Insecurity: Buhari's Acceptance To Address Reps Proof of Executive/9th NASS Synergy - BenKalu
Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has described Buhari's acceptance to address the green chamber over insecurity summon, as a proof of great synergy between the executive and the 9th National Assembly.
Igbere TV had earlier reported how the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to appear before the House as requested by the lawmakers.
In a statement forwarded to Igbere TV Wednesday night, while reacting to the development, the Reps Spokesman who represents Bende Federal Constituency, said the president's acceptance was quite commendable.
Kalu, who had on Tuesday hinted that President Buhari would honour the Reps’ invite, said he had been proven right, following the president's acceptance.
“I said it, that he is different with the 9th assembly; mutual respect. Reciprocity in respect. I implied he would treat this invitation differently, away from the traditional refusal to honour the call of the parliament. Today, I have been proved right, this is a good sign of synergy in nation building and quite commendable,” Kalu said.
“On the other hand, the solution does not lie only with his visit but in the productive deliberations targeted at the common goal of solving our insecurity problems in Nigeria. No agenda in government is higher than the security and welfare of citizens.”
Kalu had in an interview monitored by Igbere TV, Tuesday, on Channels Television, said the lawmakers were concerned with the alarming rate of insecurity especially in Northern Nigeria.
Speaking on the invite extended to Buhari, the Reps spokesman said it was not meant to disrespect or belittle the president's office as the action was backed by the Constitution.
“The invitation to Mr. President is to have an interaction with him having met with the heads of other security agencies in no distant past,” he said, revealing that the meeting would be a closed-door affair being a national security matter.
A federal high court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party and Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki‘s motion seeking to stop a suit against the governor bordering on 'forged certificate, thereby granting accelerated hearing for Dec 3.
Igbere TV recalls that last month, the same court had adjourned the hearing of the suit filed by the All Progressives Congress against the governor from November 16th to November 18th which was subsequently adjourned again.
The adjournment followed the submissions by counsel to Obaseki, Mr Ken Mozia, that all pending motions relating to pleadings must first be resolved before going into the substantive matter. Mozia specifically asked the court to allow him move his motion challenging the competence of the reply filed by the APC to the defence in the matter.
However, lawyer to the APC, Mr Akin Olujimi, objected to the position of the governor’s counsel on the pending motions. He prayed the court to step down all the pending applications and allow him proceed with the substantive matter by calling his witnesses who were in court.
In a short ruling before adjourning the suit, Justice Mohammed held that the motion of Governor Obaseki challenging the competence of the APC’s reply to his defence was fundamental because it related to the pleadings and has to be resolved first.
The plaintiffs(APC) are asking the court for an order disqualifying Obaseki from contesting the September 19 governorship election in Edo State on the grounds that he supplied false information on oath to INEC, an act said to be contrary to Section 31(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010.
They specifically accused the governor of forging his university certificate presented to INEC in aid of his qualification for the governorship election in Edo State. They also claimed that there are discrepancies in the subject Obaseki claimed he passed in his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exam and that in his testimonial.
Obaseki contested the September 19 governorship election on the platform of the PDP, where he moved to after the ruling party, APC, disqualified him from seeking a second term as governor of the state.
Igbere TV recalls that te governor secured 307,955 of the total votes, 84,336 more votes than his closest rival Ize-Iyamu of the APC, who got 223, 619 votes.
Barr. Osarodion Ogie was on Wednesday sworn in as Secretary to the Edo State Government for a second time, Igbere TV reports. Ogie held same position during Obaseki’s first term.
The formal ceremony took place at the Edo Government House, popularly called 'Osadebe Avenue', located around the GRA axis, in Benin City, the Edo state capital.
The oath-taking was performed on Ogie by the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who urged the SSG to remain undaunted and focused in the discharge of his duties.
“We started this journey together. Ogie is part of the whole process. The advice I have is for you to brace up to face more pressure than ever before,” Obaseki said.
“This is because one of the most difficult things in life is to change an aged system or to try to get an old person to change their ways. What we are attempting to do in the next four years will not be easy and we need all the support we can get to make Edo great again.”
Dignitaries at the event include Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Mr Tony Aziegbemi; National Vice Chairman, PDP South South, Mr Dan Orbih and factional Chairman Edo State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr Anselm Ojezua.
Others are former Senator, Edo Central Senatorial District, Sen. Odion Ogbesia; Former Senator, Edo South Senatorial District, Sen. Roland Owie; Edo South PDP Leader, Hon. Charles Idahosa; former Special Adviser on Political Matters, Osaro Idah, among others.
Reactions have trailed the picture of a lady uploaded by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on his social media page.
Igbere TV observed early Wednesday a single picture upload of a female lawmaker, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on the official Facebook handle of Gbajabiamila.
Onyejeocha, representing Isuikwato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, doubles as deputy chief whip of the House and All Progressives Congress chieftain.
However, the singular upload did not come without raising eyebrows, as many followers joked about the Rep member being the speaker's girlfriend.
It is not immediately clear if the upload was deliberate or a mistake, being a single picture without any caption. It has garnered over 228 likes, 38 comments.
Here are some comments as gathered by Igbere TV...
A widely acclaimed police officer who is renowned to have never collected a bribe in thirty years of active service, CSP Francis Osagie Erhabor, has been voted as 'Police Officer of the Year' in the 2020 Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards.
Erhabor, divisional police officer (DPO) in charge of 'D' division Itam, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, beat five other nominees — including Frank Mba, Olushola Oyebade, Abba Kyari and Aisha Abubakar — to emerge the winner in a seven-day massive voting by Nigerians via online platforms.
The prestigious Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards, recognises and honours the outstanding impacts of leaders across several sectors and industries in Nigeria. The most anticipated 2020 'lockdown edition' is slated for December 10 at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, in Abuja.
The Award is endorsed by the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC), an advisory body of the African Union (AU) designed to give civil society organizations (CSOs) a voice within the AU institutions and decision-making processes.
CSP Erhabor was nominated and voted for by Nigerians for his uprightness in the Force. For instance, in the 'D' division, which he oversees as DPO, bail is free and no policeman dares take a bribe from community members. His officers have earned the trust of the community for their stand on integrity and this has gained the needed support and collaboration to fight local crimes.
Erhabor is very involved in community projects and mentoring young people. While on duty as the pipeline commander in Edo State, he refused bribes of N1.5million offered to him weekly from four individuals who were involved in illegal oil bunkering. In addition, he rejected N500,000 per week as returns from his subordinates, given to them as bribes to allow adulterated petroleum products to be brought into the state. Rejecting these tempting offers earned him several enemies, especially considering that his N37,500 monthly allowance was not steady.
In a telephone interview with the awardee over the weekend, following his emergence, Erhabor said that his belief in integrity stems from the trust and respect he earned from the community he serves, which makes his job much more easier.
He advocates “standing for truth even when no one is on your side.” In the future, he hopes to actualise a Police Force that is the dream of the citizenry. CSP Erhabor equally lauded the Igbere TV Award team for their sustained good works.
Expressing gratitude to Nigerians for finding him worthy of the honour and deserving of the prestigious award, Erhabor added, “this goes to show that we have been doing well [in the Force], and being monitored and watched closely by Nigerians.”
This year’s Award event would be one of the most outstanding and credible award ceremonies in Nigeria, as personalities in the Presidency, State Governments, National and State Assemblies, Economic Industries, Humanitarian Affairs and Human Activism are expected to grace the occasion.
Some of the awardees include, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President (Foundation of the Year); Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Car Maker of the Year); Chief (Hon) Alex Ikwechegh, Founder of Alex Ikwechegh Foundation (Personality of the Year); Rt Hon (Engr) Chinedum Orji, Abia Assembly speaker (Speaker of the Year); Apostle Chinyere Chibuzor, General Overseer, Omega Power Ministries (Most Outstanding Humanitarian of the Year); and Chief Uche Nwosu, former Imo State governorship candidate and Chief of Staff to the Imo State Government (Hospitality Personality of the Year).
Others are: Senator Uba Sani, Kaduna Central (Senator of the Year); Gbene (Dr) Joi Nunieh, immediate past acting NDDC managing director (Public Servant of the Year); Dr. Betta Edu, Cross River State Commissioner for Health (Medical Expert of the Year); Hon. Sir. Melie Onyejepu, General Manager of Anambra Bureau of Public Procurement (State Public Servant of the Year); Chief Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Ondo First Lady (Woman of the Year on Empowerment); and former Governor of Kano State, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, Founder of Kwankwasiyya Foundation (N.G.O of the Year).
Also on the list are, Mrs Karima Babangida, Director FDA, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Civil Servant of the Year); Valentine Ozigbo, the immediate past President and CEO of Transcorp PLC, founder of VCO Foundation and frontline governorship aspirant in the Anambra 2021 election (Empowerment Personality of the Year); Justice Nuagbe a.k.a Ushbebe, Comedian of the Year; Dr. George Moghalu, Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA (Maritime Personality of the Year) and Gelor Paul, Managing Director, Dominion Oil & Gas Limited (Outstanding Social Impact Award).
While Dr. Alice Onyema, Vice-Chairman of Air Peace is being awarded as Aviation Personality of the Year; Hon. Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, CEO/Managing Director of Property Finders Limited, developers of Centage Estate, Lagos and Oil Spring Estate, bags Businesswoman of the Year award; with Prof. Georgewill Owunari, the former Deputy Provost, College of Health Sciences (UNIPORT) and Board member of the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, emerging as 'Educationist of the Year'; and Olakunle Churchill as 'ICT Personality of the Year', among others.
The 2019 edition of the Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards which held 28th November, 2019 at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja saw distinguished and prominent captains of industry, public figures and leaders cling on to the various Award categories.
Prominent awardees included President Muhammadu Buhari, United States-based Nigerian billionaire medical doctor, Dr. Godwin Maduka; former President Goodluck Jonathan, former House of Reps Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; minister Rotimi Amaech, Senator Rochas Okorcha, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, among others.
According to Igbere TV, organizers of the Award event, this year’s edition which holds Dec. 10, has been tagged Africa’s biggest and most glamorous online media award. The programme will be transmitted live on DSTV, GOTV, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Zoom, Instagram and other social media platforms with over 10 million audience globally.
Renowned Nigerian philanthropist and founder of Alex Ikwechegh Foundation, Chief (Hon) Alex Ifeanyi Mascot Ikwechegh, was on Friday honoured for his contribution to national development.
Ikwechegh was honoured alongside the minister of finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed; former Niger state first lady, Hajiya Zainab Kure; Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, and 56 other distinguished personalities who have impacted on humanity and contributed to nation building.
Igbere TV reports that the event which held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, in Abuja, as witnessed by our reporter, was organized by a group under the aegis of Project 60@60.
The event chaired by former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), also doubled as the launch of a special publication/compendium aimed at celebrating the individuals chosen from all walks of life.
The publication tagged 'Celebrating Nigeria: The Nation Builders at 60,' profiles all the awardees and their accomplishments in Nigeria and beyond.
They include ex-IGP Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar; Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senator Ahmed Yarima Bakura and Dr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa,mni, retired permanent secretary.
Others were Dele Momodu, media mogul; Abdulsamad Isyaka Rabiu, business tycoon; Prof. Charles Soludo, former CBN governor; Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, Dr. Umar Ardo, Ned Nwoko and Mallam Garba Shehu among others.
Meanwhile, according to the organizers, the choice of Hon. Alex was for his “diligence, hardwork, and patriotism” to fatherland and for contributing immensely to national development.
Speaking at the occasion, Ikwechegh, a former executive chairman of Aba North local government council in Abia state and founder of GrossField Group, said he was proud to identify with the organizers.
Vowing to do more for humanity and nation building, Hon. Alex expressed satisfaction that those recognized at the auspicious occasion were men and women who have distinguished themselves, one way or the other, towards the quest to realise a progressive society.
“...And like I always say, philanthropy, or whatever form of gesture that any Nigerian citizen would render to ensure that our children have a better future, is something that's inherent in such individuals.
“Therefore (philanthropist) is not something you say is just a title but stored in these great Nigerian citizens that we are here to celebrate [today],” Hon. Alex Ikwechegh added.
The business mogul said, hence, it was important for everyone, at all time, to recognise such individuals to further reinforce their resolve towards contributing their little quota for a better Nigeria.
“I am sure I am not a popular face on television... However, there are certain people who would quietly do the little they can to see that Nigeria is a better country for our children,” he said, in an apparent veiled reference to himself.
Commenting on the compendium put together by the organizers, that brought the awardees together, Alex said “I am truly elated and will continue to do my best to support whatever is deemed or required of us to ensure that Nigeria is a better place.”
Ikwechegh congratulated the conveners of the project, while appreciating the awardees, saying; “we are all passionate about what we are doing... More reasons why only men of great repute have gathered [here].”
He, thereafter, announced the donation of the whopping sum of N10 million to support the Compendium, describing it as plausible, and the right thing to do.
“We have always propagated empathy, compassion and furtherance of philanthropic activities for us to realise a progressive Nigeria,” he said, adding, “a nation that is together; is stronger.”
On his part, project coordinator, Dr. Abubakar Mohammed, said, “the Nation Builders at 60 is a special publication which is aimed at celebrating outstanding individuals who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavours and contributed immensely to the Nigerian project.”
“The publication will help to promote mutual understanding, foster inter-group harmony and tolerance, advance national cohesion and integration, and encourage peaceful co-existence as well as inspire the younger generation,” he added.
Chief Hon. Alex Ikwechegh, the Nkuma Dike Ndigbo, has through his Alex Ikwechegh Foundation, donated to the poor and carried out several philanthropic gestures across the country.
His distribution of free fuel and kerosene has become an annual event in the whole of Abia state, a gesture which marks the philanthropist's August 25th birthdays.
During the coronavirus-imposed lockdown across the country, Hon. Ikwechegh embarked on free distribution of palliatives to the good people of Abia state.
He also, through his Alex Ikwechegh Foundation, donated cash gifts and other items to widows in Abia and offset the hospital bills of many including a woman whose fingers were allegedly cut off by Fulani herders in the State.
Hon. Ikwechegh had in 2019 donated household items including mattresses, pots, buckets, food items and clothing to victims of police attacks in Ndiegoro, a community in Aba South local government area of Abia.
Also not left out in Alex Ikwechegh's numerous philanthropic acts is the former NEPA cash office in Igbere, which now wears a new look, following its reconstruction by the philanthropist.
In the area of security, because Alex Ikwechegh believes his people must be protected at all times, the Aba-born philanthropist has carried out donation of vehicles to several vigilante groups.
As a lover of education, Hon. Alex Ikwechegh has thousands of students under his Alex Ikwechegh Foundation scholarship scheme, including pupils and students from Abia.
He singlehandedly reconstructed the Igbere Community secondary school in Igbere, Abia State, and has continued to donate millions to uplift the downtrodden and orphans in the society at every given opportunity.
On December 10, 2020 at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, Ikwechegh will also be honoured with the Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards 'Personality of the Year' for his contribution to humanity and nation building, alongside other eminent awardees, following his emergence through a seven-day online poll.
The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the beheading of 43 farmers by insurgents in Zabarmari, Borno State.
Igbere TV had on Saturday reported how at least 44 rice farmers were killed by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect while harvesting their crops.
The farmers were said to have been attacked while working on a rice field at Garin Kwashebe, as residents of the state were voting to elect local government council officials, for the first time in 13 years.
In a statement forwarded to Igbere TV Sunday singed by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP's National Publicity Secretary, the party described the act as extremely wicked, devilish and must not be left unaddressed.
“The PDP notes with pain that this horrific killing of compatriots comes as yet another of the recurring horrid testament and badge of failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration to secure our nation and guarantee the safety of lives and property in our country,” he said.
“Indeed, our party is distressed by the escalated killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians by insurgents, bandits and marauders, who have continued to ravage and pillage our communities, while the lazy and lethargic Buhari administration continues with its lip service, rhetoric and false performance claims.
“The PDP is particularly disturbed because of the failure of the Buhari Presidency to take decisive action despite series of concerns raised by Borno state governor, Baba Gana Zulum, of security compromises in the state.
“The Buhari administration appears helpless while our national security structure under President Buhari seems to have collapsed. Our nation appears to be on auto pilot with no one in charge while the ship of state continues to drift.
“All our nation gets from the Buhari Presidency is that ‘Mr. President is shocked’, ‘Mr. President is saddened’, ‘Mr. President regrets’ and such lame responses without any decisive policy direction or directive to definitively tackle the situation at hand, leading to escalation of killings in our country.
“Such attitude by the Buhari administration has continued to embolden insurgents to the extent that they now attack military formations, convoys of state governors and engage in wanton beheading of our compatriots.
“It is distressing that despite this sorry situation, Mr. President, who promised to lead from the front, has receded into the safety of Aso Presidential villa and refused to act on the consistent demands of Nigerians to rejig the national security architecture and replace the service chiefs with more capable hands to affectively tackle our security challenges.
“The PDP charges President Buhari to stop his unhelpful rhetoric. He should sit up and take actions that will safeguard the lives of Nigerians who have been subjected to all manners of mental and physical torture under this incompetent administration,” Ologbondiyan added.
He charged Buhari to immediately move to Zabarmari in Borno state, and empathize with the families of the victims and lead from the front in restoring security in the area.
The party commiserated with the government and people of Borno state and urged Nigerians to remain at alert particularly in providing useful information for security agencies in the fight against insurgency.
Meanwhile, President Buhari on Saturday night expressed shock over the gruesome killing of the rice farmers in Borno, saying all "necessary support" had been giving to security agents to tackle insecurity in the country.
The Kano State Hisbah Board has put to a halt, the planned holiday clearance sales tagged “Black Friday” by a radio station in the state.
The ban was contained in a notice to management of the radio Cool FM 96.9 Kano, dated November 26, obtained by Igbere TV.
The religious police warned the station that the demography of the state’s residents is predominantly Muslim, hence considers “Friday as Holy Day.”
The Hisbah corps subsequently demanded an immediate retraction of the “Black Friday” tag.
It added that the religious squad “will be around for surveillance purposes with a view to avoiding occurrence of any immoral activities” in the state.
Politics › Kalu: Buhari's Acceptance To Address Reps Proof of Executive And NASS Synergy by BleedingPen(op): 12:36am On Dec 03, 2020
