Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said the Peoples Democratic Party must do everything to hold its members and chieftains together following the gale of defections that hit the party.
Makinde said this on Thursday when Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led reconciliation committee submitted its report to him.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, in a statement said the governor appreciated the members including former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru; Dr Saka Balogun and Secretary, Olayinka Kukoyi.
The governor said, “I want to thank the reconciliation committee for presenting the report. This is a confirmation that when elders are somewhere, they do not do their job halfway but they complete it. Actually, we have quite a bit to learn from our elders and from how you have done things in the past.
“Yes, the congress has basically come and gone but our party is still in need of getting all the tendencies together, not just in the South-West but even nationally.
“Between when this committee was set up and now, I believe two governors from the party’s platform have defected to the APC. A number of our lawmakers at the national level; senators, members of the House of Representatives are defecting.
“So, this report is coming at the right time for us to go ahead, look at it and still try to pull our people together irrespective of the outcome of the zonal congress.
“The country, as a whole, is in dire need of men and women of conscience, who are thinking progressively about this country.
“That is why, a few days ago, the governors from the southern part of the country came together and, without thinking of party affiliations, we took far-reaching decisions in the interest of this country; in the interest of fairness, equity and justice for everybody in the country.”
Oyinlola had while submitting the report said the committee did all it could to reconcile the warring factions in all the six states within the South-West zone.
He urged the governor and party leaders to look into all recommendations made in the report, as, according to him, they will go a long way to keep the party in good stead in the South-West zone.
The House of Representatives has approved the $6.183 billion External Borrowing request by President Muhammadu Buhari to finance the deficit in the 2021 budget.
The borrowing was already captured in the N13.6 trillion budget as a financing window.
At its plenary in Abuja on Thursday, the House considered and approved the report of the Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management, which gave the nod to the presidential request.
The borrowing will be implemented through the issuance of Eurobond in the International Capital Market.
The recommendations of the committee, presented to the House by its Chairman, Rep. Ahmed Safana Dayyabu, read, “That the House consider and (i) approve the request of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the issuance of $3,000,000,000 (Three Billion USD) but no more than $6,183,081,643.40 billion (Six Billion, One Hundred and Eighty-Three Billion, and Eighty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Three USD and Forty Cents) Eurobond in the International Capital Market for the implementation of the new External Borrowing to part-finance the deficit authorized in the 2021 Appropriation Act; (ii) also approve that the amount authorized above may be raised from multiple sources such as the International Capital Market and any other Multilateral or Bilateral sources as may be available; “(iii) direct the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Director-General of the Debt Management Office and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to submit to the National Assembly within 10 (Ten) working days (excluding the day of the close of Trading) a letter containing the United States Dollar amount so raised and received as a result of the above approval together with the applicable Exchange Rate.”
The House, which was presided over by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, also passed the 2021 Supplementary Budget for Third Reading.
Lawmakers passed N982.729bn as the supplementary budget, up from N894.842bn earlier submitted by the Executive.
The Deputy Speaker, Rep. Ahmed Idris Wase, later presided over the Committee on Supplies and the Committee of the Whole after the House suspended its rule in the absence of Gbajabiamila, having excused himself to attend to other official matters.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed a veteran accountant, Sir David Olabanji Sunmoni, as the new Pro-chancellor and chairman of the reconstituted Governing Council of the Lagos State University (LASU).
Sunmoni’s selection came about seven weeks after the Governor – the Visitor to the school – dissolved the Prof. Nurudeen Ninalowo-led Governing Council on the recommendation of the Visitation Panel that probed the crises and controversies surrounding the selection of substantive Vice Chancellor (VC) for the school.
The appointment of new Council members followed the recommendation of the Prof. Bamitale Omole-led panel, which also counselled the Governor to order fresh selection process for the substantive VC.
Sanwo-Olu, however, returned 12 other officials, who served in the previous Council led by Ninalowo.
Inaugurating the 13-member Council at the State House in Alausa, on Thursday, the Governor pointed out that there were wide consultations with the stakeholders before the members were selected, saying one of the urgent responsibilities before the new Council was to immediately activate the process for the appointment of a new VC.
Sanwo-Olu admonished the Council members to strictly adhere to due process, extant laws of the school and to be fair to all contenders.
He said: “Inauguration of new Governing Council for the Lagos State University (LASU) signals a new chapter of progress and resolution of issues surrounding the appointment of a substantive Vice Chancellor for the university. As the supreme governing authority of the university, I charge you to give top priority to implementation of quality policies and programmes that will accelerate the pace of development and growth of the university.
“One of the key responsibilities of the Council which requires your urgent attention is the activation of the process for the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor for the university. In performing this responsibility, I urge you to be guided by the lessons from past events and ensure strict adherence to relevant laws, guidelines and procedures.”
The Governor urged the Council members to work tirelessly to sustain and improve existing peace and industrial harmony in the university, saying the progress of the school was the only way to justify the confidence reposed in them.
He charged them to come up with innovations, programmes and policies that would move the university forward and maintain its academic excellence, while assuring the Council members of the State Government’s continuous support.
Sanwo-Olu noted that special consideration was given to the appointees’ pedigrees, competencies, work experience and their contributions to the development of the State and the country.
He said: “As members of the new LASU Governing Council, I charge you to bring about your wealth of experience and accomplishments in your various chosen professions to impact positively on the management, policy formulations and smooth running of the university. I urge you to consider your appointment and this inauguration as a call to duty and service to your fatherland.”
Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said the Council members’ appointments were made in pursuant of the powers conferred on the Governor by the enabling laws of the school.
He said the ceremony became imperative in order not to create vacuum in the governance of the school.
Sunmoni, an indigene of Ikorodu, described his appointment as a “unique opportunity” to serve the people.
He promised to work with members of the Council and university administration to make the school a citadel all stakeholders would be proud of.
“We will do our best and work assiduously to take the school to the next level. The school under my leadership would be a pride of all. We will never disappoint the confidence repose in us by Mr. Governor,” Sunmoni pledged.
At the event included the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, Chancellor of the school, Prof. Gbolahan Elias, SAN,
Acting VC, Prof. Adedamola Oke, and Acting Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Fanu.
Other members of Council are Mrs Tolagbe Taiwo, Mrs Moronke Williams, Mr Tolani Sule, Dr. Hakeem Adetugbobo, Mr Anuoluwapo Oladele Eso, Mr Adebayo Akinsanya, Mrs. Foluke Kafayat AbdulRazaq, Prof. Shaffideen Adeniyi Amuwo, Mrs Adenike Yomi-Faseun, Mr Adekunle Soname, Mr Karl Toriola, and Dr Ifeanyi Odii.
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has described as “wrong,” some methods being adopted for the actualisation of Yoruba Nation by the self-acclaimed freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho.
Chief Gani Adams, however called on prominent Yoruba leaders to rally round Igboho against persecution.
He made this call while addressing a gathering in a video circulating online.
His words: “I beg the Ooni of Ife, the Alake of Egba and all other Yoruba leaders. If a son offends his father, the father will forgive him. Let us unite to use another method for our liberation. We are not saying we should adopt Sunday Igboho’s method.
“Most of Sunday Igboho’s method are wrong. I told him that his methods are wrong. But God has used him on the agitation for Yoruba Nation. He has played his own role and he will still play more roles. We should not let him be killed or persecuted.
“As the Aare Onakakanfo, I am begging you. Assuming he and his followers had not insulted me before, you will say that is why I’m saying this. But a leader without the spirit of forgiveness is an enemy of God. I beg the governors too.
“Sunday Igboho should caution his talkative followers so that they won’t put him into trouble,” he said.
“I told him sometimes ago that those people surrounding him are agents of politician in Lagos. I told him it is better to train your trusted soldiers than to hire mercineries who will later go for the highest bidder.
“You supporters, you have done enough. Don’t cause more damages to this freedom fight. Let the elders wade in. Even if any Oba or leader talk against you, don’t abuse them. Let’s begin to preach our gospel to win more souls.
“You said you wanted to go and open border. That will be the beginning of war. You don’t need to say that. It will be counterproductive. You don’t have war materials, you were molesting the Army, counterproductive. You said if 1,000 policemen visited your house, hardly will 100 return. You don’t need all that. Propaganda should not be too much in self-determination.
“I beg all Yorubas, let’s rally round him and support him.
“At this position I am now, I can’t be jumping up and down like him. But any statement I issue is more powerful than that in 10 years. I sit on a strategic institution in the entire Yoruba and I must be conscious of my behaviours so that I will not disappoint the institution. The institution has been in existence in the past 500 years.
“Our youths, let’s be coordinated, let’s be strategic,” Gani Adams said, saying he stands with Yoruba Nation
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, received the report of a five-man reconciliation committee, led by a former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
The committee was instituted to reconcile all aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West Zone.
Governor Makinde, while receiving the report in his office, said that the report of the committee came at the right time, stating that the PDP needs to get all the tendencies together, not just in the South-West but across the country.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor appreciated the members of the committee for the job and for their selflessness, noting that the report would be implemented in the overall interest of the PDP in the South-West zone and nationally.
The governor said: “I want to thank the Reconciliation Committee for presenting the report. This is a confirmation that when elders are somewhere, they do not do their job halfway but they complete it. Actually, we have quite a bit to learn from our elders and from how you have done things in the past.
“Yes, the Congress has basically come and gone but our party is still in need of getting all the tendencies together, not just in the South-West but even nationally.
“Between when this committee was set up and now, I believe two governors from the party’s platform have defected to the APC. A number of our lawmakers at the national level; senators, members of the House of Representatives are defecting.
“So, this report is coming at the right time for us to go ahead, look at it and still try to pull our people together irrespective of the outcome of the zonal congress.
“The country, as a whole, is in dire need of men and women of conscience, who are thinking progressively about this country. That is why, a few days ago, the governors from the southern part of the country came together and, without thinking of party affiliations, we took far-reaching decisions in the interest of this country; in the interest of fairness, equity and justice for everybody in the country.”
The governor maintained that the report would be handed over to the zonal executive of the party, who, according to him, are now the rallying point for the party in the zone, saying: “As of the time this was put together, I was acting as the rallying point for our party in the South West. “But now, we have the zonal executive members in place and they are now the true rallying point for the people within the South-West.
“They will be invited; we will hand this over to them and we will probably call an expanded zonal meeting where leaders of thought can come together and put a plan in place for the South West and how we are going to interact with other zones in the country, because we know that the National Convention is practically upon us.
“Two days ago, they brought out the proposed timetable for the activities leading to the National Convention of our party. We also have to come together, look at the position to take, relative to other parts of the country and what are our aspirations in the South West. So, this is just the starting point. We will still come together and try to articulate our position, which we will sell to the other geopolitical zones in the country.”
He added that the solutions suggested by the committee will lead to an “implementation that will lift our party in the zone and in the country.”
Presenting the report on behalf of the committee, Prince Oyinlola appreciated the governor for giving the committee the opportunity, saying the committee has been able to collate the problems and possible solutions.
According to him, the committee was put in place by the stakeholders of the South-West zone with the mandate to go round the six states of the zone and identify the areas of problems within the party, adding that the committee did all it could to reconcile the warring factions in all the six states within the zone.
He pleaded that the governor and party leaders should look into all recommendations made in the report, as, according to him, they will go a long way to keep the party in good stead in the South-West zone.
“I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to come and present to you the reconciliation report of the committee, which was set up around November, 2020.
“We have been able to collate the problems and possible solutions. This team was put in place by the stakeholders of the South-West zone with the mandate to go round the six states of the zone and identify the areas of problems within our party and we did all we can to ensure we reconcile the warring factions.
“We were able to achieve that by visiting all the six states within the zone.
“We plead that you look at the report and execute the recommendations we made as it will go a long way to keep our party in good stead in the South West zone.”
The members of the committee who were present at the event include, Prince Oyinlola [chairman], Barr. Olayinka Kukoyi [secretary], Chief Saka Balogun and Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail of N200million for a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Adedibu Ojerinde, who was charged with alleged diversion of about N5.2billion public funds.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu admitted Ojerinde to bail in a ruling he delivered after listening to arguments from lawyers to the defence and prosecution.
Justice Egwuatu noted that bail is at the discretion of the court, adding that there is no evidence before him why the defendant should not be admitted to bail.
He ordered the defendant to produce two sureties in like sum, whom must be residents of Abuja and show evidence of tax payment.
One of the sureties, the Judge held, must be a Professor of a university while the other must own landed property with title documents in Abuja, which must be verified by the court along with operatives of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
He said, in addition, the Professor, must provide documented evidence of professorship, letter of appointment and staff identity card.
The Olubadan of Ibadan land has denied the rumour going viral on social media alleging the traditional ruler for collecting the sum of N50million to aide the Federal Government to kill Sunday Igboho.
The monarch while speaking through his Spokesman, Adeola Oloko at a protest organized by Yoruba Nation Agitators yesterday said, “it is nonsensical to have alleged that the traditional ruler of 93 year-old wiould be looking for material wealth in that manner”.
He said Sunday Igboho is the son of Ibadan and it behooves on the traditional ruler to protect him if his activities are carried out within the ambit of laws of the nation.
He however urged the citizens to be wary of information on social media as some are hell bent at carrying out malicious news for their mischievous deeds.
…Says govt irrevocably committed to citizens’ needs
Governor of the State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday, inaugurated independent monitors of National Social Investment Programmes in the State. He also distributed letters of engagement and devices to the independent monitors.
This is even as the Governor said his Administration was irrevocably committed to meeting citizens’ needs particularly the vulnerable people in the State.
While inaugurating the Independent monitors at the Staff Development Centre, State Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, Governor Oyetola said the Administration had earned several accolades for its exceptional and outstanding performance on social intervention programmes implementation.
He stated that the State had shown consistency in the implementation of a wide array of social protection programmes which according to him, have continued to impact significantly on the lives of the citizens.
Oyetola who was represented at the inauguration ceremony by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, further noted that the Administration’s relentless efforts in the last two and half years had earned it the pride of place as a leading State on the Human Development Index.
“As a State, we are irrevocably committed to ensuring that our vulnerable citizens are duly supported. You will recall that our State has over the last one decade shown consistency in our implementation of a wide array of Social Protection Programmes which continues to impact very significantly on the lives of our citizens and has earned us the pride of place as a leading State on the Human Development Index.
“Only recently, we commenced the feeding of 30, 000 persons who are poor and are vulnerable on a monthly basis, as part of our own unique way of cushioning the effect of the current economic challenges on the poor and vulnerable in our State,” Oyetola said.
The governor lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiyah Umar Farouq for their sustained passion and commitment that have ensured the success of the National Social Investment Programmes.
According to him, it is on record that the wide array of the Social Investment Programmes under the Buhari-led Administration, covering the N-Power Graduate and Non Graduate Scheme for Youths; the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, involving primaries 1-3 pupils; Conditional Cash Transfer with N5, 000 per month paid to beneficiaries and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (Market moni, trader moni, and Farmer moni), are the largest and perhaps the most ambitious in the history of our country.
In her remark, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiyah Umar Farouq, said the flag-off of the training of 5000 Independent Monitors was aimed at complementing the quick actualisation of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016.
The training which according to her was carried out across the country was initiated to ensure that each of the trained independent monitors keep a check on a designated number of beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programmes in their respective designated Local Government Areas.
The Minister who was represented by the Director, Finance and Administration, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mr. Matthew Dada, said the initiative would further help to strength the existing partnership and mutual recognition of the need to do more on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
She said the initiative would go a long way to foster and bring more Nigerians under the umbrella of the government’s social protection mechanism as part of efforts to look at scaling up the numbers of the pupils benefiting from the programme as directed by the President as over 9million pupils currently benefit from 1 free nutritious meal a day during the school term nationwide.
“You may recall that we flagged of the training of 5000 Independent Monitors for the National Social Investment Programme in Abuja on Thursday 4th February 2021. The training was carried out across the Country from February 2021 to April 2021.
“Today we are here to distribute Engagement Letters and Devices to the Trained Independent Monitors. These Devices are equipped with an Application that will be used to report on monitoring activities of the trained Independent Monitors,” she added.
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Intervention Programmes, Mr. Abimbola Bello, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Oyetola for taking the welfare and well-being of the people as priority.
He attributed the successful implementation of some of the government’s social protection policies to unflinching support received from Governor Oyetola who he said had demonstrated rare leadership quality at reducing poverty and hunger to insignificant minimum.
Bello who disclosed that over one million Osun citizens have benefitted from various State and National social intervention programmes of the government urged the citizens to continue to support the progressive governments in the country.
“We have already trained the independent monitors that we have inaugurated today. These people are selected across the State to monitor the four cardinal social intervention programmes under the National Social Investment Programmes.
“The beneficiaries will be paid on monthly basis running for a year as the required devices have been given to them to carry out the assignment. But my advice for them is to be diligent and perform the duties with topmost sincerity while they are expected to be conscious of the fact that there are monitors for monitors,” he added.
In furtherance of its proactive measures to forestall any possible breakdown of law and order in Lagos State by members of Aiye Confraternity aka Black Axe as the group intends to mark its annual 7/7 Celebration ( Boogie-Night) in many states of Nigeria and beyond, with no exception to Lagos State, the Lagos State Police Command has embarked on Show of Force to send a signal to cultists, especially Black Axe members, to steer clear of the state, and to assure the good people of Lagos State of adequate security.
Earlier on Wednesday, 7th July, 2021, the Lagos State Police Command had warned members of the Black Axe to desist from having Celebration to commemorate their annual 7/7 in any part of the state as the police and other security agencies have put measures in place to resist such Celebration today 7th July, 2021 or at any time in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has therefore re-echoed his order to officers and men of the command to intensify efforts in resisting and curtailing any act of lawlessness, oppression and intimidation from any group of individuals who might want to engage in any unlawful gathering or Celebration of whatever kind.
CP Hakeem Odumosu also charged intelligence and tactical units of the command to beam their search light on the identified areas that are vulnerable to attacks and reprisal attacks by any cult group in the state.
General Hospital Igboho witness another development today as Oorelope local government widens, grade and rehabilitates all the linking service roads within the hospital premises.
This is being achieved by the collaboration between the management of the General Hospital Igboho and the Oorelope LG Authority with a view to improving access to the hospital complex for efficient healthcare services delivery. This will also improve the residential/accommodation facility movement for the members of staff of General Hospital Igboho within the hospital premises.
This project was ordered to be implemented today 7th July 2021 by the Executive Chairman of the Local Government, Hon Raheem Akeem.
In his statement, the Executive Chairman of Oorelope Local Government, Honorable Akeem Raheem said ” Healthcare is one of the major pillars of the present administration, we must collaborate with and support health facilities like General Hospital Igboho for improved service.
Also, the Head and Medical Officer in charge of General Hospital Igboho, Dr Oluwatunmise Adeagbo while commending the Executive Chairman for all his support, reiterates that this laudable project will assist by improving access to the hospital by the end users. It will also allow free flow of service within the hospital premises.
He encourage the chairman of the local Government to continue his good deed as the good people of Oorelope local Government are already enjoying his good work within the short period of time.
Kindly find attached with this mail the pictures & video clips of the on going grading and widening of the Hospital quarters/staff residential quarters road.
