.
But the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, reportedly kicked against amnesty programme for bandits and terrorists in the country last week, saying rather than repent, beneficiaries of such programmes see the programme as an avenue to regroup and attack innocent citizens.
But speaking in Kano on Sunday, the Vice President said the President Bola Tinubu is determined to redefine the meaning and concept of modern governance.
He said there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the North West.
He said, “The crisis we have in the North West, further accentuated by poverty and social exclusion is something the president is determined to frontally confront and in the coming weeks, he is going to unveil the solution.
“Unless we want to engage in an endless war of attrition, there cannot be a military solution to the crisis in the North-West There has to be a kinetic and non-kinetic solution. And President Bola Tinubu in the next couple of weeks will unveil the Pulaku solution which will address the grievances and social exclusion of our Fulbe cousins in the Northwest; towards addressing the root causes of all the banditry and insurgency in the nation.”
The VP, who was in Kano on a condolence visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero over the death of Malam Imam Galadanci, an in-law to the Sultan of Sokoto and also to the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, was received and led to the Emir’s palace by Kano state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
At the Emir Palace, the Emir of Kano appreciated President Tinubu and the VP and expressed optimism that both of them would come up with policies and actions that will further engender development of the country.
The World Bank has attributed the frequent building collapse in Lagos State to gaps and loopholes in the permitting process and the use of unqualified professionals in the design and construction of buildings.
It also listed the absence of a legally adopted building design code, limited land available for development and lack of systems to ensure the quality of construction materials as well as other reasons buildings cave in regularly in the state.
The bank revealed this in a report on housing regulatory framework standards in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the bank, only about 10 per cent of construction sites obtain permits, and even when permits are obtained, final construction can still deviate from their requirements.
A report by the Lagos State branch of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild early this year revealed that 115 incidents of building collapse occurred in the capital city in the last 10 years.
The report partly read, “Based on past studies and consultations with the government and key stakeholders, the main drivers for building collapse in Lagos are the absence of a legally adopted building design code in Lagos State. This contributes to poor quality design and construction, increasing vulnerability and reducing building design life.
“Another reason is the limited land available for development, combined with a lack of risk-informed site selection. As land in Lagos is scarce, some builders, particularly the poor, are forced to choose risky sites for construction. In addition, site-specific risk information is not readily available.
“Lack of systems to ensure the quality of construction materials: Materials in the marketplace often do not meet the Nigerian national standards, which include minimum material standards, certification mechanisms, and testing requirements. In addition, material testing facilities in Lagos have limited capacity.”
According to the bank, as a result of a failure in regulation, building collapses occur during the rainy season due to construction on inappropriate sites and/or flood damage to foundations and structures.
It also stressed that the building control authority was under-resourced and lacked adequate transportation and equipment to carry out effective site monitoring and inspection.
To resolve this, the World Bank proposed collaboration between the government and private sector as well as bottom-up outreach to inform communities about the risks associated with low-quality construction and design.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has expressed dismay over the lack of electricity and poor condition at the General Hospital in Gwoza town.
Zulum, who was on a day working visit to Gwoza, spent the night in the town which is the headquarter of Gwoza Local Government Area of southern Borno.
The governor, who has the habit of paying surprise visits to government institutions in a bid to obtain first-hand account of happenings, went to the hospital at midnight on Saturday.
Zulum went round to assess the hospital.
“It is unacceptable that a critical healthcare facility like this Gwoza General Hospital is deprived of basic amenities such as electricity. This situation compromises the quality of care provided to patients and hampers the efforts of our dedicated healthcare professionals.
“We are not here to trade blame, we are here to find solutions. Nobody brought to my knowledge the deplorable conditions of this place.
“I will neither exonerate myself nor the local government authority. We (all) have failed to provide what is needed. However, I want to assure you (patients and the rest of the people) that insha’Allah, we will fix this, we will make the working environment here better than it is now,” Zulum said,
As part of measures to change the situation he saw, Governor Zulum ordered the immediate commencement of rehabilitation works which will include power restoration at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum was impressed with medical staff who, despite the poor situation of the General Hospital, were on ground to provide services.
Zulum announced reward for all the staff for being dedicated in the face of challenges.
More...
To Take Decision Soon
There are strong indications that the federal government is favourably disposed to raising the minimum wage to as high as N200k per month as demanded by the organised labour in the country.
However, state governors are urging for caution while Anambra State governor Charles Soludo has been asked to chair a Technical Working Group (TWG) to resolve the issues and its various dimensions.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the matter was discussed at the last month’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting and it was there that the Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission made a presentation on how the federal government can meet up with the demand of N200,000 per month minimum wage.
Sources, who spoke with Empowered News Network, revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is specifically and personally convinced that the demand of the organised labour is not unrealistic pointing to his campaign promises as a proof of his readiness to handle the challenge.
Recall that President Tinubu as president-elect also said on Workers Day on May 1 that “In the Nigeria, I shall have the honour and privilege to lead from May 29, workers will have more than a minimum wage. You will have a living wage to have a decent life and provide for your families.”
At the NEC meeting which the president inaugurated in June, the Salaries & Wages Commission costed the financial implications of the said minimum wage increase and showed how the federal government could pay it, with a certain recommendation that it was well within the capacity of the federal government. But at the meeting the state governors who make up the membership of the NEC raised questions over the proposal.
Leading the governors at the meeting was Anambra State governor, Prof Charles Soludo who argued that before adopting the presentation to significantly raise the national minimum wage, it would be important for NEC to first understand where the money would come from, how much would come and what states would get.
Part of the expectations and planning is that with the new foreign exchange policy more cash would be available to be shared by the federal and states governments under the FAAC monthly distribution. In which case according to informed sources there would be enough surplus cash to enable the significant raising of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N100, 000 monthly.
Similarly, the savings from the fuel subsidy would further mean more cash inflow to the federation account.
At the June NEC meeting, a sub-committee was formed to review the situation as was publicly announced, composed of governors led by Kebbi State governor with six other governors among the members. They are the governors of Anambra, Benue, Kaduna, Bauchi, Cross River and Oyo states with each representing the six geopolitical zones.
In the sub-committee are also the director-general of Budget Office of the Federation, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Accountant General of the Federation and the representative of NNPCL. Others included representatives from the organised labour (TUC and NLC) and Ms. Rukayyat El-Rufai, according to a statement from the Office of the Vice President who is NEC’s chairman.
The sub-committee at its meeting soon after the NEC last month, formed a Technical Working Group, TWG, with Governor Soludo as chairman to interrogate the issues around raising the minimum wage understanding that it is both the federal and state governments and not just the federal government that would be responsible for the payment of the new minimum wage.
Under Soludo’s leadership the TWG has met at least thrice last month; on the 24th, 27th and 30th respectively.
In one of its major resolutions the TWG resolved that negotiations with labour must be two-tracked between the federal government in one hand and the state governments in another hand.
Later this month the NEC would meet to receive the report of the sub-committee and take a final decision on the national minimum wage which would then be forwarded to the president as an advisory.
It was further gathered that what is most likely is that at the very least federal government workers would be receiving the huge minimum wage increase, while the Soludo TWG would determine the fate of the states’ workers.
The Federal Government has withdrawn the Mobile Police Force personnel attached to several Very Important Persons, including ex-governors, former ministers and lawmakers.
The order, which was contained in a police wireless message from Mopol 45 Force Headquarters, Abuja, affected Daura Buhari, brother to former President Muhammadu Buhari as well as former First Lady, Aisha Buhari’s sibling and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The development came a few weeks after the IG vowed to withdraw Police Mobile Force personnel from VIP escort and guard duties.
He had also announced plans to establish the Special Intervention Squad, which according to him, would have 40,000 highly trained police officers including selected officers from the Police Mobile Force.
This, the IG said, was to allow the police to take back its place in the “internal security architecture” of the country.
Egbetokun, who spoke during a meeting with Squadron leaders and Tactical Commanders in Abuja, on June 26, stated, “We shall effect the withdrawal of PMF personnel from VIP escort/guard duties. While the protection of dignitaries remains paramount, it is imperative that we realign our priorities to address the escalating security challenges faced by the nation as a whole. By relieving the PMF of VIP escort and guard duties, we can redirect their focus and efforts toward addressing critical security concerns that affect our communities at large.
“In a bid to kick-start the process of regaining our pride of place in the internal security architecture of our dear country first and foremost, modalities for the creation of a new special squad – the Special Intervention Squad have been initiated.
“This special squad shall consist of 40,000 specially trained elite officers. The Squad will be formed by selecting officers from the pool of existing Police Mobile Force personnel and all tactical units in the country.
“These officers will undergo intensive pre-deployment training to make them combat-ready for frontline operational duties in all the states of the Federation, with a particular focus on areas plagued with unrest and turmoil.
“By pooling together the expertise and experience of our PMF personnel and other tactical units, we can establish a formidable force that is well-equipped to handle the evolving challenges we face.”
Egbetokun set up a committee headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Adeleke Bode, to assess and advise on how the new policies could be implemented seamlessly.
The committee submitted
The PUNCH reports that thousands of police operatives were attached to public officials, ex-political officer holders, businessmen and other private individuals, thus reducing the number of police personnel required to protect the public while fewer officers were available for core police duties like investigations and patrols.
Though previous IGs had withdrawn the police orderlies deployed to protect some politicians in the past, the cops found their way back to the VIPs.
Statutorily, only the president, vice president, governors, local council chairmen, legislative principal officers in the states and at federal level, magistrates and judges are entitled to police protection.
But this privilege has over the years been extended to just about anybody who can pay, leaving ever fewer personnel for real police work.
However, the Force headquarters in its order with reference CB: 4001/DOPS/45PMF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.15/353 signed by the AIG MOPOL, directed the addressees to implement the directive with immediate effect.
The message was addressed to DSPs Lauretta Iruonagbe; Yusuf Ishaq; Okeme Emmanuel; Ilesanmi Temidayo; Emmanuel Akaniro; Yakubu Francis; Chindo Atege; Zakari Mohammed and ASPs Osori Sani; Job Andrew; Iyabo Oluwadamilola, and Yakubu Anthony who are believed to be attached to some of the affected dignitaries.
VIPs affected by the withdrawal order include former governors of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim and Rochas Okorocha; former governor of Bauchi, Adamu Muazu; ex- Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje and former governors of Ogun and Zamfara, Gbenga Daniel and Bello Matawalle, respectively.
Similarly, the MOPOL attached to some former ministers who served under the Buhari administration were withdrawn.
They are ex-Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva; former Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Gbemisola Saraki; former Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Henry Ikoh; former Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba and former Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba.
Also, the orderlies working with the former Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Haliru Dauda; former Chairman House Committee on Police Affairs, Rabiu Lawan, and Senator Stephen Adey, were equally withdrawn.
The mobile police officers to the suspended National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu were also affected.
The order read in part, “You are directed to withdraw all personnel mine attached to the under-listed politicians: Former governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former governor of Bauchi, Adamu Muazu; former governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha; former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje; former governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel; former governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle; former Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva; former Clerk of the National Assembly; Aisha Buhari brother; Daura, brother to the former president Buhari ; APC National women leader; former Minister of State for Mines and Steel; former Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Haliru Dauda; former Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation; former Minister of State for Power; National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyocha Ayu; former Chairman House Committee on Police Affairs, Rabiu Lawan; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba and former Senator Stephen Adey. Treat as very important.”
Reacting to the action of the police authorities, the media aide to Senator Gbenga Daniel, Steve Oliyide, said it was in the power of the IG to determine the security architecture of the country.
Oliyide said, “It is actually within the precinct and powers of the IGP to determine the security architecture for the country and Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel will support any and every initiative towards strengthening the country’s security system, notwithstanding any temporary discomfort to his personal safety.’’
“Once there are composite security arrangements for the entire country, it also suggests that VIPs too will also be secured, and Senator Daniel has implicit confidence in the capacity of the IGP to provide and make adequate security for all in the circumstance. Where and when the need arises, I am sure he will arrange complimentary security supports,” he added.
The former SGF could not be reached for comment on Sunday as he did not respond to several calls and a message sent to him on WhatsApp.
Also, Matawalle, who was also affected by the new development, was not available for comment. The former Principal Private Secretary to the former governor, Lawal Maradun failed to react on behalf of his principal despite repeated messages sent to his mobile phone number.
Commenting on the development, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Adedayo Adeoye (retd.) commended the IG for making good his word.
He, however, expressed fear that the directives could be truncated by the VIPs.
Adeoye said, “I am in total support of what the IG is doing but my fear is that they will not allow him to complete this. Others have tried it in the past and did not succeed.
‘’He needs the president’s support to implement this to the letter. For me, there should be no special protection unit for anybody. The law provides a guideline for people entitled to police protection. We should follow that.”
A retired Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu described the attachment of the mobile police to VIPs as an abuse, adding that the VIPs had denied Nigerians the valuable contributions of the mobile police personnel.
The former force spokesman noted, “The police have what is called a special protection unit for the VIPs to harvest police to protect them. Mobile Police was not created for that. The mobile police is the combatant arm of the police; As a result, the VIPs want the utmost protection; that explains why they have been going for the mobile police.”
A retired FCT Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, said the withdrawal of mobile police would bolster the security architecture of the country.
He added that the VIPs have nothing to fear as the personnel of the Special Protection Unit are equal to the task.
“Security operations are about the need and the reality on the ground. The IG must have assessed these before giving that order. Also, the primary duty of the government is to secure the lives and properties of the citizens and not only the VIPs,”
Of the N33.1trillion total Nigerian Exchange (NGX) market capitalisation, 10 out of 156 listed companies control N25.62trillion translating to 77.1 per cent of the entire market valuation in six months, LEADERSHIP learnt.
The 10 companies are; MTN Nigerian Communications (MTNN) Plc, Airtel Africa, Dangote Cement, BUA Cement, BUA Foods, Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Nestlé Nigeria, Seplat Energy and Geregu Power.
The total number of companies on the NGX as at June 30, 2023 are 156 with total capitalisation of N33.198 trillion. The NGX market capitalisation of the equities refers to the total value of the equities of all the listed companies on the Exchange.
These 10 stocks are called large cap and they dictate market trading direction through positive or negative performance as a company’s stock is generally classified as large-cap, mid-cap or small-cap.
MTNN has taken over to become most capitalized stock of the NGX, with a market capitalisation of N5.565 trillion, accounting for about 16.76 per cent of the total equities market capitalisation as as June 30, 2023. Airtel Africa’ market capitalisation followed by N4.960 trillion as it declined by N1.185 trillion from N6.145 trillion on January 2, 2023; while Dangote Cement followed with a valuation of N4.857 trillion.
BUA Cement recorded a total capitalization of N3.124 trillion, while BUA Foods achieved N2.444 trillion capitalization, gaining N1.274 trillion in six months.
Zenith Bank total capitalisation grew by N298 billion to N1.075 trillion, while Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) recorded a half year growth of N353 billion to N1.030 trillion.
Nestle Nigeria, Seplat Energy and Geregu Power capitalization stood at N990.820 billion, N823.705 billion and N750 billion respectively as at June 30, 2023.
The equities market performance in 2023 has maintained the uptrend momentum from 2022. As at June 30, 2023, the NGX All Share Index has a year-to-date (YTD) return of 18.5 per cent, driven by strong share price performances of large-cap stocks such as Dangote Cement, BUA Foods, Geregu Power and MTNN; impressive earnings performance as well as dividend declarations; and positivity following the inauguration address by President Bola Tinubu and subsequent policy reforms; including the new FX liberalisation policy.
Speaking on this development, the chief economist/head, Investment Research of PanAfrican Capital Holdings, Mr. Moses Ojo, said impressive corporate earnings and dividend pay out to shareholders contributed to these companies’ price appreciation.
According to Ojo, the three companies are the largest companies by market capitalisation on the NGX and that if these companies record one per cent gain, it will affect the direction of the stock market.
“The financial results of these companies have been impressive despite foreign and domestic challenges. Despite reporting high operating cost, the likes of MTNN and Airtel Africa have maintained robust fundamentals,” he said.
The chief operating officer, InvestData Consulting Limited, Ambrose Omorodion attributed stock price appreciation in these companies to stability and its classification, saying “investors are always after highly capitalised stocks across the world. These are companies where Pension Fund Administrators, foreign and high network investors are ready to take positions. These companies are defensive stocks and they control over 50 per cent value on the NGX.”
Omordion explained that, “in any market of the world there are different categories of stocks that lead to different indexes to measure their performance. These 10 stocks or companies on the NGX influence the general market performance as a result of its capitalisation.
“It is expected that these companies should have created more wealth for Nigerians due to their huge earnings but the shareholding structure and float has not helped in this matter.
“To reduce the influence of these 10 companies and balance the market, more new companies should be encouraged to list on the Exchange. The present market fragmentation is not the best for our market; we need to have a standardized market where we have companies from across the sectors of the economy listed so that no one firm or few firms will be domineering and dictating the movement of the market as we currently experience.”
He however said, it is not too good for these few companies to keep dominating the market because it does not represent the whole economy, and some of these companies are having float problems due to their shareholding structure, saying, this shows that the market is not deep and does not represent the size of the economy.
Omordion said, government and the market regulators should encourage companies to list and participate, saying, “making the right policies to drive economic growth and encourage small businesses to list by reducing cost of listing and post listing requirements are key to addressing this issue.”
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged Nigerians not to see age as a barrier to pursuing educational dreams, saying one of the conditions he was given before his 2022 governorship ambition would be supported, was for him to complete his education.
Adeleke spoke at the combined 9th undergraduate and 5th postgraduate convocation ceremonies of the Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, on Sunday, where 75 postgraduate and 537 undergraduate students were conferred with various degrees.
The governor, who said that after losing the 2018 governorship election, he was subjected to the worst personality attacks and assaults, added that he had to leave the country to escape the attack and to complete his degree programme, after his elder brother, Dr. Deji Adeleke insisted he must complete his education, or forgo his 2022 governorship ambition.
He said, “Dr Tajudeen Adeleke encouraged me to move ahead. Before I went into exile, he called me to a meeting where we discussed. He told me that I should look at what I have been subjected to, by those saying I was not educated. He advised me that I should go to America for studies.
“He said the only thing I can do for Osun people if I am ready to be governor is that I must get educated, I must complete my education, and without completing it, I should forget my governorship ambition.
“At my age then, I successfully re-enrolled and completed my degree programme. I am proud of that achievement and I thank my family and friends for their total support. I came back to re-contest in 2022 as a brand-new graduate. The rest is now history. What is the lesson? Our age must never be a barrier to educational pursuit. What we need is commitment and passion to succeed.”
In his remarks, Dr Deji Adeleke, who is the founder of the university, said if Nigerians resolved to change the country for the better, it could be achieved.
Dr Adeleke, while lamenting the bad attitude of many Nigerians to nation-building, which according to him was hurting the country, noted that about 120 corps members that worked as INEC ad hoc staff during the 2022 Osun governorship election, suddenly disappeared on election day to frustrate the exercise, and did not show up at their different polling units until the leadership of the scheme threatened them.
Speaking further on the bad followership, Adeleke, said components in the turbine that had not been installed, imported for the 1250MW power plant he was building in Ajebandele, Ondo State, were looted by people.
He urged Nigerians who desire a good country to contribute their quota to nation-building and stop apportioning blame to those in positions of authority.