Nothing But Fact
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the federal high court in Abuja has convicted the Director General of Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Doyin Okupe, over money laundering.
Dr Okupe was first arraigned by the EFCC in 2019 on a 59 count charges bordering on alleged money laundering and diversion of funds to the tune of 702 millions.
The sentence is expected to be delivered after the process must have been concluded.
Details later.
Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has declared that public employees and pensioners in the state will receive their 13th month’s pay before December 31, 2022.
At the 2022 Christmas Carol Service and Nine Lessons conducted on Sunday at the Remembrance Arcade, Agodi, Ibadan, the Governor announced this.
Makinde also mentioned that this week would see the distribution of December salaries to all government employees and pensioners.
Governor Makinde announced this by saying, “Don’t let the opposition trick you all. Although I agree that paying salaries is not an accomplishment, we will be paying public servants this week, and they will receive their 13th month’s paycheck by December 31.
“If the opposition has such a feat for four consecutive years, they could do this; they should bring it out”.
A crucial meeting in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, between the two sides, which their representatives described as final, broke down following irreconcilable differences.
After the talks broke down, the presidential standard bearer decided to look beyond the aggrieved governors and their allies.
Atiku has replaced Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke as the Coordinator of his Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in the Southwest.
Ahmadu Fintiri, who represented Atiku, that the yearnings of the G-5, otherwise known as the Integrity Group, will be taken care of after the election, was rejected by the governors, led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
At the meeting were Samuel Ortom (Benue), Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
The Adamawa governor had pleaded with his colleagues to make a further sacrifice by focusing more on the election instead of insisting on their conditions for a truce.
The G5 governors and other allies, who had insisted that the national chairman, Senator Iyiocha Ayu, should resign, stood their ground, saying that their core demand was non-negotiable.
Ahead of the presidential primary in Abuja, Ayu had promised to step down if a northerner was picked as flagbearer.
However, the chairman, who reneged on his promise, was backed by Atiku who explained that the provisions of the party constitution on the choice and removal of the chairman should be followed.
A party source said that Wike, who spoke on behalf of G-5, said they would neither participate in the PDP presidential campaigns nor lend any support for Atiku in their respective states ahead of the poll.
According to the source, pleas by Fintiri and other party leaders to the aggrieved governors to sheath their swords and retrace their steps fell on deaf ears.
Also, both sides are bracing up for the reality that PDP will go into the election as a divided house.
The source added: “Both sides, those representing Atiku and the G-5, tended to believe that that may be the last reconciliation meeting aimed at resolving the conflict.
“The only concession that Fintiri could guarantee on behalf of Atiku was that the five governors should wait till when the candidate wins before the national chairman can resign.
“As usual, G-5 rejected the proposal and maintained their ground that Ayu should go.”
Following the breakdown of what looked like a final peace move, the former vice president has decided to continue with his campaigns across the country without the involvement of the Integrity Group.
He has reached out to his old allies in the five states, particularly those who are not on the same page with the aggrieved governors and drafted them to his zonal and state campaign structures.
The change of mobilisation tactics by Atiku has further pitted him against Makinde, Ortom, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and Wike, who have turned the heat on chieftains being recruited by Atiku into his campaign from the respective states
In the Southwest, Atiku has dumped Makinde and opted for Adeleke as regional coordinator.
The source said: “Alhaji Atiku is bypassing Governor Makinde. He has appointed Adeleke as Southwest Campaign Coordinator. Adeleke will coordinate activities in Southwest from Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
“He is also wooing his old friends and other chieftains who are fanatical supporters of the PDP across the six states.”
On what is likely to be Makinde’s next step, the source said: “Governor Makinde is campaigning for a second term.
“He is consolidating his PDP base.”
When contacted, PDP campaign spokesman declined comment.
Argentina beat France to win the FIFA #WorldCup #Qatar2022 in penalty shootouts 4-2 after regular and extra time ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw.
Lionel Messi scored a stunning goal in extra-time to give Argentina a 3-2 lead before Kylian Mbappe equalized with his third goal of the match from a penalty.
The final had gone into extra-time after the French roared back from two goals down to bring the score to 2-2. Messi stroked home a 23rd minute penalty and Angel Di Maria swept home a superb second for Argentina but defending champions France hit back in the second half as Mbappe converted an 80th-minute penalty and equalised with an acrobatic volley a minute later.
The 1993 Set of Iseyin District Grammar School, (IDGS), Iseyin have congratulated one of their mates, Navy Captain Adedotun Ogundiran, who has just been named alongside twenty-five others to be promoted to the rank of Naval Commodore by the Nigerian Navy.
The news of the promotion was also the talk of the town among residents of the Iseyin community, as Adedotun would be the first to achieve such height in the naval service.
In a statement signed by the President of the 1993 Set Alumni of IDGS, Engr. Oladapo Omotoso and made available to newsmen on Sunday, the old student body described Adedotun as a resilient, brilliant and dedicated student as well as a loyal soldier who has served the Nigerian Navy with sincerity.
“The Executive and Members of Iseyin District Grammar School (IDGS) 1993 Set Alumni received the news of the promotion of one of our own to the rank of Commodore in the Nigerian Navy with great joy.
“Sequel to the approval of the Navy Board as contained in a Press Release dated 16th December, 2022, 55 senior officers were promoted to various ranks in the Navy, breakdown of this promotion had 25 Navy Captains promoted to the rank of Commodore, among whom is Adedotun Ogundiran Ogundayo of the 1993 Set Alumni of IDGS.
“This news, though exhilarating, did not come to us as a surprise, because growing with resilience, brilliance and dedication to duty and Nigerian unity, we had no doubt that Adedotun would surely make us proud one day and living to see this dream fulfilled is such an amazing experience.
“On behalf of the IDGS 1993 Set, we congratulate you and still say that our expectations are not over yet, keep the flag flying as you continue to give your best to the service of the nation,” the body urged.
IDGS ‘93 Alumni appreciated the Naval Board for counting Adedotun worthy for the promotion and assured the Nigeria Navy that the unity of the nation will be the utmost priority of their school mate.
Commodore Ogundayo Adedotun Ogundiran will be the first Navy Officer from the ancient Iseyin community to be promoted to the rank of Naval Commodore.
He is in his late forties and hails from Koso in Iseyin local government of Oyo State.
Oke-Ogun region has produced serving and retired military personnel like retired Brigadier General Kunle Togun from Saki, Rear Admiral Gbadejo Adedeji (Rtd), Rear Admiral Isaac Oladosu ( Rtd) and Air Commodore Edward Adedokun who is in active service, among others, with unblemished records.
The final burial rites of the late Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Chief Demola Seriki took place earlier today in Lagos.
Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain, Demola Seriki, died in Madrid, Spain last week Thursday.
Until his death, he was the Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain with concurrent accreditation as a Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
He had his earlier education in Nigeria and later proceeded for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the United States of America where he bagged his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Accounting from the City University of New York in the United States of America.
Seriki, who was a grassroot politician, began his career as a clerical officer at Lagos City Council, Lagos Island in 1978.
At the national level, Seriki was a former minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Defence, Mines and Steel Development and Interior.
Seriki is survived by wives and children.
The former Governor Aregbesola has reacted to the development, saying the Accountant-General of the state should be in a better position to give the true particulars of the indebtedness of the state.
Reacting to the statement by Oyebamiji on the contention that the debts were incurred by his government, Aregbesola, through his media aide, Mr Sola Fasure, said the impasse was between Adeleke and Oyetola, and so he should not be in the picture.
While attempting that he took loans, he said the two major ones he took had been liquidated while “the other ones are long-term concessional facilities (given to the state) by the Federal Government” with minimal monthly deductions.
Aregbesola said: “I will suggest that you look at all the loans and get to the Accountant-General of the state at Abere. I think the AccountantGeneral or the Permanent Secretary (Finance) would have better information because it is the Accountant-General that raised a memo based on the query of the governor.
“The Accountant-General, in reply to the query of the governor, stated the condition of the loans and the loans that are outstanding. He is the most knowledgeable about the loans by the state as the custodian of the account of the state. They should count Aregbesola out of it.”
He said the loans collected by the Aregbesola government had been liquidated, saying “was it Aregbesola that took a loan of N18billion after he lost the election? The two major loans Aregbesola took have been liquidated. They were the Sukkuk loan and the other ones were long-term concessionary facilities by the Federal Government which have a long span repayment terms. The deductions are minimal and they are not deductions that will infringe on finances of the state. The two major loans taken by Aregbesola have been liquidated.”
He said: “The matter is between the Adeleke and Oyetola administrations because the Aregbesola debts have been liquidated. It was not Aregbesola that took the N18 billion loan that was taken after the election. Oyetola took some other loans, including salary support from the Federal Government.
“They caused the problem for themselves. If they had set up a transition committee and if they had cooperated well with the incoming governor after they had lost election, there would have been a smooth change of government.
“They would have compared notes and there would be no rancour. But he was busy sowing mines on the path of the incoming governor, creating problems for him, and spending money with reckless abandon. What did he do with N18 billion? Now the new government is fighting back. If the new government takes the matter up to the EFCC, there would be problems for the Oyetola administration.
“They should count Aregbesola out of their problems because out of the three loans he took, two have been liquidated. It is only the long-term debt that is remaining and only the Accountant-General can give us the status of the loan because it is no longer what it was because deductions are being made.”
Some Nigerians Are Hypocrites; They Abuse Buhari’s Father, Mother In The Morning, But You’ll See Them Eating With President At Night – Femi Adesina
Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity says some Nigerians openly criticise his principal but still sneak into the Presidential Villa to see him.
In an article titled, ‘Buhari At 80: No Malicious Bone In His Body’ and shared on his official Facebook page on Thursday, Adesina described the president as a man with a large heart.
He narrated how Buhari related with some of his ‘critics’ such as Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Matthew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese; Femi Fani-Kayode and former Governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose.
He wrote, “This story came to mind as I reflect on President Muhammadu Buhari’s 80th birthday December 17, 2022. This is a man I have served for almost 8 years, and it never ceases to baffle me how large hearted he is, particularly to those who have arrayed themselves against him, and how he responds to them, when they meet.
“Some examples. Perhaps the Governor who has excoriated the President most is Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. Until very recently, when he showed some conciliation, he had accused Buhari of everything under the sun, including attempted murder. If they were rival wives sharing a husband, it couldn’t have been worse.
“But there was the President, simply minding his business, and ignoring the much younger man in Rivers State. He still gave the State everything that was its due.
“Some weeks ago, the President was invited to commission the newly built ultra-modern complex of the Body of Benchers in Abuja. As a member of the organization, Gov Wike was on the receiving line. Face to face with one of his harshest critics. What would the President do? Would he separate his teacup and saucer, and walk by? But no. Buhari shook the Governor warmly. ‘When two enemies shake hands, a suffering soul shoots out of Purgatory,’ wrote someone whose name I can’t readily recall now. But for President Buhari, this man simply has no enemy. Wike is just a Governor of one of the federations units (sic) in the country, and deserves his respect. Amazing!
“How about Ayo Fayose, the Irunmole (ethereal spirit) that eats jollof rice. The former Ekiti State Governor had taken a stand against Buhari since 2014, during the campaigns. There was that infamous advertisement he placed in newspapers, displaying a coffin, and insinuating that if Buhari was elected, he would not last the distance. Fayose’s party was beaten black and blue, and entered President Buhari.
“What would an average, vengeful person have done, if he were in the mould of the man with the teacup and saucer? When Buhari came, the Ekiti House of Assembly was largely populated by APC members, whom Fayose had inherited. What to do? Just give a directive: remove that Governor within a week, and he directs the Inspector General of Police to lock down the Assembly chamber. But not Buhari. Why? Because he has no malicious bone in his body. Fayose served out his term, and I remember the President giving him a warm handshake during a Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa.
“Matthew Hassan Kukah. The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese. What has he not thrown at the President? Everything, including the kitchen sink. In fact, he uses language you wouldn’t expect an altar boy to employ. He has been after not just the President, even we his spokesmen have not been spared. He had opened fire on me and my colleague, Mallam Garba Shehu. Trust us, we returned fire for fire, till we decided to ignore him.
“And there came Bishop Kukah to the Villa some weeks ago, with the Peace Committee headed by former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar. Trust the teacup and saucer man, the Bishop would not have got a handshake. But what did Buhari do? He exchanged banters with Kukah, and they were caught on camera, laughing together. When the cleric should have gotten a blow to the solar plexus. Lol.
“Femi Fani-Kayode. My friend, brother and kinsman. What has the President not suffered in his hands? Tons of abuses, malediction, ill will. But when the latter had his Damascus road experience, and found his way back to the APC, who received him at the Presidential Villa? Buhari. I tell you, this man has no malicious bone in his body. How about Gov Samuel Ortom, and many others? Story for another day.
“I see some people on television in the morning, abusing both the father and mother of the President. And I get to his residence at dinner time, to see those people at dinner table with him. How large-hearted can a person be?
“I’m sure God must have considered all the virtues Muhammadu Buhari has, and thus decided to spare him. He that has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger, says the Good Book. (Job 17:9). This Buhari not only has clean hands, he also has a clean heart.
“Imagine year 2017, when the President had severe health challenges. Between January and August of that year, he was in and out of the country many times, attending to his health. He could have been a goner, but God said no. And God has the final say, no matter what man may wish or desire. And same Buhari is now 80. “Simply amazing! Glory be to God. By the grace of God, in another five months, the President will land safely. And he will take his well deserved rest, playing with his grandchildren and great grandchildren in his Daura hometown. He’s the man God has shown mercy.”
The Governor of Osun, Ademola Adeleke has ordered the suspension of the new fees regime approved by the eight Governing Council of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, for newly admitted students into the institution.
This is contained in a letter addressed to the Acting Rector of the Polytechnic, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adelani Aderinola.
The management of the Polytechnic on Friday, also announced its compliance with the directive.
A statement signed by A.O. Okediya, the Bursar of the polytechnic, said the suspension directive affects only ND 1 and HND 1 students.
Okediya however said other categories of students who are not affected by the development should continue with their payments and registration as expected.
“Following the directive of the State Government, the new fee regime approved by the eighth Governing Council of the institution for the newly admitted students for the 2022/2023 Academic Session, has been suspended pending further directive from the State Government.
“Please note that this directive affects only the ND1 and HND1 students, other categories of students are expected to continue with their payments and registration as expected.”
The Oyo State House of Assembly held public hearing on a bill to enact law on Oyo State Mental Health Bill, 2022.
The public hearing which was held today at the House of Chiefs, Parliament building, Oyo State Secretariat had several inputs and recommendations from stakeholders in health sector.
Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly and the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Riliwan Saminu Gbadamosi jointly sponsored the bill.
Hon. Riliwan Gbadamosi while giving his opening remark averred that increasing rate of mental health challenges ravaging our society necessitated the public hearing geared towards receiving various recommendations and inputs from all stakeholders.
He therefore called on all governments at all levels to put measures in place to uphold the fundamental human right of the mentally retarded people.
In his words, the Commissioner For Health, Dr. Taiwo Oladipo while speaking highlighted some challenges posed to the society as a result of pervading cases of mental health. He attributed the growing trend of the cases to stress usually caused by the economic hardship and insecurity Nigerians are currently battling with. He recommended that inclusivity should be prioritized while selecting the members of the steering committee as proposed in the mental health bill.
The representative of the Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, Oyo State branch, Dr. Ayotunde Fatunla commended the House of Assembly for the laudable bill. He therefore emphasized that his members should be included in the steering committee.
The representative of Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adebowale Williams while speaking stated that emphasis should be laid on awareness against stigmatization of people suffering mental health issues and that if any person is found to be suffering mental health challenges in any place of work, such person should rather be helped and rehabilitated rather than passing hasty dismissal judgement on the person.
The representative of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, Dr. Wole Oke spoke on some steps taken by his agency in nibbing the menace of drug abuse in the bud so as to drastically reduce the challenges of mental health in the society.
Other experts who spoke at the event agreed on adequate funding to health care system, and that sensitization and public enlightenment should be at the top gear.
Among the dignatories who graced the ocassion were honourables Akeem Adedibu, Olushola Owolabi, Femi Julius, Akintunde Olajide AKT, representatives of Nigerian Medical Association, Red Cross Society, heads of parastatals, clinical psychologists, medical experts among several others.
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