The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) early Monday morning extended the ongoing strike by 12 weeks.
The decision was taken at an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) held at ASUU Secretariat in Abuja. The emergency meeting, which had in attendance principal officers and branch chairmen, started on Sunday and ended early Monday morning.
The two month rollover strike declared in March 14, 2022 by ASUU ended today (May 9th), thus NEC felt the need to extend it by 12 weeks after initial agitation for indefinite strike because of failure to address the issues in contention.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan
The implication of the extension of the strike is that public universities would remain close. At the last meeting with government negotiation team led by Prof. Nimi Briggs, ASUU officials worked out but there is indication that the both parties would meet next week. ASUU’s demands include the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed with government in December 2020 on funding for revitalisation of public universities (both federal and states),brenegotiation of then2009 FGN/ ASUU Agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
Other outstanding issues are earned academic allowances; state universities, promotion arrears, withheld salaries, non- remittance of third-party deductions and rejection of UTAS that ASUU technical team developed to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Some students of the University of Lagos, have taken to the streets on Monday to protest the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities. The snapshots attached herewith.
The notorious cult leader, Rotimi Adeniyi popularly known as Paracetamol will be arraigned in Court, the Ogun Police Command has revealed.
Recall that Paracetamol was arrested after a long terrorism act, that was characterized by spilling of blood.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan.
Rotimi Adeniyi (aka Paracetamol), according to the police in Ogun State, had been placed on its list of wanted persons for his role in numerous cult clashes, in which many lives were lost.
Rotimi, an infamous leader of the “Eiye” Confraternity, with his base in Ifo, oftentimes besieged the state capital, Abeokuta, wrecked havocs and, thereafter, took cover in Ifo, unknown to him that surveillance had been placed on him.
He was said not to have spared his base in Ifo in the terrorist act.
While basking in the euphoria of his self-acclaimed mastery of the wicked act, police Intelligence fished him out of hiding with his busting at Ifo on Saturday, April 30, 2022.
The Ogun State Police Command, through its spokesman (PPRO), DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said, “acting on credible intelligence, the CSP Olanrewaju Kalejaye-led SWAT, stormed his place at about 1:30 am on Saturday 30th of April 2022, where he was apprehended”.
During his arrest, a cut-to size- locally made pistol, one live cartridge, assorted criminal charms, weed suspected to be Indian hemp and a cutlass, were recovered.
The state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has, however, ordered a full scale investigation into his antecedent, with a view to arraigned him in court as soon as possible.
As the Ogun 2023 governorship election approaches, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade, has obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akinlade, a 2019 governorship candidate, said he purchased the forms on Friday to contest for the ticket of the party with other aspirants.
In a statement on Sunday, Akinlade maintained that it was a mandate that “we all must undertake with clear conviction and determination to succeed.”
According to him, he had thrown his hat into the ring to sustain and complement the infrastructural strides of past administrations.
The former lawmaker said he had phoned other aspirants in the state, congratulating them for joining the guber race.
He asserted that the desire to serve should be selfless, devoid of acrimony and divisions, saying “this the time to reset our focus and reposition the future of our dear State.”
His words: “My dear good people of Ogun State and party faithful, as a young Eagle (politically), I rode on the great wings of our leader above the Olumo Rock and beyond, he showed and taught me many lessons. Just like every eagle that MUST take its first leap of fate, I joined other Guber aspirants from Ogun State and procured the 2023 Gubernatorial Expression of Interest and Nomination forms on the platform of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday the 6th of May, 2022.
“Someone once told me that “if your dreams does not scare you, then it’s not worth exploring”. Yes it is daunting and almost scary without the usual safety net, but this is one mandate that we all must undertake with clear conviction and determination to succeed. As l call on you once again, I must say that what kept me going in the last three years was your love, prayers, encouragement and sacrifices.
“Dear compatriots, my aspiration to run for the highest office of our dear state once again, hinges on sustaining and complementing the giant infrastructural strides of past administrations, one of which I was privileged to have served in, between 2011-2015.
“This morning, Sunday the 8th of May, 2022. I placed calls through to my co-aspirants and congratulated them for throwing their hats in the ring for the Ogun 2023 Guber contest. I assured them of my cooperation in the process and received same courtesy.
“True vision and desire to serve should be selfless, devoid of acrimony and divisions. We are people destined for greatness, thus, this is the time to reset our focus and reposition the future of our dear State as envisioned by our forebears.”
Lagos Reporters recalls that Akinlade contested under the platform of the Allied People’s Movement in 2019, coming second after the incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The installation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as the Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland) remains intact.
This was confirmed by the Oyomesi led by the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, on Sunday.
Gbajabiamila’s installation had earlier been suspended following the death of Alaafin Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. The chieftaincy conferment ceremony, which was planned to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, was part of activities to mark the lawmaker’s 60th birthday.
But the Oyomesi, on Sunday, confirmed that the installation will go as planned when Gbajabiamila visited the palace to condole the royal family and people of Oyo over the demise of Alaafin.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan
According to the Oyomesi, one of the last wishes of the late Alaafin in conferring Gbajabiamila as Baasofin of Yoruba land will be fulfilled by the Oyomesi and the next Alaafin.
Meanwhile, one of late Alaafin’s children, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, while addressing Gbajabiamila, advanced reasons why the late monarch conferred the chieftaincy title on the lawmaker,
He said, “The Alaafin asked, ‘Since democracy started in Nigeria, who from Yoruba land has been outstanding in the National Assembly? Which lawmaker from Yoruba has the highest number of bills? Which one has moved the highest number of motions? Which one has the best legislative performance?’
“The person who has ticked all these boxes is Femi Gbajabiamila…As the Alaafin has said, so it is. This is the Aare Baasofin.”
Gbajabiamila’s spokesman, Lanre Lasisi, had on April 24, explained in a statement that the monarch died before the distribution of invitation cards for the event.
An invitation card of the event that surfaced online shows that the installation is slated to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, with the All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, named as the Chairman of the occasion.
Also, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was slated to be the Royal Father of the Day while Chief Commander, Ebenezer Obey, and K1 De Ultimate have been named as the musicians to entertain guests at the event.
Oyo Assembly, its Speaker and two other principal officers have sued the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its investigation of the accounts and financial activities of the third arm of government in the State.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan.
According to the Nation Newspaper, the plaintiffs are contending among others, that no provision of the Constitution empowers the EFCC to probe the Oyo State Assembly and its principal officers without a formal compliant from the state’s Auditor-General.
They added that the EFCC, being an agency of the Federal Government, “cannot look into and/or cause to investigate the accounts of any authority such as the 1st plaintiff (Oyo Assembly) and/agency in Oyo State,” in view of the specific provisions in sections 120,121, 125, 126 and127 of the Constitution.
Listed with the House of Assembly as the plaintiffs in the suit are Adebo Edward Ogundoyin (the Speaker); Sanjo Adedoyin Onaolapo (Majority Leader) and Asimiyu Niran Alarape (Minority Leader).
The EFCC is the sole defendant.
The pendency of the suit, filed on May 5 this year at the Federal High Court, Ibadan has been communicated to the Chairman, EFCC Abdulrasheed Bawa and the Director, Legal Department via letters written by lawyer to the plaintiffs, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN).
The letters, with the court processes attached, were sighted in Abuja on Sunday. They are dated May 5, but received at the Abuja headquarters of the EFCC on May 6, 2022. The letters are titled: “Notification of the pendency of suit No: FHC/IB/CS/71/2022 between Oyo State House of Assembly & 3 others v. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”
The plaintiffs are praying the court to among others, declare that under the Constitution, particularly Section 125, the state’s Auditor-General possesses the exclusive duty to investigate the accounts and finances of the House of Assembly and its officers.
They want the court to declare that the EFCC’s act of requesting for the 1st plaintiff’s account books and information about its financial activities, without any complaint from the state’s Auditor-General is a violation of Section 125 of the Constitution and a clear usurpation of the Auditor-General’s duty under Section 125(4) of the Constitution.
The plaintiffs equally want the court restrain the EFCC from further interfering in the activities of the plaintiffs and their staff, and to order it (the EFCC) to return the account books and other documents “forcefully obtained from the 1st plaintiff.”
In her witness statement, filed with the writ of summons, the Clerk of the Oyo House of Assembly, Mrs. Yetunde Oludara Awe stated that the activities of operatives of the EFCC were gradually grounding the operations of the third arm of government in Oyo State.
Mrs. Awe stated that armed EFCC operatives first stormed the Assembly in July 2021, arrested some officials and compelled them to make statements and submit documents concerning the financial transactions of the plaintiffs.
She added that while the EFCC operatives have made it a habit to constantly invite and harass officials of the House of Assembly, they are allegedly planning to invite all the 32 members of Assembly “with the intention of incapacitating the effective running of the 1st plaintiff.
“By virtue of the Constitution, section 125(2), (4), and (6) in particular, the defendant cannot look into the financial activities of the 1st plaintiff and the financial transactions of the 1st to 4th plaintiffs,” the Clerk said.
She added that it was obvious from the various letters written by the defendant to the House of Assembly that the purported investigation by the EFC is “a usurpation of the power of the Auditor-General of Oyo State as stipulated by Section 125(4) of the Constitution.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has taken steps to stop the defection of Abdulmumin Jibrin, a prominent campaigner for the All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu.
This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Ganduje wades into Kiru/Bebeji contest crisis’ by the Chairman of APC in Kano State, Abdullahi Abbas, on Sunday.
ODUDUWA NEWS had reported that Jibrin had on Saturday announced his exit from the ruling APC, saying that he would announce his new political party soon.
The statement read, “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has directed the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress to immediately take measures for the amicable resolution of the internal differences arising from interested parties seeking nomination to contest election into the Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency.
“To this end, the party secretariat has complied and summoned a stakeholder meeting to discuss the situation in the constituency.
“An invitation has been sent to all the aspiring candidates for the position.
“Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa has already accepted the proposal and readiness to attend the meeting.
“Abbas called on the parties to remain calm and cooperate with the party with a view to resolving the internal crisis and further assured that the meeting would come up with a position acceptable to all the aspirants.”
The choice of Senatorial candidate in Oyo North Senatorial District has generated a lot of controversies since PDP announced its consensus candidate, Mr. Akinwole Akinwale known as Wolekanle to fly the party ticket.
ODUDUWA NEWS gathered that many people believe that Oke-Ogun would be shortchanged should PDP and APC cede their senatorial tickets to Ogbomosho again having had incumbent senator, Sen. Fatai Buhari from the same zone who will be completing two terms in 2023.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan.
While APC is yet to announce its flagbearer, a member of Alliance for Oke-Ogun Development, Comrade Ismail Alani while speaking on the choice of Senatorial candidate to represent the zone said that the fact that the much-touted ‘Oke-Ogun Lo Kan’ project has not fetched the desired result in having an Oke-Ogun Governor should propel a sense of purpose towards having people from the region in the National Assembly and other important political posts to bring about the positive changes the region needs.
“You cannot tell me that we are that gullible in Oke-Ogun to still go ahead and vote an Ogbomoso man or woman this coming election, they have just gotten two terms in the senate, let the rest of the Senatorial District also have a taste.
“We all know our set target even before the 2019 election was an Oke-Ogun governor, but due to weak political structures and capabilities of our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters in the various political parties, Ibadan got the shot again and we rallied support for the incumbent governor, we should not now be called fools by the party leaders with their recent decisions.
“We have resolved to support our own people in the coming election, whether our brothers and sisters are even from parties that are not popular like APC and PDP, we will give bloc votes to them in Oke-Ogun, that is our resolution,” Alani said.
There have been growing concerns about the choice of Oyo North Senatorial candidates in both major political parties as disagreement, sectional interest among other concerns have been said to have emerged since the two major political parties, Peoples Democratic Party PDP and All Progressives Congress APC have started consensus arrangements on the choices of their respective flagbearers in Oyo North Senatorial District.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan.
Recently, the media space was awash with the condemnation and innuendos that trailed the choice of PDP’s consensus candidate in Oyo North Senatorial District, Mr. Akinwale Akinwole popularly known as Wolekanle who is believed by pundits to be a lily-livered and a pawn in the chess of political game that could not weather the roaring storm of sectional interest of ‘Oke-Ogun Lokan’ as being bandied around by the political gladiators in the zone.
ODUDUWA NEWS, in its investigation to unravel the mystery behind the resurface of ‘Oke-Ogun Lokan’ in Oyo North Senatorial District as the coinage firstly surfaced during the 2019 gubernatorial election found out that the people of the region believe that surrendering the Senatorial ticket to Ogbomosho again in 2023 would be tantamount to capitulating to political machination of their rival zone for another political dispensation.
The analysis of the representatives had so far in Oyo North Senatorial District since return of democracy in 1999 highlighted thus: Yusuff Brimo 1999-2003 (Ogbomosho), Senator Robert Koleosho 2003-2007 (Oke-Ogun), Sen. Gbenga Babalola 2007-2011 (Oke-Ogun), Sen. Hosea Agboola 2011-2015 (Oke-Ogun) and the current serving Senator, an Ogbomosho indigene, Sen. Fatai Buhari who will be the first Senator representing the zone for two terms consecutively.
This above stated analysis has shown that both zones have had equal representation since 1999 but political stakeholders in the zone hinge their assertion on zoning of the ticket to Oke-Ogun on the grounds that if Ogbomosho indigene is returned in 2023, Oke-Ogun zone with ten local government councils would have been completely marginalized by Ogbomosho with three local government councils. It is factual, that should Ogbomosho indigene emerges in 2023, it would make the total years of representation by the region to be 16 years provided it is single tenure and 20 years if the future Senator is returned for second term while Oke-Ogun will be left to remain at 12 years of representation since the return of democracy.
In as much as it is believed that politics is a game of calculations and numbers, Seyi Makinde and his think tank could be said to have thought less of emergence of their candidate in Oyo North by trading senatorial ticket of the zone purposely for the sole aim of getting a return to Agodi seat believing that if a candidate is fielded from Ogbomosho, such candidate will secure bloc votes for him. However, this political calculation seemed to have died on arrival as one of the gladiators of the PDP in the zone, Hon. Mulikat Adeola has used a last straw to break the camel’s back by pitching her tent with a newly found love, the party of Social Democratic Party SDP. This is a pointer to the political think tank of Gov Makinde to restrategize and look into a way of preventing the political goodwill they might have thought of enjoying in Oke-Ogun from being eroded.
The same drum is being beaten into the ears of the gladiators in All Progressives Congress APC in the zone but there seems to be a fair sectional calculation in the political scheming of the party in the zone as many Oke-Ogun sons have signified intention to secure the ticket. Some Oke-Ogun APC candidates that have picked their nomination forms include Hon. Sola Ogunbode from Kajola Local Government, Hon. Shina Peller, the incumbent Honorable representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency and Hon. Saheed Alaran, who feelers hinted would pick his form any moment.
One may wonder why Oke-Ogun people have suddenly brought out the coinage of ‘Oke-Ogun Lo Kan’ project in the Oyo North Senatorial District, the ‘Oke-Ogun Lo Kan’ might not have fetched the desired result in having an Oke-Ogun Governor but the agitation is propelling a sense of purpose towards having people from their region in the National Assembly and other important political posts to bring about the positive changes the region so desires.
Having their Indigenes as their representative is believed to be a remedy to the percieved marginalization of the zone in federal distribution of projects particularly the age-long yearning for tertiary institution.
ODUDUWA NEWS, in its pursuit of accurate and timely information, has been availed on the circumstances leading to the exit of Abdulmumin Jibrin, a former member of the House of Representatives and Director General of the Bola Tinubu Campaign Organization from the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Contrary to widespread belief that his defection may be as a result of a possible rejection of Asiwaju’s 2023 ambition by President Muhammadu Buhari, Jibrin’s problems arise from a decision not to give him the party’s ticket to return to the house of representatives.
Waterfield Luxury Hotel, Akobo, Ibadan.
Jibrin and Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje have been at loggerheads for sometime over local political issues.
It can be recalled that Jibrin had represented Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2019 before losing the re-run election to the Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
However, Tinubu has been informed of the problem and has now stepped into the matter.
In was gathered that the Lagos politician has reached out to Governor Ganduje to resolve the matter. A reliable source disclosed to this newspaper that Jibrin will also be meeting with Tinubu in a matter of hours for a total resolution of the crisis.
