Author: oduduwanews

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo Has Reiterated The Need For State Police To Help Combat The Country’s Growing Insecurity.

In A Statement, Obasanjo’s Special Assistant On Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Cited The Former President As Saying This During A Courtesy Visit To Him In Abeokuta On Wednesday By The Leadership Of The National Association Of Ex-Local Government Chairmen In Nigeria. Prioritized Over Community Policing.

He Said That During His Era, The Tiers Of Government Were All Active But Are All Gone Now.

He Expressed Confidence Over The Need For State Police Which Will Inturn Birth Community Policing.

He Said, “Our Situation In Nigeria Concerns Everyone, Particularly, The Case Of Terrorism. The Case Has Gotten Over The Issue Of Community Police. It Is Now State Police. It Is From That State Police That We Can Now Be Talking About Community Police.

“I Prepared During The Popular Murtala/Obasanjo Administration, Because I Believe That There Is Need To Enable That Tier Of Government To Work Truly As A Local Government. They Have Their Own Executive, Judiciary And Legislature.

“They Were Working And They Were Very Visible, Building And Managing Roads, Looking Into Education, Health, Local Administration, Agriculture, But They Are All Gone.”

Aisha Buhari, the First Lady of Nigeria, has sent out invitations to aspirants gunning for the presidency of the country in the different political parties to show up for a Ramadan dinner with her on Saturday, April 23.

According to the invitation card, the presidential aspirants are expected to present their invitation cards at the gate of the venue otherwise they may be turned back.

The presidential aspirants were also instructed to leave their phones behind when coming for the dinner.

“Please, bring this card with you. Phones are not allowed,” stated the invite.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) currently has about 8 presidential aspirants.

Former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu broke the ice in January and declared his intention to run for the presidency when he visited Aisha’s husband, Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa, Abuja.

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, followed suit, and in a similar fashion, visited Buhari to inform him of his intention to run for the coveted number one position in the country.

It did not take long for others like a former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu; ex-governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to declare their interest in the presidency on the platform of the APC.

Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has also joined the race.

Those who have declared for the top position on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) include the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; a United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; media entrepreneur and publisher, Dele Momodu; Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel and a Pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa.

Others are former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim and the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, as well as the only female aspirant in the race, Oliver Tareila Diana.

However, this directive will not apply to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and governors and ministers who are expected to be at the meeting.

The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state has thrown its weight behind the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, on his pronouncement to probe the last administration with the aim of retrieving public funds looted from the state coffers.

It would be recalled that Governor Makinde had last week, while featuring on a Live radio program in Ibadan had declared that his Government will not leave any stone unturned to retrieve every Kobo stolen from Oyo purse during the last administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Oyo state PDP in a statement on Thursday April 21 by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Akeem Olatunji, said the party is disturbed by what it described as unwarranted kid gloves treatment of the matter by the state Governor for almost three years since inception of the present administration.

It would also be recalled that the ruling party has at different times in the past called on Governor Makinde to set machineries in motion to probe the last government of APC in the state with the aim of retrieving all public funds diverted into private purse as well as all misappropriated monies.

The Oyo state PDP wondered why the state government has yet to commence probing of the last government despite the pronouncement to do so saying that no sentimental coloration should be attached to the probe move.

The ruling party also noted that in the face of clarity, the last APC government did an extrensive probe and prosecution of a previous government of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja before it until the Court of law gave a final ruling on it.

The party urged Governor Seyi Makinde to as a matter of urgency and necessity commence the probe in order to retrieve stolen public funds and monies misappropriated under the APC government from 2011–2019.

The statement reads partly, “we are still bewildered as a political party as to why the Governor, His Excellency, Engr Seyi Makinde has continued to show undeserved leniency to those who have made pensioners, retirees and even civil servants in the state to suffer undeserved and untold hardship as a result of deliberate denial of their legitimate rights after serving the state meritoriously.

“We want to state it unequivocally clear that probing the last APC administration will be the only elixir that can heal the wounded hearts of all those who have lost their loved ones to the cold hands of death as a result of denied rights and benefits after many years of active service in the state civil service.

“It is of note that apart from brazen misappropriation and diversion of public funds under the last APC government which runs into several billions of naira, civil servants who were then in active service and others still in active service before the emergence of the PDP led Government were made to suffer unjust treatment even across ministries and government parastatals.

“The fifty billion Health Endowment funds that was either diverted to private purse or misappropriated is yet to be accounted for. The sudden and questionable wealth acquired by many officials who served under the last APC government can not be allowed to be swept under the carpet.

“We are optimistic that Governor Makinde will by reason of posterity and justice to every resident and citizen of Oyo who hold his personality and reputation in the highest esteem immediately set machineries with the view to retrieving every stolen Kobo from the coffers of the state between 2011 and 2019 while assuring the state government of our maximum and unreserved cooperation and support in the entire probe process.”

The Osinbajo Support Movement has accused Tinubu’s supporters of being behind the recent posters in some parts of the FCT referring to the vice president as a ‘betrayer’

The pro-Osinbajo group said phone records of the printer suggests he has been conversing with members of the Tinubu Support Group based in the Nigerian capital city.

Details later.