₦airaland Forum

By Dayo Johnson

Akure – TENSION enveloped the Ondo House of Assembly Wednesday as members exchanged blows over alleged directive by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu that the impeached deputy speaker lroju Ogundeji be reinstated immediately.

Consequently top security chiefs in the state raced to the assembly to calm the lawmakers who engaged themselves in a shouting match on the corridor close to the speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun office.

The state police commissioner Gbenga Adeyanju and that of the DSS and others security chiefs led a team of security officers to restore peace in the assembly. The state party chairman Ade Adetimehin was also at the assembly to placated the lawmakers.

Vanguard gathered that the shouting match followed the alleged directive by the governor that the impeached deputy speaker be reinstated. The directive reportedly divided the lawmakers. About 12 of the lawmakers were reportedly ready to reverse the impeachment while 14 insisted that the deputy speaker remained impeached.

Vanguard was informed that the governor met with the lawmakers on Tuesday on the need not to heat up the polity. He was alleged to have asked the Speaker to talk to other members to reinstate the sacked deputy speaker.

Other members reportedly threatened that the speaker would also be impeached if the directive of the governor was carried out. They asked that to give the impeached lawmaker soft landing he should resign instead while his impeachment would be converted to resignation.

More security personnel have been drafted to the Ondo State House of Assembly. Party leaders are still meeting with the aggrieved lawmakers as at the time of filling in this report.

More details later;-

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday approved the construction of a flyover bridge at the Fagba intersection to ease the perennial traffic gridlock and reduce travel time within the axis.

Governor Ambode approved the construction of the Fagba Flyover Bridge after an inspection of the ongoing construction of Pen Cinema Flyover Bridge, where he observed the need to holistically address the traffic gridlock around Agege-Iju axis to make Pen Cinema Flyover Bridge more effective.

According to him, the development is in response to the various yearnings of the community in Fagba and several road users plying the Iju-Fagba axis and also in furtherance of his administration’s commitment in ensuring free flow of traffic and reducing man-hour loss across the State.

The Governor said, “Iju Road which is one of the major roads in Lagos State has over the years served as a strategic growth pole in the socio- economic landscape of the State has overgrown its present traffic carrying capacity resulting in the traffic challenges being experienced presently.

“The proposed flyover bridge at Fagba will be constructed concurrently with the ongoing Pen Cinema flyover and accelerated to minimize the inconvenience of the motoring and commuting public during the period of construction.

“The bridge which will have a dual carriageway separated by concrete median barrier will allow seamless flow of traffic into Jonathan Coker for vehicular movement from College Road/Pen Cinema and vice versa for traffic from Jonathan Coker Road that are Iju or College Road bound.”

Besides, Governor Ambode said the Fagba flyover bridge, on completion, would go a long way to improve socio-economic activities, enhance development and safety of the road users in the axis with consequent improve standard of living.

It will be recalled that while the present administration has completed several road projects totaling 130km recently including the network of 21 boundary roads in Alimosho Local Government, it also has other major road projects cumulating in 120km that are currently ongoing across the State.

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA – A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Bwari, has okayed hearing on a suit challenging eligibility of the Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to participate in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled to hold in Ekiti State on July 14.

Justice Othman Musa ordered service of hearing notices on both Fayemi and the All Progressives Congress, APC, to enable them to appear in court on June 7 for hearing of the case. The government of Ekiti State was equally cited as the 3rd Defendant in the suit marked FCT/HC/BW/CV/57/2018, which was lodged before the court by African People’s Party, APP. Specifically, APP, through its lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, is praying the court to determine “Whether or not upon a calm reading of Section 182 (1) (i) of the 1999 Constitution as Amended and having regard to the indictment of the 1st Defendant by the Ekiti State Judicial Commission of Inquiry, the 1st Defendant is not Constitutionally disqualified to hold public office especially office of the Governor of Ekiti State of Nigeria?

“Whether or not upon a sober reading of Section 182(1) (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, a political party [such as the 2nd Defendant herein] can validly sponsor a candidate [such as the 1st Defendant herein] constitutionally disqualified from vying for the office of a Governor of a State?”

Against the background of the answer(s) that may be given to the questions of law, the plaintiff, claims the following reliefs from the court, against the Defendants: “A declaration that upon a calm reading of Section 182 (1) (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended and having regard to the indictment of the 1st Defendant by the Ekiti State Judicial Commission of Inquiry, the 1st Defendant is Constitutionally disqualified to hold public office especially office of the Governor of Ekiti State of Nigeria.

“A solemn declaration that upon a sober reading of Section 182(1) (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, a political party [such as the 2nd Defendant herein] cannot validly sponsor a candidate [such as the 1st Defendant herein] constitutionally disqualified from vying for the office of a Governor of a State.

“An order of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd Defendant from either considering, screening, accepting and or sponsoring the 1st Defendant or holding him out as its governorship candidate in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled to be held in Ekiti State of Nigeria on the 14th day of July, 2018”.

However, APC has challenged the competence of the suit, even as it urged the court to dismiss it for want of merit. APC and Fayemi, through their lawyer, Mr. Rafiu Balogun, filed a joint preliminary objection against the suit. In a 28-paragraphed counter-affidavit that was deposed to by one Oluwaseun Odewale, APC told the court that it was “flabbergasted” by Report of the Ekiti State Commission of Inquiry that indicted Fayemi. According to APC, “The most worrisome aspect of the Report is the purported barring of Dr. Kayode Fayemi from holding public office for 10 years when the Ekiti State is not a court of law”.

On his part, Fayemi maintained that he was not accorded fair-hearing by the Justice Silas Bamidele Oyewole-led eight-man panel of Inquiry that indicted him over alleged embezzlement and contract fraud.

“I know as a fact that the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, acting pursuant to the resolution of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, constituted Commission of Inquiry to look into finances of Ekiti State between 2010 to 2014.

“I know as a fact that Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the 1st defendant, challenged the legality and the constitutionality of the Commission of Inquiry on diverse grounds and he specifically raised the issue of the composition of the Commission further Inquiry which was deliberately constituted in such a way that Justice and fairness cannot be guaranteed to all the parties.

“I know as a fact that some of the members of the Commission are civil servants and the Chairman of the Commission a retired Acting Chief Judge has an axe to grind with the 1st defendant and was waiting for an opportunity to have his pound of flesh”.

Fayemi told the court that he had upon realising that he would not get fair-hearing, instituted an action to query the legality of the Commission of Inquiry. “I know as a fact that it was the Tender Board of Ekiti State that awarded contract and specifically the building contracts were handled by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Public Utilities which had been managed by the Ministry of Works and Transport.

“I know as a fact that there was no evidence that the contract sum for the Utra-Modern Market was ever disbursed to any company or diverted by anybody.

“I know as a fact that the Commission of Inquiry merely invited Dr. Kayode Fayemi as a Witness to appear before them to give evidence on specific issues related to 852m UBE/SUBEB Loan claimed to be embezzled by Dr. Kayode Fayemi and now found to be withdrawn by the Bank itself When Governor Fayose threatened not to pay the Loan”, the deponent added.

TonyeBarcanista:
In other words, Banire is a professional in politics while Tinubu is a professional politician. Hence, both men aren't in the same "business".

madridguy:
She needs NL likes to win the next edition of BBNaija

sarrki:
Omisore is a senator representing who in 2017?

sarrki:
Hmm salamrushdie my guy

I definitely know and believe you will doubt this and fire all your arsenal at Pmb

All I know and believe with the progressives

Sai Baba till 2023

trapQ:
Pls get lost. Daddy Freeze your shepherd has now started collecting money for his online Church. Something he attacked pastors for doing.

One by one you all will be disgraced. Smellos.

trapQ:
Look at this mumu, Jesus Christ can express himself through any means he wants to. He proved this when he used different things such as water, saliva, wood, apron, shadow etc to heal. He said if man won't praise him, he will raise stones to do so. If you don't like it, simply kill yourself because it won't change.

Since 2015, Abiola Aiyegbayo, wife of Bamikole Omisore, Special Adviser on International Relations to Senate President Bukola Saraki, has been receiving monthly salaries of N151,788 from the Senate without rendering any service to the National Assembly, documents obtained by SaharaReporters reveal.

The documents confirm the claims of Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Center), a non-governmental organisation and non-partisan human rights and development league, which recently asked the United States Department of Justice to investigate the ghost worker scam by Omishore’s wife.

In a petition sent to the US Department, signed by Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, its Chairman, HEDA, relying on an April 22 publication by PUNCH, had written: “Documents submitted to the EFCC showed that Omishore, who has been working with Senator Saraki since 2015, allegedly listed his wife as a Grade Level 12 employee of the National Assembly, though she is confirmed to be a nurse in the United States.

“The petition, signed by Abba El-Mustapha on behalf of Youths United against Corruption in Nigeria, claimed that Omishore’s wife had been collecting salaries to the tune of N150,000 for nearly three years through her Guaranty Trust Bank account 0147896921 with the name ‘Abiola Aiyegbayo’.

“Documents made available to SUNDAY PUNCH showed that most of the salary payments were made on the same day, thereby arousing suspicion. For example, the salaries for January, with file number S0723 and February 2017 also with file number S0723, were paid on April 10, 2017.”

The original petition referenced by HEAD read in part: “Documents made available by a whistle-blower showed that Mr. Bamikole Omishore, one of the aides to Senate President Bukola Saraki, has made millions of Naira through the complex but criminal scheme

“Omishore registered his US-based wife, Abiola Omishore, on the payroll of the National Assembly, using her maiden name, Abiola Joy Aiyegbayo. Her social media accounts and even posts by her husband proved that she is not based in Nigeria.”

The petitioner was said to have further alleged that Omishore’s wife had an identity card showing she was an employee of the National Assembly, while all her profiles online never reflected that she had worked with the Assembly.

True to the claims by HEDA, documents obtained by SaharaReporters show that Saraki’s aide’s wife was registered on the legislative aides payroll of the Senate. January and February pay slips — samples of what went down in three years — show that she received a Consolidated Salary of 124,411.75 and a Peculiar Allowance of N27, 377, totaling a gross pay of N151,788.75. However, Net Pay stood at N138,550.19. The payments were made through Guarantee Trust Bank Area 3, Abuja, with Account Name Abiola Aiyegbayo and Account Number 0147896921.

Aiyegbayo, meanwhile, is a registered nurse in the US, where she lives. She has never worked at the National Assembly for one day.

HigherEd:
Lol dey there

SoNature:
Shvt up! U are the one sounding frustrated and bitter here

The fine lady has made her voice heard and it's gone viral

Go and hug 1000kva transformer if u have a problem with her opinion

SoNature:
You seem senseless

How does that lady in that pix look frustrated and bitter?

People are using words they have no idea what they mean or the context they should be applied

Mynd44:
Everyone should pray for a friend like Harry Akande.

May 15, 2018

•AMBASSADOR QUERIED

Leon Usigbe - Abuja

The Presidency has denied that Nigeria was represented at Monday’s official opening of the United States embassy in Jerusalem, Israel.
The controversial move to relocate it from Tel Aviv by the President Donald Trump administration has already drawn the ire of Palestinians who carried out a deadly protest during the ceremony thought to have been attended by Nigeria along with dozens of other nations.

But a top Presidency office’s has now distanced Nigeria from the event, saying in Abuja on Tuesday that the country was not represented.
The official who did not want to be named said in a statement distributed to the media: “Nigeria was not present at an event during which the United States officially relocated its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Monday contrary to media report.”

The source said the Federal Government had written to a foreign medium, Al Jazeera, demanding a retraction of its story that listed Nigeria as one of the countries represented at the event.

The Presidency official disclosed that based on the report, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, queried the Nigerian Ambassador to Israel to explain his presence at the event.

The Presidency said: “Based on that report, the minister queried the ambassador to explain why he attended the event.

“The ambassador has since replied that he was not at the event.

“It was on the strength of the ambassador’s response that the Federal Government wrote to Al Jazeera to retract its story.”

The embassy opening took place amid road closures and heavy police presence in anticipation of Palestinian protests, as well as deadly demonstrations in Gaza calling for the refugees’ right to return to the homes they were forcibly expelled from 70 years ago.

Trump had promised during his campaign that he would recognize Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel and relocate the US embassy to the city.

In December 2017, he fulfilled the first part of that campaign promise by declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in line with the wish of Israel.
On Monday, Trump said via a video message to the ceremony: “Today we follow through on this recognition and open our embassy in the historic and sacred land of Jerusalem, and we’re opening it many, many years ahead of schedule.”

Efewestern:
I still don't know Why the refinery wasn't sited in Ondo as earlier proposed , At least Ondo has the natural resources to run the refinery, Everything must not be in Lag.

Ogun is another state to look out for.

…Shops For Investors To Expand Road, Rail Infrastructure Along Corridor

The Lagos State Government on Monday said over $735.8million (about N264billion) worth of finished goods have so far been exported from the Lekki Free Zone project in the last three years.

Commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye who disclosed this at the annual Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, said the government was totally committed to the development of businesses in the Zone, adding that measures were taken to ensure that the goods meet international standard before they are exported out of the country.

She said the Nigeria Customs, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and other supporting agencies coordinated the exporting process of the goods in conjunction with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), saying that it was a testament to the fact that the Zone was living up to expectation.

She said the Lekki Free Zone, among other things, was conceptualized to develop an offshore economic growth zone, attract foreign investments, promote export, create job opportunities, transfer technology, minimise capital flight and establish a one stop business haven and currently has 22 Free Zone Enterprises (FZEs) and 18 manufacturing enterprises in operation.

Oladunjoye also disclosed that to date, the Joint Venture with the Chinese Consortium has a total equity investment of $180.4million and has received Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) totalling $140.2million out of the $200million FDI expected from the Consortium. Besides, she said 125 investors have registered, while 59 investors have their Lease Agreements, adding that 726 Nigerians have been employed by the FZEs and N376.5million spent on executing 14 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects for host communities.

She listed other achievements in the Lekki Free Zone to include $500million FDI from FZEs in operation, while a Customs Processing Centre (CPC) for Nigeria Customs Service was established to improve the ease of doing business and eliminate bottlenecks. The Commissioner said the Government has opened its doors to investors willing to partner the State in the provision of inter-modal transportation infrastructure within the Lekki Free Zone axis, with emphasis on road and rail system to accommodate the massive investments coming into the corridor and solve the attendant traffic challenges.

She said with the emerging industrial revolution within the Epe-Ibeju-Lekki corridor of the State especially the Lekki Free Zone, the Lekki Deep Seaport, the Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer Plants, Lagos was fast becoming the preferred investment destination across the globe. But she said the State Government was not unmindful of the fact that an integrated transportation system was critical to the success of the emerging business activities zone when all the ongoing businesses come on stream.

“However we are not unmindful of the fact that one of the critical success factors, that is, an integrated transportation infrastructure, must be catered for along with these various investors’ endeavours within the corridor for us to harness the full values that these projects will bring on board when they all fully come on stream,” she said.

She said plans are already in top gear to provide a holistic inter-modal transportation network comprising rail, road and water transportation systems so as to mitigate future challenges especially traffic congestion in view of the envisaged estimated 6,650 daily trucks movement within the corridor when all the ongoing businesses take off fully.

“I said in my report that we do not want to have another Apapa on our hands. This government is responsive and it’s a government that is futuristic. “In realization of the enormity of the required funding vis-à-vis the compelling need for transportation infrastructure, notably road and rail within the Lekki Free Zone corridor, the State Government has encouraged investors to express interest in of the planned axial roads that would take vehicular traffic away from the adjoining towns of the area and to Ogun State and there are other roads that we are working on,” Oladunjoye said.

The Commissioner assured that the State Government would do everything possible to fast-track the necessary procurement process for the selection of the concessionaire to enable construction work begin on the road before the end of the year. On the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Commissioner said that work has already commenced after the ground breaking ceremony performed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, revealing that the Port which would be the deepest seaport in Sub-Saharan Africa will create over 170,000 direct jobs in the State while the first ship is expected to berth before the end of the first quarter in 2020 when the construction would be completed.

Speaking further, Oladunjoye said the State Government has concluded plans to activate the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Kano State Government after the Lagos-Kano Summit to set up a leather hub in Lagos.

“Recently I was at the Leather Fair and I saw the extent of the value chain of leather and was really impressed. Part of the fall out of the Lagos-Kano Summit is for us to leverage on our strengths and comparative advantage. Kano is the hub for Leather and our plan is to have a leather hub, a shoe factory here in Lagos,” she said.

• Threatens to expose fraud in ruling party

Fred Itua, Romanus Ugwu, Abuja; Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri; Femi Folaranmi; Yenagoa, Raphael Ede; Enugu; Phillip Nwosu

Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has accused the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun of plotting to derail the party.

Okorocha who said he played a key role in the formation of the APC spoke against the backdrop of the party’s ward congress in the state, two weeks ago, where materials meant for the exercise were allegedly ‘stolen’ by some party officials.

Okorocha, who doubles as chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, said his opposition to the tenure elongation of the current NWC was responsible for his purported persecution by the Oyegun-led leadership.

In a state by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor maintained with the names already mentioned by those arrested, he has been vindicated.

“We commend the police for the good job. We also know that others who took part in the stealing of the Congresses materials will be unmasked as time goes on.

“APC members in the state are in high spirits. They want to see those who let them down and caused undue tension in the state and also created bad media reports for the state, to pay dearly for their wickedness and insensitivity,” he said.

The governor commended the Nigeria Police Force over the arrest of four suspects who allegedly stole sensitive materials meant for the ward and local government elections of the APC in Imo State.
Okorocha said the arrests vindicated his earlier claim of stolen materials.

But Senator Hope Uzodimma (Imo West) has disowned the result sheets of the APC in the state purportedly recovered by the police from four suspects in Abuja last Saturday.

The said documents, according to the police, were meant for the May 5 Ward Congresses.
In a statement in Abuja yesterday by the Director General of the Hope Uzodimma Campaign Organisation (HUCO), Christopher Osuala, the Senator also disowned Innocent Ikpamezie who claimed to be the Senator’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Electoral Matters.



Osuala maintained that “there is no provision for the Senator to appoint a SSA on Electoral Matters and he never did. All staff are employed and seconded to Senators by the National Assembly Service Commission.”
The DG noted that the desperation of Governor Okorocha to discredit the ward congresses obviously manifested in this apparent concoction.

“It is clear that Governor Okorocha continues to oppose Senator Hope Uzodimma’s entry into the All Progressives Congress (APC) and had vowed openly on public media to stop the Senator’s participation in APC’s activities, otherwise how can one justify the facts that it was Governor Okorocha and his aides who reportedly arrested the so-called Senator’s aide with the others in a hotel and hurriedly took them to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) where they were immediately transferred to the Force

Headquarters Abuja and a press conference and hurriedly organised without reaching the senator to find out whether the alleged SSA on Electoral Maters was his staff?”
He noted that since Governor Okorocha started shouting about missing documents, no organ of the APC at the national or Imo State had reported that their electoral documents were missing.

Osuala appealed to Chief Odigie-Oyegun to call Governor Okorocha to order as his continued intransigence and orchestrations were capable of destroying the credibility and unity of purpose of the party in the state.



Meanwhile, in the South South, specifically in Bayelsa State, former governor Timipre Sylva and the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri have appealed to party members to shun political disagreements that could threaten the party’s unity.

Sylva and Lokpobiri made the appeal during a stakeholders meeting to reconcile party disagreements, on the eve of the local government congress.

Chairman of the APC ward and local government congresses in Bayelsa, Dr. Adebanjo Dawodu said the exercise in other local government areas was also peaceful.

In Enugu, the Congress Committee described as baseless, claims of a parallel congress in the state.
The committee or the electoral materials were reportedly not seen during the ward congress, which prompted Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and his faction to conduct a parallel congress.

Failure of the Appeal Panel, led by Charles Babagbale to resolve the grievances and complaints of the aggrieved members, which upheld the result of the congresses, as submitted by Emma Eneukwu and Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, triggered another parallel congress during the local government congress.

In a related development, Chairman of a six-member panel in Enugu, Dr. Ikechukwu Odigbo, disclosed that his committee conducted a peaceful congress across the 17 local government areas of the state.
Odigbo dismissed the parallel congress held by Onyeama, stressing that his committee adhered strictly to the guidelines as laid down by the NWC.

Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, winner of the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti state has apologised to the people for all the errors of omission or commission he made during his first term as governor, between 2010 and 2014.

He made the plea in his speech after being declared winner of the hotly contested primary election, which featured 33 contestants, with one of them withdrawing on Thursday. Fayemi got 941 delegate votes, out of the 2,313 valid votes cast....
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/988490/
....

TonyeBarcanista:
Makarfi ward (chairman)
1. Sada PDP 92 APC 95
2. K/Maana PDP 82 APC 56
3. K/KUDU PDP 89 APC 59
4. B/KASUWA A PDP 144 APC 72
5. T,.V CENTER PDP 127 APC 103
6. B/KASYWA 2 PDP 95 APC 24
7. ANG SAKO PDP 78 APC 52
8. KARI PDP 119 APC 83
9. B/KASUWA 3 PDP 122 APC 90
10. ANG GYARI PDP 101 APC 185
11. ANG HUDU PDP 161 APC 91
12. CENTRAL 1 PDP 73 APC 66
13. CENTRAL 2 PDP 93 APC 93
14. APDA 1 PDP 98 APC 53
15. APDA 2 PDP 77 APC 39
16. ANG ANGO CANCELLED


Senator Ahmed Makarfi delivers

kaorama:
Where exactly does the capital flow into?