Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has warned that the State government would shut down any Commercial Banks operating in the state that refused to accept old naira notes.
The warning is sequel to complains received from the people by the state government that commercial banks and some filling stations are rejecting the old naira notes as legal tender.
The governor spoke on Tuesday while addressing market men and women at Itoku Kampala market in Abeokuta, as part of his reelection campaign to Abeokuta North Local Government Areas.
Abiodun , who frowned at the action of the banks, noted that since the new naira notes was not available, commercial banks must accept the old notes to ease the suffering of the people.
He called on the people to remain calm, assuring that his government was working assiduously to ensure that the present situation was brought under control.
Speaking on the epileptic power supply affecting the market, the governor assured that he would reach out to the appropriate authority to improve on the power supply to the market.
Abiodun added that the controversy surrounding the non-issuance of documents to some shop owners at the market would be addressed.
He promised that some of the outstanding issues currently affecting the market would be given a priority during his second term in office.
The governor appreciated the traders for their support so far, imploring them to vote all the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 and March 11 election.
The governor promised that 200 market men and women would benefit from the government’s loan arrangement, saying that the Oko Owo Dapo scheme would be extended to them.
Abiodun expressed dismay that the transformer given to the market was not functioning effectively and directed that new ones be brought to the market immediately.
Addressing the people at the Mokola-Elega Under Bridge, Abiodun stated that his administration would complete the road during his second term, calling for their maximum support in the elections.
The Otun Iyaloja of Itoku, Mrs Simbiat Oyetola, commended the governor for the boreholes provided in the market, urging the governor to assist the traders in resolving the problem of epileptic power supply.
…rolls out 35 new buses to commute 7,000 people daily
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has launched the second edition of the GbajaRide community transportation initiative as part of plans to ease the movement of residents and students in Surulere, Lagos, particularly due to the hardship occasioned by the ongoing currency swap policy and fuel scarcity.
At the launch of the second phase of the GbajaRide initiative at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila announced that a total of 15 medium-sized buses with a 26+1 capacity and 20 air-conditioned 18-seat buses were earmarked for the transportation scheme.
He said the two different sets of buses would commute an estimated 5,000 Surulere residents and 2,000 students on daily trips, noting that “we intend to add more buses to the service.”
The GbajaRide scheme was first launched in June 2018, when the Speaker was serving as the House Leader in the 8th Assembly. It kicked off with 30 brand new buses, 160 motorcycles, and 25 tricycles, used to empower and ease the movement of residents of Surulere.
He said: “GbajaRide is part of the relief designed to provide transportation service for the people of Surulere at a discounted rate. We must commend the government of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for the rollout plans to ease the pains Lagosians go through during this period.
“While GbajaRide will be moving residents of Surulere at a discounted rate, the transport service will move all our secondary school students, teachers and residents of age 75 and above from designated bus stops in Surulere free of charge.”
“The GbajaRide transport service in partnership with Lagos State Government will key into existing rules of engagement of LAMATA on routes and operations that will meet the transportation needs of the people of Surulere.”
The Speaker said, learning from the first phase, GbajaRide was now structured under a proper management service that would run the new service in partnership with the Lagos State Government and with the cooperation of members of the Lagos State Park and Garage Administrators.
Gbajabiamila noted that as the representative of his people, he had a good understanding of the current hardship and discomfort being faced by many Nigerians, including his constituents.
“The House of Representatives under my leadership has been on the side of the people, working tirelessly to rescue you from economic saboteurs seeking to derail the successes of President Buhari and the APC administration. I am glad that the judiciary also confirmed our position on the implementation of the naira redesign policy of the central bank. The good news is that relief is underway.”
He said as Nigerians prepare to vote on February 25 and March 11, the development of Surulere, Lagos State, and Nigeria will be on the ballot for consideration, and that the sustenance of the transportation initiative would “be guaranteed if we choose APC in the forthcoming elections.”
“I strongly believe that residents of Surulere, irrespective of tribe or religion, will affirm and attest to all the developmental projects facilitated in Surulere 1 and 2 Federal Constituencies and beyond.
“Surulere is enjoying all these developments because our community has enjoyed the support of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from 1999 till date. It is our time to return this support and love to the man we believe will bring relief and succour to many Nigerians when elected.
“As we all go out on February 25, 2023, I urge you to vote APC in the Asiwaju for President, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun for Senate and my humble self – Femi Gbajabiamila – for House of Representatives. While on March 11, 2023, we should vote APC to return our Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Hon. Desmond Elliot back into office.”
Gbajabiamila also urged the people of Surulere and Lagos Park and Garage committee members to cooperate with the management of the GbajaRide Transport service for ease of movement of residents and students.
“I also urge the management service and drivers of GbajaRide to make safety a top priority, and I pray that GbajaRide will be safe from accidents and our people will find joy in subscribing to GbajaRide any day any time. God bless you all.”
Also at the function was the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Rep. Jimi Benson; APC Lagos State Chairman, Hon Cornelius Ojelabi; Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on Transportation, Hon Sola Giwa; SSA to the Lagos Governor on Sports, Mr. Anthony Adeyinka; MD of Lagos State Housing Development Corporation, Hon. Ayo Joseph; the Oniba of Iba, Lagos, Oba Suleiman Raji; the Onikate of Ikate-Surulere, Oba Lateef Adams; Secretary of Lagos GAC, Alhaji Mutiu Are; Member of Lagos GAC, Chief Olorunfunmi Bashorun, among other dignitaries.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has declared that the old Naira Notes of N200, N500 and N1000 have ceased to be legal tender in Nigeria since the 10th of February, 2023.
The declaration was made by the Branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bauchi, Haladu Idris Andaza while briefing Journalists on Monday at the CBN, branch in Bauchi.
He said that “In the last 24 hours, we have been inundated by questions from various angles of the general public about our operational guidelines on the old currency notes, be that as it may, there are so many questions here and there which people have been asking about.”
According to him, “So for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that CBN is ready and is opened to receive all of those old notes based on certain conditions and criteria.”
“Customers are free to come to the Bank and deposit which they cannot do at the Commercial Banks anymore because the currency has seized to be a legal tender since the 10th of this month.
“Consequently, the management of the CBN decided that those customers will have a sigh of relief by coming to the offices of the CBN in all the 36 states in the Federation including FCT to deposit their money.
“The customer has to go to the CBN portal and fill a form in the portal, there will be a form there concerning this currency redesign and exchange.”
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba has said that some separatist agitators under the aegis of Oduduwa Nation are amassing weapons in an attempt to disrupt the February 25 and March 11 general elections in the South-West geopolitical zone.
The IGP disclosed this during a meeting with strategic police managers at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
He also lamented that small arms and light weapons are being trafficked to advance political violence, political extremism and intolerance, while cyberbullying for political ends is on the rise daily.
Secessionist agitation gained prominence in the South-West geopolitical zone mid-2021. The agitation was champion by Yoruba Nation campaigner, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
However, the agitation slowed down with the raid of Igboho’s Ibadan residence by the Department of State Services on July 1, 2021. The agitator later escaped to Benin Republic where he was detained by the security agents in the francophone West African country. He was later released on bail but has not returned to Nigeria.
There have been pockets of agitations by Yoruba Nation protesters of late but the police have warned that no disturbance of public peace would be allowed.
Addressing police officers on Monday, the IGP said, “As you are aware, some crimes of national security importance could undermine our efforts towards entrenching a peaceful electioneering process, if not adequately curtailed.
“These include banditry and terrorism which has ravaged many communities in the North-west and North-Central with adverse effects on the economic and social well-being of the residents.
“Similarly, violent secessionist campaigns by IPOB/ESN members have been targeted at various symbols of democratic governance including INEC assets, police stations and personnel as well as other security agencies and Federal Government infrastructures, all in an effort to disrupt the 2023 general elections in the South East geopolitical zone.
“Other major crimes are the growing activities of the Oduduwa Nation Agitators who, from intelligence sources, have been attempting to amass weapons and mobilise other resources towards disrupting the peace, security and electoral process in the South-West geopolitical zone.”
The IGP charged the officers to conduct themselves “within the dictates of the Electoral Act and other laws”, while he assured Nigerians of the commitment of the police to a peaceful, secure, free, fair and credible elections.
The Director of new media of the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign council (APC PCC), Mr Femi Fani-Kayode says he regrets raising the alarm over the fear of an impending coup d’ etat in the country.
Speaking to reporters yesterday in Abuja after he was grilled by the department of state security services (DSS) for five hours, he admitted that he should have been circumspect before going public on the issue.
He added: “Sometimes when in the war front because we are in a war presently on the political front. While experiencing such war there is the fog of war where we say either the right things or the wrong things. Nobody is infallible. But the truth is when it comes to the issue of national security, we have to be careful.”
Acknowledging that the coup alarm raised shock waves across the polity, he explained that his action was aimed at drawing the attention of security agencies to be on top of the situation if there was any iota of truth on the matter.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, February 13, 2023, arraigned an actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a two-count charge bordering on tampering with the redesigned Naira notes.
One of the count reads: “That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, on the 28n day of January, 2023, at Monarch Event Centre Lekki, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social occasion, tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same on the said occasion; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.
The second count reads: “That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, on the 28th day of January, 2023, at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social occasion, tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by dancing on same on the said occasion; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
The umbrella body of cattle breeders association of Oyo State, Miyetti Allah has today endorsed Governor Seyi Makinde for second term.
The endorsement was made known today at Iseyin during a visitation to the Fulani scribe as part of the campaign tour.
The leaders of the Fulani people in Iseyin hinged their endorsement on the grounds that Makinde’s achievements in Iseyin where they live and the entire state are monumental.
Makinde in his words, appreciated the Fulani tribe in Iseyin and promised to electrified the suburb of Kaara as requested by their leaders.
He also highlighted some of the reasons why himself along with other Southwest governors established Amotekun Corps, saying it was mainly to protect all the residents of Oyo State irrespective of where they come from.
He therefore solicited for the support of the Fulani people in the region to continue showing their support for his administration while reassuring them of more dividends of democracy if he is re-elected for the second term.
Makinde also held town hall meeting with traditional council in Ado-Awaye. The meeting which had traditional leaders drawn from Araromi LCDA in attendance was an avenue used by the community leaders to put forward their demands to the governor.
Alado of Ado-Awaye, Oba Olugbile Fowokanmi while speaking appreciated the executive governor for his development strides in Oyo State particularly in Iseyin. He therefore urged Gov Makinde to spread development to Ado-Awaye and not to limit the spread of developmental projects to Iseyin alone.
Makinde while speaking, thanked the people of Ado-Awaye for their support and asked that they should support his re-election to continue the good work he has started. He promised Ado-Awaye that the town would not lag behind in getting what it deserves in his administration.
He further used the ocassion to solicit for the support of the people of the town to the Oyo North Senatorial candidate, Akinwale Akinwole Wolekanle, the House of Representatives candidate in Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency, Oyedeji Shina OSHINE and Hon. Dele Adeola who is contesting to represent Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency for second term.
Popular Nigerian singer, Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, known as D’banj, has dissociated himself from inciting comments suggesting him taking sides in the fight between his colleagues Seun Kuti and Peter Okoye.
This message comes on the heels of the back and forth between the famous Nigerian singer and internet personality Peter Okoye and Seun Kuti over support for presidential candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
D’banj, in a statement signed by his lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi and made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, advised the public to disregard what he described as “mischief” of a publication maliciously pushed to drive traffic to gossip blogs and stoke non-existent conflict between him and his well-regarded colleagues in the industry.
According to the statement: ”This is to notify the public that Mr Oladapo Daniel (D’Banj) never made any derogatory or disparaging statement against anybody, especially within the entertainment industry, nor has he directed the publication of any such material on his behalf.”
While expressing shock over the false publication attributed to him, the singer added that: “They must all remain one big family in the industry. Though political ideologies may differ and could be expressed in heated ways, the irrefutable truth is that elections will come and go.”
Femi Fani-Kayode on Sunday predicted victory for Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC.
A statement by the former presidential aide declared that Tinubu will not be “robbed” like the late Obafemi Awolowo and MKO Abiola.
Fani-Kayode said the ruling party and its flagbearer were ready to go into the February 25th battle with strength and power.
He noted that no matter how thick the conspiracy is, they shall stand firm, hold the line, keep the flag flying and “prove that we are men.”
“60 years ago Awolowo was robbed and lost it, 30 years ago Abiola was robbed and lost it.
“30 years later and in two weeks’ time, despite the desperation, plots and plans of our enemies, history will not repeat itself, Tinubu will not be robbed.”
The former Minister of Aviation charged the Jagaban Army to stay strong, assuring that Nigeria will soon renew and regain its lost glory.
Advising Tinubu’s supporters never to waver, FFK maintains “Asiwaju shall be President” because it’s “his turn and our time.”
