At the 2019 International Petroleum Conference held in London, recently, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, was reported to have copiously highlighted major investment opportunities not only in the Nigerian but the African oil and gas sector. He expressed great optimism on the positive outlook of the continent’s oil and gas business sector. He noted that $194 billion worth of investment could be deployed between 2018 and 2025 into 93 upcoming oil and gas fields in Africa, with Nigeria accounting for $48.04 billion or about 24.8 per cent.
Consequently, Nigeria, within that context, has investment opportunities in its oil and gas sector to the tune of a minimum of $48.04 billion.

According to Baru, “several new frontiers for exploration opportunities abound in Nigeria. He added that “offshore discoveries in the country (Nigeria) had mostly been limited to between 1000 and 1500 of water depths” and that investors are needed to test the new frontiers of ultra-deep waters.


Beyond highlighting investment opportunities that exist in Africa and of course, Nigeria oil and gas sector, Baru was candid enough to acknowledge that unless legal and regulatory uncertainties, lack of infrastructure, skilled manpower shortages, transparency challenges and accountability issues are addressed among stakeholders, the continent’s oil and gas industry might not achieve its full potential.

Baru’s forthrightness in fingering the major constraints to achieving a thriving and growing oil and gas sector in Africa must be commended.

It is not always that government officials and functionaries acknowledge economic and business drawbacks that are essentially occasioned or imposed, directly or indirectly, by the government and its agents. But lamentation that public officers know how to escalate in Nigeria is not a strategy for development.

There is no doubt that if obstacles placed by governments in Africa are removed, the oil and gas industry will witness investors’ patronage, perhaps, far beyond the expected $194 billion (Nigeria $48.04 billion) between 2018 and 2025.

The questions that seek answers from African governments are: in whose interest and for what purposes have the governments allowed the festering of the identified constraints by Baru? What, for instance, makes it difficult to redress the issues, for instance, of legal and regulatory uncertainties? Why is it that skilled manpower shortages cannot be taken care of through planned human capital development for this important industry? Why are bills sponsored for this governance, regulatory and legal framework stalled in the legislature in Nigeria? Why have investments though Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) set up since 1973 failed to develop manpower for the oil and gas industry in Nigeria?


Everything considered, the big announcement in London should not excite Nigerians. The concomitant details of the NNPC’s reform agenda in the context of the stalled Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) that will not become law before the end of the 8th Assembly next month should attract even greater emphasis.

At this stage in the life and development of African countries, why are transparency and accountability issues still a bridge too far despite the generous mantra on ethical values and conduct? Are there no laws to deal with persons that inflict this unwholesome image on Africa and its constituent oil and gas producing countries?

NNPC boss, Baru may have correctly identified the key challenges, indeed, problems weighing against attraction of investments into the oil and gas sector but it must be pointed out that he tactfully used the phrase “key stakeholders” to avoid mentioning the specific persons he expects to address the industry’s problems. Granting his experience and long term exposure in the oil and gas industry, it would have been apt for him to have clearly pointed out the “key stakeholders” he would like to buckle up.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Nigeria’s case is very pathetic. A situation whereby President Buhari, who also doubles as Petroleum Resources Minister, has not shown any interest in assenting to the (PIGB) that the National Assembly has long passed, clearly signals that the road to attracting desired and necessary investments into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is still risky.

Unfortunately, the Nigeria’s leader is again not showing any sense of urgency in clearing the legal and regulatory uncertainties constraining attraction of investors to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, despite his promises while campaigning for the office in 2015.

By now it must be obvious to the government of Nigeria that no matter how much it seeks for investors in the country’s oil and gas sector, no investor worth its name will take the high and uninsurable risk to invest in the industry while the PIGB remains in the president’s closet. That Bill, which has been acclaimed to have addressed the country’s problems in the oil and gas sector, needs to be signed into law for investors to find comfort to stake their funds.

Thus, instead of celebrating Nigeria’s potential in the oil and gas sector at international forums at all times, authorities in Abuja should organise functional collaboration with the National Assembly presiding officers and other key stakeholders to iron out grey areas in the PIGB so that it can become an acceptable law that can restructure the oil industry. That is the only way the oil and gas industry can be a veritable source of income and pride for the country. That will also send signals to citizens and indeed our partners that we are indeed serious with managing the economy, the only factor that can sustain democracy and development. That is the essence of economic democracy that is a desideratum in the new world where only good economic managers can ensure peace and stability in their domains.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/04/nnpcs-48-billion-oil-and-gas-projects.html

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 8,916 senior police officers to their next substantive ranks.

Ikechukwu Ani, spokesman of the commission, said in a statement on Sunday that the approval followed the meeting of the commission held in Abuja.

He said the commission approved the promotion of three Commissioners of Police (CPs) to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police. They are: Jona Jackson Mava; Olushola Babajide David and Titus Sumba Larmode.


He said that acting appointments of two CPs were also confirmed. The beneficiaries are: Rudolf Echebi Obe, Works, and Danladi Lalas, Air Wing.

Ani said 71 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) were elevated to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP). They include Ogundare Emmanuel; Alonge Adebowale; Augustina Ogbodo; Ibrahim Abdullahi, Garba Ahmed; Uzuegbu Kanayo, Zubairu Abubakar; Vincent Nwajiofor (Works), Polycarp Dibia and Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer.


He said 102 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) were also promoted to ACPs.

They are Michael Masomene; Egbe Eko Edum; Onyeamu Onyeamu, Dauda Ayuba; Chinedu Ugwu; Moses Gana, Victor Bepeh, among others.

He said the commission also promoted 487 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) to Superintendents of Police (SP). They include Atiku Ibrahim, Personal Assistant to the acting Inspector General of Police; Florence Odewo, Ojo Abraham, Mohammed Idris and Abraham Ogedengbe, among others.

Ani said 1,165 Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) were promoted to the next rank of Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP).

He said 7,806 Inspectors were also elevated to the rank of ASPs. They are Chinemelum Bartholomew, Jeremiah Zumnan, Adewale Ajibuwa and Saviour Etetim, among others.

He said the promotions would be conveyed to the acting Inspector General of Police today for implementation.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/04/police-promote-three-cps-71-acps-102.html

As part of efforts to curb crime, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has said it will adopt Hackathon4Justice programme initiated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and some other partners.

Hackathon4justcie is having student participants leveraging technology to find solutions to rule of law challenges in the areas of corruption, integrity and ethics including crime prevention and criminal justice.

The representative of the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas, said this at the 2019 Hackathon challenge for students in 10 tertiary institutions in Nigeria who were to use their coding capabilities to come up with solutions to help uphold justice and promote rule of law.


Out of the 400 applicants across the country, 49 computer science undergraduates were invited from 10 universities with Team LFT, comprising the trio of Eyitayo Ogunbiyi, 400 level Computer Engineering; Chukwudumebi Onwuli, 300 level Computer Engineering and David Popoola 400 Level Systems Engineering software solution to unmask human traffickers, track, rescue, and rehabilitate victims, was adjudged most outstanding and winning team among the other nine presentations.

Excited by the innovative ideas pushed up by the students, Abbas said: “The fact that I am here to represent NUC means that the university system takes this to be very important.

We are looking forward to building the issues that were raised at this programme into the university system, by way of giving benchmark for minimum standard whereby youths will have ideas of how they can contribute to solving societal problems using technology. Private and public universities will be teaching this.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/nuc-to-adopt-unodc-hackathon4justice.html

Newly elected APC lawmakers must tow the party line or be whipped out of the party, Bola Tinubu has said

Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, said that party discipline would be upheld in addressing the leadership tussle of the 9th National Assembly.

Tinubu said this while speaking with journalists in Lagos on Friday after a prayer programme organised by Islamic and Christian clerics to mark his 67th birthday.

“Party discipline is key, we must be discipline in the party. We were a little careless in 2015. We created the opportunity for serpent to get into our party and that did not allow Nigeria to make the desired progress.

“You have seen the result of it and we are not going to allow that to happen again. We are going to respect our party and we are going to apply the whip.

“It is either you stay with us or you follow us or you leave. You have the freedom to choose but the freedom does not give you as a minority to go and collaborate and protrude our mandate given to you to another party who was our opposition and who is still our opposition.

“We would not take that this time, no matter who you think you are. That is how it is built. Why do you want to deviate from what has been structured?

“We look at our reward system equally, zone by zone,” he said.

The APC leadership recently declared support for Yobe senator, Ahmed Lawan, to become the next Senate President. Lagos lawmaker and Tinubu’s protege, Femi Gbajabiamila, was also endorsed to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The move was condemned by other APC lawmakers including Borno senator, Ali Ndume, who seeks to be the Senate president. Ndume has vowed to continue with his ambition, saying he enjoys the support of many of the elected APC senators.

A Gombe senator, Danjuma Goje, is also in the race to be Senate President.

The APC enjoys a clear majority in the incoming Senate, winning over 60 of the 109 Senate seats.

The party is expected to produce the Senate president, but as it happened in 2015, a different candidate other than that endorsed by the party leadership may emerge the winner of the topmost legislative position.


While both Lawan and Gbajabiamila were endorsed for the positions in 2015, Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara emerged the Senate President and Speaker of the House respectively.

The two winners later defected from the APC to the PDP.

Also at the event on Friday, Tinubu said that his life as a politician at 67 had been a fulfilling journey.

“When I joined politics, there were a lot of uncertainties because it was during the military regime. There were lots of struggles but my concern is about people and the future of my country.

“My mother stood by me when I told her then that I was joining politics. She told me to be ready to take all sorts of insults whenever they cross my way. May her soul rest in peace,” he said.

“The struggle was tough. It created a justice on June 12 election of MKO and some people deserted the camp, the struggle, the spirit.

“We have stayed with this struggle. We know democracy is not easy but it is the only system of government that we chose.

“Ever since, it has been a very fulfilling journey. There is always the twist and turns in politics.

“Today, we endure, we persevere, we think, adjust, collaborate, merged and became single party just like yesterday,” he said.

Tinubu said that the APC was in government for the common man.

“You will think that APC had been on for twenty years but is not up to six years. We went through compromises because we know that if we form a good alliance of progressive thinkers and believers in the ideology of common man, we will be able to serve the people.

“It is not by criticism alone. You have to have the opportunity to even change the life of the people and quality of their standard of living.

“So, we stood by it, we persevered persistently, uttered our voice, offered our recommendations, and then we are here. And today I am extremely happy that we are in government for the common man.

“The only way to change Nigeria from penury is to fashion out our own organic economic strategy and plan that will continue to cater for all,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/asiwaju-tinubu-apc-lawmakers-must-tow.html

“I want to live long to see my children’s children.” This is the most common prayer of many Nigerians. But for most elderly in the society, the reality of being aged in the present world is not pleasant.

The sad reality of many aged people in Nigeria is loneliness. The once-upon-a-time vibrant young citizens who had toiled all their lives to make sure their children grow up and become respectable people in the society find themselves alone, abandoned at the last days of their lives.

In Abule community, Oke-Aro, Ogun State, one of oldest women in the community, Felicia Sodipo was buried few weeks back. Few months before she was found dead in her small hut, Iya Agba, as she was fondly called, was estimated to be more than 100 years old because of her shrunk feature and absence of teeth. Her movement had slowed drastically to a crawl but the burden of old age did not stop her from her daily chores. Because she lived alone with no help, she had been spotted washing her own clothes, plates and still run her kerosene business, which she measured with old Pepsi bottles.


Only a few saw Iya Agba few months before her demise. Her neighbors said that she was not able to get out of the house anymore. Some of them had to take turns in feeding her and taking care of her chores.

Many old people are in Iya Agba’s situation. To some extent, churches and other religious institutions, which are supposed to preach about taking care of the old, have unknowingly widened the gap between the old and the young in the society.


The unending search for miracle and permanent solution to life challenges has made many abandon their aged parents due to prophecy they heard in the church about their parents or grandparents being a witch.

One of these scenarios explained a story our reporter got from a childhood friend years back.

Five years ago, Stella Chukwu was consoling an elderly market woman who could not control her tears while selling her wares in Kenyata Market in Enugu. According to the aged woman, who gave Miss Chukwu her name as Mama Ekemma, she suddenly remembered how many years she has hawked palm oil, smoked fish and any fruit in season to train her only son in the university, only to be left all alone now that he is married and working in a reputable company.

According to Mama Ekemma, who was a few years to clocking 70, she was accused of being a witch hindering the progress of her son and his wife, which made the son, who was supporting her after he graduated, stopped visiting.

“I am all alone. I believe I wasted my years toiling to send my son to school. I did not send my first daughter to school because I believed my son was more brilliant than her and I could not send the two at the same time. My daughter is married and lives in Lagos. She and her husband are not rich enough to sustain me. I only visit them once in every six months. Even when I go to visit them, I harvest cassava from my farm, process it and make garri that I will take to them in Lagos.

“My only hope was my son. After he graduated, he was helping me. I was happy because he lives in Enugu with me. But after he got married, his wife started taking him to a church where he was told I am the witch hindering their progress. He confronted me and that was the last time he visited me. Now, arthritis cannot allow me hawk like I used to. I am not up to 70 but I know I look older because of hardship and long years of hard work,” Mama Ekemma cried.


Our reporter recently spoke with Miss Chukwu, who had become more than just a customer to the aged woman after the incident to find out how the woman was keeping up. She stated that the woman went back to her village and has never heard from her.

“Her health kept deteriorating. She could not come to the market as often as before. She could not afford a phone and I didn’t know how to locate her. I wish I know how she is,” she said.

Unfortunately, many old people in Nigeria today are passing through the same challenge like Mama Ekemma. Being labeled a witch may not be the case of other aged people but the fact that children grow, get married and abandon their parents.

Nigerian government to a large extent has been blamed for adding fuel to the inferno when it comes to respecting the elderly. For aged people who have served their father’s land diligently until retirement calls, receiving their pension for monthly upkeep has been turned to a tug of war.

There have been many cases where the elderly have had to queue under the sun for long hours to receive what they worked all their lives for.

Countless times, many have collapsed and died in the process of waiting to be screened.
In February 2016, a 75 year-old pensioner, Sunday Oboite, collapsed and died while waiting on queue to be screened at the Oredo Local Council secretariat in Benin City, capital of Edo State.

The pathetic story of a former National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) boss, Colonel Peter Obasa, begging for his pension and gratuities 35 years after retirement, is one out of many examples of what many senior citizens go through.

According to the report, the former Director-General of NYSC, Colonel Obasa (retired), was appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment of his gratuity and pension, 35 years after he was compulsorily retired by the military.

The 81-year old retired military officer, who served as NYSC DG between 1979 and 1984 made the appeal at a press conference in his residence in Ilorin during which he presented a book titled ‘House of Exile.’

Obasa, while arguing that he was only compulsorily retired and not dismissed said that he received no letter of dismissal from the Army to have informed nonpayment of his entitlement.

“I made my appeal to Mr. President, in the name of Almighty God, in the names of all that are holy, in the names of all that are good, true, and are just, to give me justice of the type that will attract the approval of God,” he said.

There have been several stories of many elderly people dying alone without anyone noticing their absence.

Some aged people who sent their children abroad for better education have found themselves alone later days in their lives because their children could not visit or have married foreigners.
There are also cases where house helps cart away belongings of aged people they are asked to care for.

Pastor Bisi Olu, who is also an entertainment editor, with a reputable media house explained how neighbors found an 85 year-old man in his pool of blood after he was attacked by robbers that were alleged to have been sent by his home help.

According to Olu, the old man was one of the few aged people they visit regularly to administer prayers in the community. On that fateful day, the troubled aged man called the pastor to save his life because all his children reside abroad.

Another touching story is that of Wale Oludayo’s father in Ibadan.
Wale Oludayo told Saturday INDEPENDENT that because he and his siblings were scared of leaving their father alone, they married a young wife for him so that he can have a companion.

On one of their impromptu visits, they discovered that their father was alone.

“When we asked him where the wife went, he said he has not seen her for two days. That she doesn’t tell him where she is going. And that has been happening for many months. My father resulted to having personal customers who come and deliver roasted fish, bread, vegetable oil and many other house hold stuffs so as to be able to feed. Our investigations proved that the woman, out of all the money we send for their up keep, had built a house for herself somewhere and hardly stays with our dad,” he said.

Oludayo explained that they regret marrying someone much younger than their dad for him and are still in the processes of reaching an agreement to divorce the woman.

Comfort Nanka, a retired head teacher and widow, lived alone in her hometown in Enugu Agidi, Anambra State. Though, Madam Nanka’s marriage did not produce any child, she is grateful that the children from the late husband’s first wife remember her. The first wife’s children are all married and live abroad and can only visit during festive seasons. Madam Nanka says she is still lonely. As little as filling up her cooking gas cylinder, she has to call her brother’s son who works and lives in another town to come and help her.

In an interview for Senior Citizens column on Independent Newspaper, former chairman, Rotary Club, District 911, Chief Olu Fadeyi disclosed that he and his wife discovered the secret to beating the ‘Empty Nest Syndrome’ by moving away from their Duplex to a smaller apartment in the same compound.

He said he had to move his domestic staff to the duplex while he and his wife stay in the smaller apartment. According to him, the reason is that staying in a compact apartment doesn’t spark any form of loneliness unlike when you stay in the duplex without the children. The empty rooms in the duplex remind you of the absence of the children. You keep remembering when they were there with the whole house bubbling. “Now, that they are no longer with you, you just have to adjust to suit your present situation,” he said.
Just as many elderly complain of not seeing their children often, many blame the current technology age of adding to their loneliness.

Madam Janet complained that whenever her son sends her grandchildren to visit, the children are always on the phones and tablets and hardly pay attention to her.

The African culture is one that prides itself in caring for the elderly in the society; it is a communal project. However since the infusion of the western culture into the African circle, society has become more selfish. Many families are copying the modern way of life where it is just the husband wife and children.

In this view, Joseph Ukwuma, a businessman said that most parents share the blame of not being allowed to live with their children when they marry. “Some of them consciously or unconsciously cause unnecessary rift between the newlywed couples with their constant complaints or efforts to mould their children’s spouse into who they are not,” he said.

Some people blamed the economic situation of the country as not being favourable enough to cater for their immediate family and aged parents.

In spite of these, whether troublesome or not, old people deserve some care and if their children cannot give the needed care and attention, then the society has a duty to make provision for them.

Hitting the Google search engine to find out how many old peoples are in Nigeria showed scanty record of aged homes in a few cities. Presently, according to record online, there are about 14 homes in Ibadan with one branch in Lagos. 10 in Lagos State, three in Calabar, two in Enugu and a few in Abuja.

The statistics, according to a London-based caregiver, Ifeoma Philip, is poor for a country with over 180 million people.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/old-age-and-burden-of-loneliness.html

Parents and guardians of private secondary schools in Lagos State have besieged the Lagos State Examination board asking for a refund of the money paid in registering their wards for Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS 3) examination in the state.

The Lagos State Government had on Wednesday told parents not to pay any money for the JSS 3 examination as the government had already paid for the examination.

However, the government has clarified that the free payment was for public schools and not private schools in the state.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Adebunmi Adekanye clarified that the payment of examination fees by the present administration was only for JSS 3 State Public Secondary Schools students who would sit for the 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

She stressed that the clarification became necessary to educate parents and guardians of children and wards in Private Secondary Schools who had been visiting the Lagos State Examinations Board to seek a refund of fees already paid.

“Such parents had the erroneous impression that the State Government payments covered all students across the Lagos,” she said.

She emphasised that despite the government’s commitment to ensuring all students got quality education in the State, the onus to pay examination fees for students in private schools rested on their parents.

Adekanye reiterated that the payment of BECE fees by the government was limited to public school students in the State.

However, the Permanent Secretary gave assurance that the government would prevent extortion of parents of students in Private Schools by the operators or public officials, noting that the cost of the examination was the same for students in both public and private schools without discrimination.

The Permanent Secretary also urged Public School students and parents to report any official of government who sought payment of any sum of money for whatever reason to the Tutors-General in their Education Districts or her office at the Ministry of Education, Alausa for prompt action.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/jss-3-exam-fees-private-schools-parents.html

A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Tunde Braimoh, has described Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a “quintessential statesman, clairvoyant articulator, cerebral aggregator, ingenious evaluator and dexterous administrator”.

Braimoh, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petition and LASIEC in Lagos, said that Tinubu remained a trailblazer.

The lawmaker, representing Kosofe Constituency II at the Lagos Assembly, spoke against the backdrop of the 67th birthday celebration of the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday.

“Asiwaju is that trailblazer of modern progressive tendency whose mantra and toga is to make the greatest happiness go to the greatest number of people.

“One day, when the history of a reoriented, reinvented and reformed populist, safe and prosperous Nigeria is written, Asiwaju will surely be depicted as one of the few who stood firm where many others wavered.

“Asiwaju will be credited as one of the few whose constant, relentless and resilient thirst for positive change occasioned better life for the populace,” Braimoh told NAN.

According to him, the people are unshaken in the faith and belief in Tinubu’s quest for life abundance for all Nigerians regardless of class, creed, race or religion.

Braimoh prayed for more divine enablement for Tinubu.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/tinubu-quintessential-statesman-lagos.html

Critics drawn from a coalition of civil society organisations under the auspices of Partners for Legislative Agenda for Nigeria (PLAN) has taken the All Progressives Congress to cleaners for insisting on Senator Ahmed Lawan as President of the Senate in the yet to be inaugurated ninth National Assembly.

The group, in its argument, noted that handpicking the Senate President in a legislative chamber having divergent views was undemocratic as it is undesirable.

Recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has put its foot down regarding the position of Senate President of the ninth National Assembly, maintaining that the choice of Senator Ahmed Lawan was already a foregone conclusion.


Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, had posited that while the party recognised the right of individual senators like former Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, to run for the Senate Presidency, such right had been signed off to the party who exercised it in the interest of those who voted for it.

Although the development does not go down well with some elected members of the upper legislative chambers, Chairman of PLAN, Lord Ibiang, in Abuja, on Thursday, said the action might lead to the ugly antecedents that led to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President in 2015.


He said that the country suffered in terms of quality laws owing to the endless friction between the executive and legislative for the better part of Buhari’s first term.

He said, “We sincerely commend the APC for looking in the direction of the Northeast. It is the right thing to do. But we equally disagree and warn against any attempt to impose a candidate.

“Yes, while it is imperative for a ruling political party to introduce a semblance of order and political stability in the leadership choice, historical antecedent has shown that imposition through influence peddling and invoking the name of the President had led to instability in leadership succession in the National Assembly in the past.

“There are a number of experienced, exposed, versatile, cosmopolitan and broad-minded ranking Senators from the Northeast. The search for a Senate President must be broadened to get for Nigeria, the very best. The idea of a handpicked Senate President is as undemocratic as it is undesirable.

“The Senate must rise to the occasion. It is incumbent on it, on behalf of Nigerians who elected them, to choose a Senate President that can build bipartisan and nationalistic bridges which would contribute in stabilising the polity and bridging the unity gap.”

“Therefore, the 9th Senate should go ahead and elect for itself, a Senate President that will work for it and for Nigerians. This position shall be communicated to all appropriate quarters, especially the senators-elect, President Muhammadu Buhari and all major political parties.”


Ibiang said that a harmonious executive-legislative relationship which would help the country achieve sound and effective governance is the desire of many Nigerians at this auspicious time.

He said, “The history of leadership of the National Assembly need to be placed in its proper perspective to reduce tension and help the leadership selection process in the 9th National Assembly. That is about setting the records straight!

“Our major intention is to create a harmonious executive-legislative relationship that will help the country achieve sound and effective governance.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/9th-nass-apc-may-regret-imposing-lawan.html

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the violence, killings and other related matters, which occurred during the February 23 and March 9, 2019 general elections in the state.


Wike also inaugurated a panel into the violent invasion and attack on the Rivers State Judiciary and destruction of public properties, which occurred at the state judiciary complex in Port Harcourt on May 11, 2018.


The governor inaugurated both commissions on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, with a charge that they should submit their reports after 30 days.

Justice Monina Danagogo was appointed as the Chairman of the Judicial Commission on Election Violence, while Justice Simeon Amadi chairs the commission on the invasion and attack on the state judiciary complex.

Wike explained that though the function before the two judicial commissions of inquiry would be tasking, he urged the members to work diligently to deliver within the scheduled period.

For the panel on violence, killings and related matters during the 2019 general elections, the governor said some of their terms of reference are to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the violence, killings and other related acts/matters, which occurred during this year’s general elections in the state.

“Identify the sponsors and perpetrators of the various acts of violence and killings in the state during the period of the aforesaid elections. Identify the victims of the violence, including those killed during the said elections.

“Identify the motives, if any, behind the said violence, killings and other related acts/matters during the aforesaid general elections in the state,” he added.

The governor said that the panel investigating the violence during the 2019 general elections has 10 terms of reference.


For the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the invasion of the State Judiciary, Wike explained that the panel had 14 terms of reference.

Some of them are, “To ascertain and identify the immediate and remote causes of and/or the motives behind the violent invasion and attack on the Rivers State Judiciary and destruction of public properties, which occurred at the judiciary complex, Port Harcourt on 11th May, 2018.

“Identify the persons who participated in, masterminded, counselled or procured others to participate in the violent invasion, attack, disruption of activities of the Rivers State Judiciary and destruction of public properties.


“Identify and ascertain the targets of the said invasion, violence and disruption of activities at the Rivers State Judiciary Complex on the aforementioned date.

Wike said that it is unfortunate that anyone would plot the attack on the Judiciary, which he described as the last hope of everyone.

He pointed out that a former Rivers State governor, who shut down the courts, was the first to seek refuge when the courts were re-opened.

Responding, Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence, killings and other related matters during the 2019 elections, Justice Monina Danagogo, said that the commission would carry out its duties in line with the extant laws.

Also, Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the violent invasion and attack on the Rivers State Judiciary, Justice Simeon Amadi, said the invasion of the state judiciary complex would not be swept under the carpet.


Amadi described the desecration of the temple of justice as anathema to any democracy.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/wike-sets-up-panel-to-probe-2019.html

The Lagos State Government on Thursday cautioned parents not to pay any fee or levy for the Junior Secondary School (JSS3) Basic Education Certificate Examination for students in the state.

Mrs Adebunmi Adekanye, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, said this on Thursday in Alausa while reacting to alleged extortion from parents whose children would be sitting for the examination.

Adekanye said the state government had paid the fees of all students sitting for the examination in the state.

According to her, JSS3 students sitting for the BEC examination in the state should not pay any money to anyone under any guise, as all fees relating to the examination have been fully paid by the state government.

She warned public officials to desist from extorting money from parents under various guises which included payment for practical examinations.

She said anyone caught in the act would face the consequences of their action.

Adekanye said that in furtherance of the free education policy of the state government, all fees for all terminal examinations such as BECE and West Africa Senior School Certificate of Education were fully paid by the government.

She said the gesture was to ease the burden on parents as well as create equal opportunities for all qualified students to sit for the examinations and prove their mettle, irrespective of the circumstances or financial position of their parents.

Adekanye urged students and parents to report any government official requesting for money whatsoever to the Tutor-Generals in their education districts or ministry of education, Alausa, for prompt action.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/dont-pay-jss-3-exam-fees-lasg-tells.html

A former chairman of ASUU, Unilorin Chapter, Prof. Samson Olatunde Oduleye, is dead. He was aged 75.

His death was announced in a statement signed by Poju Akinyanju on behalf of the Socialist Congress of Nigeria, Festus Iyayi Foundation and Unilorin 49+ Foundation.

The statement noted that “Oduleye, an accomplished academic, spent a considerable part of his life and energy in the struggle for the development of the Nigerian University system and the Nigerian nation.”

Oduleye, a political activist of the Left, who died on March 3, 2019, was a member of the famous Unilorin 49, a group of lecturers sacked by the University authorities because of their union activities. Their sack was later upturned by the Supreme Court after a nine-year legal battle.

Born in Zaria, Kaduna State on January 21, 1944; Oduleye spent his childhood days in Katcha, near Bida in Niger State and Jos in Plateau State. He had his education at Baptist Boys High school, Iwo, Osun State, Federal School of Science, Lagos and the University of Lagos where he obtained a degree in Biology.


He later proceeded to Britain to obtain a PhD in Animal Physiology from the University of Lancaster.

Oduleye began his academic career at the University of Ibadan in 1973. He later moved to the newly established University of Ilorin in 1977, where he acquired a chair in 1985 and remained until his retirement.

The statement read: “The Socialist Congress of Nigeria, the Board of Trustees of the Festus Iyayi Foundation and the UNILORIN 49+ Foundation regret to announce the death of one of their members, Professor Tunde Oduleye…..

“In the course of his academic career, Oduleye worked in a number of Universities both within and outside of Nigeria. He is well published in his field of animal physiology and socio-political issues.

“Oduleye was a consummate Unionist and political activist of the Left. He was at various times the Chairman of the University of Ilorin Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and served ASUU at the National level as a member of its National Executive Council, Resource person to and Chairman of many of ASUU’s Committees. He was a member of the Union’s team at a number of its negotiations with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Tunde Oduleye was a member of the Socialist Congress of Nigeria (SCON), a body that in conjunction with other Organizations midwifed the birth of The Campaign for Democracy (CD) and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR). These were Organizations that played active pro democracy roles which resulted in the termination of the military rule in Nigeria in 1999. “He was a founding Trustee of the Festus Iyayi Foundation, an Organization formed for the preservation and promotion of the works of Festus Iyayi, another prominent Nigerian activist, and was also a Trustee of the UNILORIN 49+ Foundation.


“Oduleye suffered many accidents and privations in his struggles for the progress of his nation. He was involved in a ghastly motor accident in 1988 while returning from an ASUU assignment. This did not deter him from continuing his participation in the activities of the Union; not even another motor accident in 2006 on his way to an FG-ASUU Negotiation meeting did.

“He lost his job and positions a number of times on account of his loyalty to struggles directed by ASUU. He was a member of the famous Unilorin 49, a group of University Lecturers who were relieved of their job on account of Union activities but faced off with the Federal Government in an epic 9-year struggle until they were reinstated by the Supreme Court.

“Tunde Oduleye led an active social life. He was a member of University Staff Clubs where social life intermingles with intellectual exertions. As Chairman of the University of Ilorin Senior Staff Club, he organized many formal and semi-formal discussions on many topics ranging from health issues to politics.”
The statement described Oduleye as a quintessential family man and head of the Oduleye Clan of Ile Abese, Ogbomoso.

The late Prof Oduleye is survived by his wife, Mary, and three children – Bimbola, Bolanle and Jibola.
The statement said funeral arrangements would be announced shortly.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/former-chairman-of-ASUU-prof-oduleye.html

Physically Challenged Persons Shut Down Bayelsa Over Non-Inclusion In Civil Service

Persons living with disability in Bayelsa State, under the aegis of the Joint National Association of People Living with Disabilities, took to the streets on Monday to press home their demand for inclusion in the recent employment of 1,000 graduates into the civil service.

More than 200 physically challenged persons took part in the protest, which caused traffic gridlock in the Ovom axis of Yenagoa, the state capital, compelling motorists to take other routes.

The aggrieved persons, led by Comrade Eric Ikilowei, the group's state acting Chairman, blocked the entrance to the Government House, displaying placards with various inscriptions, and requested to speak with the Governor.

Addressing the press, Ikilowei stated: "We are only demanding the employment of seven of our members who are graduates and this is not even up to the seven per cent or more that should have been our constitutional quota and right.


"We have made our request known to the government on several fora, but they still keep blank ears to our plight.

"We have as much right as our counterparts, who are able indigenes. So, we should not be short-changed! We had embarked on several protests earlier to no avail.

"We are giving the government a week's ultimatum to grant us employment or we shall come back by Monday for a bigger protest to shut down this government house and the whole state until our demands are granted."

The protesters were addressed by some government officials, including the aide-de-camp to the governor, chief whip of BYHA, Hon. Tonye Emmanuel Isenah, the Commissioner for Empowerment and Social Welfare, Honourable Faith Opene, who assured the protesters that their requests for employment have already been looked into.

To confirm her statement of assurance, the disabled persons put a phone call through to Dr. Peter Singabele, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, who told them that letters of employment for seven of the disabled persons are already being worked out and settled.

He stated that they shall get the letters on Friday this week and that there was no need for the protest.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/physically-challenged-persons-shut-down.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concern over persistent building collapse in the country, and warned that those responsible for incidents of professional negligence would feel the full wrath of the law.

The president gave the warning when he received the leadership of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) led by Obafemi Onashile at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

The president said the dark days of impunity were gone for good, and assured Nigerians that his administration would remain focused and committed to creating an inclusive and diversified economy.

He told members of the institute that the recent tragic incident in Lagos and many others across the country were a reminder of the need to strictly adhere to quality standards on construction projects.

The president recalled the recent building collapse in Lagos in which more than a dozen people were left dead and concluded that greed and incompetence had become the bane of the construction industry in Nigeria.

“The recent tragic incident in Lagos and many others across the country reminds us of the need to strictly adhere to quality standards when it comes to construction projects.

“Young innocent lives must never be lost due to incompetence and greed. Simply put, no corners must be cut.

“I want to assure you that those responsible for such incidents of professional negligence will feel the full wrath of the law,” the president stated.

Recall that on March 13 a three-storey building at Ita-Faaji, Lagos Island, collapsed. The building also served as accommodation for a school.

While the dust was yet to settle down, another two-storey building collapsed at Sogoye, along Bode area of Ibadan, Oyo State, leaving an unspecified number of people trapped.

President Buhari seized the occasion to highlight the administration’s achievements in stimulating the economy in the past three years, noting that growing the nation’s economy means ‘‘national growth must impact the silent majority.”

He added: “This is why, in the past three years, we focused on key job-creating sectors such as agriculture and infrastructure development.

“You will all recall that our agriculture and infrastructure programmes contributed to our exit from recession. This is a clear example of how, if we push ‘inclusive’ job-creating policies, growth will follow.

“We will remain committed to these and other programmes to ensure that the success of our nation is felt by the majority of Nigerians.”

The president welcomed recommendations and suggestions from the Institute on how to enhance the construction industry, directing that they make a formal submission to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing as soon as possible.

In his presentation, the President of NIQS, Onashile, appealed to the Federal Government to create a directorate of quantity surveying and projects costs management to address the issue of unclear delineation of professional functions amongst construction professions within the government.

Onashile also made a case for quantity surveyors to be mandated and allowed to undertake cost management of projects of all forms on behalf of government, among others.

The Institute, while congratulating the president on his well-deserved re-election, expressed its support and “total confidence in his administration and leadership direction which have brought hope, progress and stability to Nigeria”.

A highpoint of the visit was the conferment of the Fellowship Grade of the NIQS – the highest cadre of membership – on President Buhari.

The president was also honoured with the ‘Life Champion of Anti-Corruption Crusade in Nigeria’ award.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/buhari-vows-to-deal-with-those-behind.html

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has advised the incoming People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration to focus on developmental issues instead of its renewed campaign of calumny against his person, family and administration.

The governor, who spoke yesterday in a statement by his Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, said the renewed campaign of calumny was aimed at rubbishing his eight-year selfless service.

But, the governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, said it would be unnecessary and unhelpful to embark on a campaign of calumny against the out-going governor.

Ajimobi said more than two weeks after the general elections have produced winners and losers, the opposition parties ought to start talking about their plans for the state and how to build on the foundation of development laid by his administration.


The governor said he was appalled by the unprovoked media attacks by the opposition parties, especially sympathisers of the PDP and its governorship candidate, who were still practising politics of bitterness that Oyo State, under his tenure, has since left behind.

The governor appealed to the traditional and online media practitioners to be circumspect in churning out unverified information being supplied to them by their unscrupulous sources, who were bent on spreading inflammatory rhetoric.

He said the purveyors of falsehood have recruited some online medium to carry out some of their nefarious activities.

Ajimobi said: “Now that elections have been won and lost, there should be an end to acrimonious and incendiary comments. Political discussion has moved from the pre-2011 era. Our focus is on politics of issues and development.

“That is what we expect from them, not personal attacks and falsehood-laced statements indicating their unpreparedness for governance.

“I’m not unaware that during campaigns some politicians adopted the campaign of calumny as strategy believing it would give them undue advantage, but such does not last. What the electorate expects is to be educated on their blueprint for the development of the state.”

However, the governor-elect, while replying Ajimobi, denied any campaign of calumny against the present administration, saying such would be unnecessary and unhelpful at this point in time.

He said: “We deny campaign of calumny against Ajimobi. Such won’t be necessary and it is unhelpful.


“Our major grouse is that awarding fresh contracts worth over N30 billion in one fell swoop and under mischievous circumstances will be a disservice to our state, if we do not cry out.

“We do not need the outgoing governor to tell us to inform our people what we want to do for them because they already know during the course of the campaign.

“What the people never knew was the extent to which the outgoing government will go to attempt to empty government coffers to leave frustrate the incoming administration.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/ajimobi-to-makinde-shun-politics-of.html

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday said it has sustained the legacy of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili by working towards drug security in Nigeria.

The director-general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at a media briefing to mark the 25th anniversary of the agency in Abuja, noted that NAFDAC was able to seize 23 containers of Tramadol worth about N198 billion last year.

According to her, the celebration is to enable the agency “look back to see what we have learnt in the past 25 years.”She said, “Dr. Akunyili was zealous in the fight against substandard drugs. We have continued on that. What is more important for these 25 years is almost like closing the loop of legacy. We are setting a much stronger foundation for NAFDAC to exist for decades to come, so that it will take a genius to destroy it.”Adeyeye stressed that the agency was working towards ensuring that local drug manufacturers were able to sell their products globally.

“So, we are doing things that will position NAFDAC as an agency to compete globally.“Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), when it comes to pharmaceutical manufacturing, is low. Our goal is to improve the GDP.“We are pursuing improvement of local manufacturing to make sure we don’t have drug insecurity. We are changing so many policies,” she added.

On the improvement of service rendered by the agency, the NAFDAC DG said: “Based on our current process, if you submit an application for food, by 90 days your application should get to the final stage and you will be notified whether it is approved or not; unless there is a problem in the middle. If it is drug, it is 120 days. We are not there yet, but we are 10 times better than where we were nine months ago.

“We are laying a foundation that others after me can build on to benefit this country.“We now do e-registration. We have 200 companies that have signed on already.”The anniversary celebration was preceded by a health walk by workers of the agency and tree planting by the DG.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/weve-sustained-akunyilis-legacy-by.html

Emergency workers have begun the clearing of rubble following the collapse of yet another building on Lagos Island.

The residential building, located on Kakawa Street, went down at exactly 12:50pm but no one was injured in the accident.

It marked the third building collapse in two weeks in Lagos, following one at Ita Faji on March 13 and another one at Egerton Square, Oke Arin.

When Akelicious arrived the site of the crash at about 3pm on Monday, emergency services had already responded to the collapse.

Akelicious learnt that the house was already cleared ahead of planned demolition before it eventually caved in.

More photos at https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/photos-lagos-begins-clearing-of-rubble.html

With the baby mama trend fast becoming a norm in the Nigerian entertainment industry, “Able God” crooner, Chinko Ekun, has revealed that his mother begs him not to have a baby mama.

According to the Nigerian rapper, he has no plans of following the path of having a baby mama anytime soon as his mum doesn’t want him to have a child out of wedlock.

In his chat with Saturday Beats, he also explained that he doesn’t condemn those who have baby mamas. He said,


“My mum doesn’t want me to have a baby out of wedlock. Personally, I can’t condemn the act because most people have reasons why they have children out of wedlock. It may be that they do not wish to be committed to any woman but they want a child. A lot of people have baby mamas.”

He went on to talk about his love life, revealing that despite being famous, he has been heartbroken multiple times while also dishing that he can’t get married to an actress or singer. He said,

“I have been heartbroken a lot of times, even after I became famous. Girls are funny; stardom has nothing to do with a partner’s loyalty at all.

“I don’t chase after women; I would prefer a lady who is intelligent. I can’t marry a musician or an actress because it is not easy to be a celebrity. The life is not easy to keep up with. I face a lot of stress; I just want my wife to be able to take my children out normally without any form of paparazzi. I prefer to do the ‘hustling’ (running around for money); my children need their mother’s attention. I can’t marry an actress, I won’t like it if another man is caressing or kissing my wife all in the name of making a film.

“I am an Ondo man and there are some things we don’t take. In my videos, I don’t even run after women, I am more of a gangster. In fact, I have turned down romantic movie roles because I don’t want any woman to begin to have amorous attractions towards me on set. When girls try to seduce me, I place my focus on heavenly things. The flesh may want to use me sometimes, but I just ignore it.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/chinko-ekun-dishes-on-baby-mamas-and.html

The Bayelsa government on Friday said it would work assiduously with security agencies to ensure that killers of the members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were brought to book.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that suspected cultists on Wednesday night attacked residence of some corps members in Yenagoa, killing two and leaving one critically injured.

The attack occurred on school road, Swali in Yenagoa Local government Area of the state.

Mr Suoyo Appah, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Seriake Dickson on NYSC Matters, in a statement issued in Yenagoa, urged security agents to ensure that the killers of the corps members were fished out.

Appah, who condemned the act, assured Nigerians that the state government would stop at nothing to ensure that the perpetrators are punished.

He said that the NYSC would no longer post corps member to any community that failed to provide adequate security for corps members.

“We advise members of the scheme to be vigilante and report any suspicious movement of unknown people around them to the police,” Appah said.

Mrs Lotto Bolade, NYSC Coordinator in the state, had said that out of three corps members shot by the cult gang, two died, while the injured person was responding to treatment at a hospital in Yenagoa.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/bayelsa-government-vows-to-bring.html

Community leaders in Michika, Adamawa, appealed to Nigerian Army to deploy more troops and armoured tanks to the town to enhance security.

The appeal followed an attack by Boko Haram insurgents on March 18 on the only commercial bank building in the town on a robbery mission but were repelled by the army.

Some of the leaders made the appeal during an operational visit to the town by Brig.-Gen. Bulama Biu, the acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division of the army, and Commander Sector 1 on Friday.

Muhammed Usman, an elder and Head of Muslim Community in Michika, said the call was imperative to fast track and revamp socio-economic activities in the community.

He explained that additional checkpoints should be mounted in Kuburshosho Goni and Shuwa areas in the town to check future attacks.

He also urged the army to furnish residents with means of reaching out to them when distressed, saying many locals heard the news of the Monday attack but were constrained to reach out to military authorities.

He said “sometimes we hear news of the movement of the insurgents just five kilometers away from the town but we dont know how to communicate to army. There is the need for army to give us telephone numbers to call when distressed.”


Mr Jidda Kwache, an elder and District Head of Michika, said that the deployment of more troops in the area would complement the efforts of the fighting troops on ground.

Kwacha said that the last time the town witnessed any attack was in 2014, noting that the Monday attack left uncertainty in the minds of the people in the community.

He added that “we thank Brig.-Gen. Bulama Biu, the acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division of the army, and Commander Sector 1 for the visit to Michika to sympathise with us.

“This visit is an indication of your firm commitment toward civic protection and restoring peace. You have restored our hopes and confidence to remain in our community.

“We assure you of our total support and commitment to provide you with the neccesary support to discharge your duties.”

Alhaji Saidu Lawal, the District Head of Bazza, also commended the GOC and troops of the 143 battalion for responding to their calls to prevent the terrorist from causing havoc in the community.

Lawal said “we need more soldiers to complement the efforts of those on ground. We also notice that the artillary and armoured tanks we use to have in 2014, are no more in Michika; we are appealing that those equipment be deployed again.

“Initially, we thought the whole town will be overran by the insurgents but through the gallent efforts of your troops, the attack was repelled and for this, we want to say thank you.”

Yakubu Jaha-Michika, the Commander of Hunters in Michika, appealed to the Adamawa Government to deploy more security operatives to the area.

Jaha-Michika said that the state government should arm and equip local hunters to help in providing local vigilance patrol.

The Caretacker Chairman of Michika Local Government Area, Bitrus Vandi, narrated his ordeal during the Monday attack, saying that the report came from Kofa, a naighbouring village.

Vandi said that when he recieved the distress call of the impending attack, he quickly alerted the DPO and the troops commander in the town, who rushed to the scene to repel the attack.

He added that “the insurgents stormed the town with gun trucks mounted with Anti-Air craft and motorcycle.”

Reacting, Brig.-Gen. Bulama Biu said he was in the town to sympathise with the people on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

He urged the community, traditional and religious leaders in the town to support the military’s effort to defeat Boko Haram and other undesirable elements.

He said “security is everybody’s business and not for army alone, I, therefore, urge you to always provide prompt information on any suspicious activities.”

He reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army toward restoring peace and dignity of the people.

Meanwhile, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited Michika, reports that nomalcy has
returned to the town as people were seen going about their daily businesses.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/boko-haram-we-need-more-troops-armoured.html

Governor Rochas Okorocha has alleged that members of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) are in a hurry and hungry to resume looting the treasury and properties of the State, following their recent concern and utterances on the state treasury.

He said he is not surprised members of the party, having stayed out of power for eight years are desperate to come back.

Governor Okorocha said rather than talking about their programme, they are making references to fictitious N17 billion withdrawn from the state treasury by his administration.

The governor said this in a press statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo.

He said: “Since the party’s (PDP) candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, was declared winner of the governorship election in the State, by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Francis Ezeonu, the party and its members have not made any policy statement on where they are taking-off from, and where they are going.

“They are either talking about non-existent N17 billion that has been withdrawn by the government, lands to revoke or the vehicles that have been auctioned, or threatening fire and brimstone.


“And when they were challenged to say where, in Imo, one can find N17 billion to withdraw, and whether the money was withdrawn cash or by transfer, they evaporated.”

Governor Okorocha, however, alleged that if not for the role the REC played in the governorship election, PDP would not have returned to power.

“Imo people never voted for the PDP and would not have voted for the party and its candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, but, the REC in Imo decided to return the party to power at all costs and by all means, for his own selfish reasons. And that has also been the reason Imo people are not celebrating the contentious victory of the party.

“This was a party that governed the state for 12 years and had nothing to show for it. But, governor Rochas Okorocha has more than 1,000 verifiable projects to his credit. And nobody has disputed the claim.”

He said the only good thing about the PDP coming back to power, even if it is for three months, is for Imo people to see clearly the large extent Okorocha has assiduously worked and transformed the state.

“Reason being that it is only when one marries two wives that he would be in a position to say which one is better.

They have only been talking about those frivolous things opponents of the administration want to hear, including money, vehicles, etc.

Why have they not talked about whether to continue with the free education programme or not, or the urban renewal policy, or to continue with the six universities built by the administration or not, and so on. Imo people are waiting for them on these issues.

“The PDP administration in the state cannot fly. Imo people know them and what they do, including vendetta, political killings, kidnappings, gala nights, bathing with expensive drinks like MOET, Hennessy, Xo etc.

“The story of the PDP in the state this time will be worst than the party’s ugly story for the 12 years it had governed the state from 1999 to 2011,” Okorocha said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/n17bn-treasury-pdp-in-hurry-to-resume.html

The successful conduct of the general elections is rubbing off positively on investments, with the inflow of over $6 billion into the local bond market.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele described the foreign capital inflows to the bond market as an indication of the continued investors’ confidence in the strength of the economy.

The CBN boss, who spoke yesterday at the BusinessDay Post-Election Economic Agenda Conference in Lagos, also set a post-election agenda for the nation’s monetary policy. The current policy stance of the bank is expected to continue while inflation is estimated to rise to 12 per cent and moderate thereafter.

Emefiele said the Nigeria bond market remains one of the most attractive investment destinations – In Bloomberg’s Emerging-Market Local-Currency Government Bonds index, which covers major emerging markets, including Nigeria, South Africa and Argentina.


He said Nigeria’s bond continue to top the chart due to the stability of the Investors’ & Exporters’ Forex rate and the yields being high by emerging-market standards.

Investors, Emefiele said, are sure that they can exit their positions if they want, which has been crucial in driving other investors into the market.

Emefiele hinged the monetary policy stance of the bank on rising inflation expectations.

He, however, noted that the bank would adjust the policy rate in line with unfolding conditions and outlooks. Just as in the previous year, he said the Bank would continue in its drive to ensure that the policy interest rate is set to balance the objectives of price stability with output stabilisation.

The CBN boss also explained that since the establishment of the I&E Window in April 2017, the country has recorded about $35 billion in autonomous inflows through the window alone.

He said: “As a result, exchange rate pressures eased considerably across all markets as the rates converged to about N360/$ and the distortive premium almost eliminated. At the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment, we saw a significant appreciation of the naira from over N525/$ in February 2017 to about N360/$ today. Rates at the I&E window also appreciated from nearly N382/$ in May 2017 to just over N360/$.”

On the exchange rate policy, he said the bank, despite the expected pressures from the volatility in the crude oil markets, will maintain its stable exchange rate over the next year.

“Gross stability is projected in the foreign exchange market, given increased oil production and contained import bill”, he said.


Emefiele expressed optimism that the country’s Balance of Payments would remain positive in the short-term, adding that the current account balance could improve further if oil prices continued to recover. He assured that this would be “supported by improved non-oil performance as diversification efforts begin to yield results to reduce undue imports.”

Warning that the issues that led to the economic crisis between 2015 and 2017 remained visible, Emefiele stressed the need to significantly increase the country’s policy buffers, including fiscal measure, to increase its external reserve. He also reiterated the need to diversify the revenue structure of the Federal Government, in order to reduce dependence on direct proceeds from the sale of crude oil.

He further advised that cheap financing be provided to boost local production of priority goods in critical sectors of the economy in order to reduce reliance on foreign imports.

He also used the platform to highlight the efforts made by the CBN in the past five years in monetary policy and development finance, disclosed that the weakening of the Naira impacted the balance sheets of domestic banks.

However, he said the bank took some measures such as monitoring the financial position and performance of supervised institutions and the assessment of the risk profile and governance management practices of banks, to guarantee financial stability.

He listed other efforts carried out by the Bank to ensure financial system stability and the promotion of sustainable economic development to include the establishment of the investors and exporters’ window; conservation of foreign exchange through the restriction of access to foreign exchange on 43 items; and increased lending to the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

The governor, while soliciting continued support for the policy measures that restrict import of items that could be produced in Nigeria as well as increased penalty for smuggling of restricted items in Nigeria, expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy in post-May 2019 will witness growth and reduced unemployment.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/local-bond-market-attracts-6b-says-cbn.html

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State, says it will on March 27 present Certificates of Return to the Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.


Mr Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said on Thursday that the lawmakers-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly would also be given Certificates of Return the same day, NAN reports.

“The presentation of certificate of return to elected candidates is in conformity with Section 75 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).


“The presentation ceremony will take place at INEC Lagos Office, 6, Birrel Avenue, Sabo-Yaba, at 11:00 am for the Governor-elect and his Deputy.

“Meanwhile, that of the elected members of Lagos State House of Assembly will come up at 2:00pm,” Olumekun said in a statement.

According to him, all invited guests are requested to be seated by 10:30am and 1:30pm respectively for the two ceremonies.


The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sanwo-Olu of the APC, polled 739,445 votes to defeat Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 206,141 votes, and other contestants in the March 9 governorship election.

INEC declared Sanwo-Olu winner of the poll on March 10.

The commission will on Saturday hold a supplementary election in the Ibeju-Lekki State Constituency I where the state assembly election was declared inconclusive.


Candidates of APC won in all the other 39 constituencies where the state house of assembly elections are already concluded by the electoral umpire

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/lagos-inec-fixes-date-to-present.html

The UN Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos on Wednesday enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the culture of always making themselves and others around them happy, no matter the situation.

UNIC’s National Information Officer, Dr Oluseyi Soremekun, gave the advice in Lagos at an event to celebrate this year’s UN International Day of Happiness in Nigeria.

The theme of the day, jointly organised by UNIC, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board and the Woman Child Wellness Foundation, was “Happier Together’’. “The UN underscores the importance of happiness hence it set March 20, every year, for the celebration of the International Day of Happiness.

“We must, therefore, know that we should not always strive to make only ourselves happy, but to also make others, especially children and the physically challenged happy at all times.


“There is a lot for Nigerians to learn from Bhutan, where the goal of Gross National Happiness is promoted, just like a National Economic Product,’’ he said.

Soremekun said that the UN Sustainable Development Goals that sought to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect the planet would lead to people’s well-being and happiness.

He said that the day was the UN’s commitment to making people realize the importance of happiness with people and in any situation.
READ ALSO: ‘Why I pound yam at Mama Afrika Restaurant, Newark’

The Founder of Woman Child Wellness Foundation, Ms Labisi Orkeh, said that her organisation decided to celebrate the day with about 500 pupils of the Agidingbi Primary School, Ikeja, to make them happy.

Orkeh said that it was imperative for every Nigerian to always prioritise children’s happiness and well-being, because they were the future of Nigeria.

“We strongly want to describe today as a special day to show love to these children. We are celebrating today with these children to give them hope and make them happy.

“We have decided to focus on children because they are the future of this country and the world,’’ she said.

The children, who danced to different music, savoured different delicacies, were on circus train rides, and a farmhouse obstacle course, among others.


The International Day of Happiness, which is celebrated worldwide every March 20, was conceptualised and founded by a philanthropist, activist, statesman, and a prominent UN Special Adviser, Jayme Illien, to inspire, mobilise, and advance the global happiness movement.

The day has been observed annually since 2013.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/nigerians-should-make-themselves-happy.html

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has urged Nigerian workers to “double their efforts” towards increasing productivity.


Saraki gave the call during the passage of the bill on the new minimum wage on the floor of the Senate, on Tuesday.

He also expressed hope that implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage will start immediately.


According to Saraki: “Let me join our colleagues to commend the efforts of the committee.

“More importantly, let me commend the patience of Nigerian workers and the leadership of the Labour Union, who have over the years been calling for this minimum wage and have carried their efforts responsibly.

“I want to commend the leaders of the organisations of the union. Let me also state that as government, we should ensure that at times like these, we should not wait for there to be strikes to do what is truly deserving for our workers.

“I hope that with this minimum wage our workers will double their efforts to increase their productivity, so that we can also improve the general productivity of the country. It is my hope that the implementation of this will start immediately.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/new-minimum-wage-what-saraki-said-as.html

The Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Olusegun Runsewe, has said the Federal Government is geared towards ensuring the country’s badly damaged national unity and peaceful coexistence is fixed.

Runsewe called on traditional rulers across the country to build synergy and collaborate with government through the NCAC towards ensuring the success of fixing the damaged unity through cultural revival.

Runsewe said part of the government’s efforts is the revival of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST).

Speaking yesterday, in Abuja, during the flag-off of NAFEST 2019, Runsewe noted that hate speech is on the rise in the country, including allied crimes, arising from the loss of cultural values.

He blamed the progressive deterioration of values over the years as partly responsible for the crisis of national unity and underdevelopment the country is currently facing.

Runsewe, however, said in rebuilding national unity and cohesion, the NCAC took a decision to put together, NAFEST 2019 as a way of reflecting the policy of reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation, which were the cardinal points of the founding fathers of NAFEST in 1970.

“It is our conviction that the progressive deterioration of these values over the years is partly responsible for the crisis of national unity and underdevelopment our nation is currently facing.

“I wish to humbly call on all traditional rulers in Nigeria to collaborate with the National Council for Arts and Culture, in the task of reviving our cherished cultural heritage and using our culture as a spring board for driving the process of national development,” Runsewe said.

On his part, the Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Osaze Osemwegie-Ero, said Edo State has finalised plans for the fruitful hosting of the event. He said as far as the state is concerned, security threats will mar the event.

Osemwegie-Ero said the state government had put all factors on the table, and is doing everything possible to ensure a successful outing.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/fg-to-rebuild-battered-nigerian-unity.html

A fifth prosecution witness, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro ,in the ongoing trial of former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, over alleged fraud and money laundering, has concluded his testimony before the Federal High Court, Lagos

Obanikoro who gave the evidence in continuation of his cross-examination by second defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), revealed that he was informed about two years ago, that his late Special Assistant (SA) Justin Erukaa, died in an accident.

Fayose was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Oct. 22, 2018, alongside a company Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts.

But the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the court had granted him bail in the sum of N50million with one surety in like sum.

Senator Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, was called as a fifth prosecution witness to testified against Fayose on January 21, 2018.

At a last adjourned date on February 5, Obanikoro was still under cross-examination by second defence counsel, (Ojo), who had sought to tender the extrajudicial statement of Justin Erukaa, made to EFCC in the course of their investigation into the case

In reaction, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the said statement, on the grounds that counsel was seeking to tender the document from the bar, with which he wanted to contradict the witness from the bar.

Citing the provisions of Section 232 and 233 of the Evidence Act, he argued that the approach was wrong.

However, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, admitted the extrajudicial statement of the late Erukaa and marked the same as Exhibit J.

When the trial resumed on Tuesday, second defence counsel Ojo, continued cross-examination of Obanikoro who has been in the witness box since January.

Under cross-examination, Obanikoro told the court that his aide Eruka left Lagos a day before Sallah about two years ago, “and the police called one of my special assistants with the decease’s phone informing him that the owner of the phone just had an accident and died on the spot; and I was immediately called and informed.”

The prosecution called its sixth witness, Mr Olugboyega Falae, a staff of Ecobank, who said he had worked in Skye bank, (now Polaris), as Head of Estate Support Department.

On what he knows about the property known as No. 44, Plot 1241, Osun Crescent Maitama, Abuja, the witness told the court that one of the responsibilities of his unit was to dispose of non-core assets of the bank, that are excess to requirement.

He said that the property was one of such assets, which was sold at that time, after acquiring requisite approvals.

He said that in the case of the said property, one Mrs Titiloye approached the bank with a N300 million offer for the property, adding that there were discussions and exchange of letters between them before the property was eventually sold for N200 million.

After the witness finished his evidence before the court, he was cross-examined by defence counsel, but there was no re-examination from prosecution.

The court has adjourned until Wednesday for the continuation of trial.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/obanikoro-concludes-testimony-against.html

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday supported Governor Mohammed Abubakar in challenging in court the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume collation of results instead of conducting supplementary elections this weekend in Bauchi State.

The electoral body had declared the exercise inconclusive and scheduled a rerun in Tafawa/Balewa council area of the state.

Fielding questions from State House Correspondents after he met with the president in Abuja, the governor declared INEC’s action as illegal.


Abubakar said he had come to brief the nation’s number one citizen on his next line of action.

He said: “I am a lawyer and I am pursuing the legal angle. I briefed him and he emphasised that it is the best way to go.”

Besides, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has blamed the loss of Bauchi on malfunctioned card readers.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, he enjoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to rush into jubilation, as “INEC would be made to offer explanations” for the alleged infractions.

Alleging collusion, Nabena wondered how APC that won 21 seats to PDP’s five in the state assembly could have lost the governorship.

While justifying the need for a rerun at the aforementioned council, the spokesman recalled that the returning officer, Mrs. Dominion Anosike, had alleged intimidation and harassment during collation of the results.
On the already declared Katagum Federal House of Representatives result in favour of PRP, the national officer described it as an error on the part of INEC.

“It is a clear case of inconclusive election because the margin between the PRP and APC candidates is less than the cancelled votes. So, we are demanding justice if INEC is not deliberately against the APC, “ he said.

Also yesterday, a former commissioner of information and chieftain of the party in the state, Alhaji Salisu Barau, and Concerned Citizens of Tafawa Balewa kicked against the resumption of collation today by the electoral umpire.

INEC had declared the results of local council inconclusive citing theft of original result sheets by hoodlums on March 10.

Speaking with newsmen, the caretaker chairman of the support group, Salihu Barau, stated that the law provides that such the decision could only be reversed by a court of law or tribunal.

He maintained: “There is no certainty on the genuineness of the allegedly generated results. Thus, we have lost confidence in INEC as it is apparent there would be no justice in the whole exercise.”

The PDP candidate, Bala Mohammed, is ahead of the incumbent governor with over 4,000 votes in the results announced from 19 of the 20 local governments by the returning officer, Muhammad Kyari.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/guardian.ng/news/buhari-backs-gov-to-sue-inec-over-bauchi-polls/amp

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has promised to settle outstanding allowances, including salary increment and research funds of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUST).

Recently, the union demanded for better welfare, increment in salaries, promotion, funding of researches and infrastructures development in the institution among others.

Chairman of ASUU KSUST chapter, Dr Ibrahim Wawata and other leaders of the union met Governor Bagudu at the Government House during a courtesy visit to intimate him about their plights.

Wawata, while speaking on behalf of the union said, “’ Our issues have to do with staff entitlements, academic allowances, promotion, annual increment of salary. We are here to inform you about our issues and if all these demands were addressed, it would reposition our university to compete with other institutions within and outside the country”.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mukhtar Bunza said the state government has included all their demands including increment of salary, promotion and others claims of the union in the 2019 budget which has been approved by the governor.

Bunza added that the state government is trying to address all the issues that are related not only to the university, but to other tertiary institutions in the state.

Governor Bagudu while responding to the union’s demands, promised to address them immediately and others challenges facing the university.

He said the institution required sincere stakeholders that would guide government into right path on the funding of tertiary institutions so that the education system can run smoothly in the state.

According to him, “You have to help us as stakeholders because, this problems will continue after me and after all of us if we don’t have sincere stakeholders that will put us in correct path. If we get our priorities right, our education system can run well and we will be able to nurture children who will compete with their counterparts across the world”.

The governor who pleaded with the union to be patience with his administration, noted that the meagre Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) constrain the government from expending more on higher institutions and stressed that his is trying to diversifying the state economy through agriculture and attract investors, companies to boost it IGR.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/kebbi-govt-promises-to-settle-ASUU.html

An ambitious plan, which is expected to lift Nigeria to the world’s third largest palm oil producer, was announced yesterday by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The plan is to overtake Thailand and Columbia as major palm oil producers.

Addressing stakeholders in the palm oil industry in Abuja yesterday, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele stated: “Our ultimate vision is to overtake Thailand and Columbia to become the 3rd largest producer over the next few years.”

The CBN boss noted: “If we had kept pace with our peers in supporting improved cultivation of palm oil, at the current global market price of $600 per tonne, and an assumed production level of 16m tonnes, Nigeria could have generated close to $10bn worth of foreign exchange for the country.


“This analysis does not take into consideration the amount of jobs that could have been created in our rural communities from large scale small holder developments.”

To achieve this, the CBN governor is advocating for improved financing.

He said: “With regards to improving access to finance for small holder farmers focused on cultivation of palm oil, the Bankers Committee has established a special sub-committee to make recommendations on sustainable financing models for oil palm and four other critical agricultural commodities that include cocoa, sesame seed, shea-butter, animal husbandry and cashew.

“As part of the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) and our Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS), the CBN will work with large corporate stakeholders and small holder farmers to ensure availability of quality seeds for this years planting season and agro-chemicals in order to enable improved cultivation of palm oil.

“We will also work to encourage viable off taker agreements between farmers and large-scale palm producing companies.

“Loans will be granted through our ABP and CACS programs at no more than nine per cent p.a to identified core borrowers.

“With an estimated three million hectares of land under cultivation, abundance of suitable arable land, we need the cooperation of our state Governments in the oil palm producing zones to make land available to investors with proven financial and technical capabilities, who will be able to support developments of large scale palm oil plantations in the country.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/cbn-eyes-10b-revenue-from-palm-oil.html

The Supreme Court has reinstated a lawyer, Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), who was debarred by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPPC) over alleged misconduct.

In a judgment on Friday, a five-man panel of justices led by Justice Dattijo Muhammad, unanimously overturned the decision of the LPDC on the basis that the constitution of the committee which handed down the sanction breached Kalejaye’s right to fair hearing.

In the lead judgement by Justice Centus Nweze, the apex court held that member of the LPDC panel who did not participate in the trial but contributed in the final judgment, was a breach of the appellant’s right to fair hearing.

Kunle Kalejaye (SAN) was counsel to former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the PDP, in the 2008 governorship petitions tribunal against the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) over the 2007 governorship election.

He was found guilty by the LPDC for engaging in “conduct unbecoming of a legal practitioner” involving private communication with the chairman of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron, in 2008 while representing his clients at the tribunal, without the knowledge of the other party.

Kalejaye was alleged to have made telephone calls to influence a member the tribunal.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/scourt-restores-lawyer-after-5-years.html

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has reviewed his five years in office as the governor, boasting that he has changed the fortunes of the state and made it better than he met it.

He said he would in the remaining three years expand the state’s economic performance, as he was ready to do more for posterity.

Speaking in a message to mark the first year anniversary of his administration’s second term in office, Obiano stressed that his government had attracted international recognitions for the development strides he had put in place in the state.

He, however, charged his commissioners and other appointees to put in their very best now as he would not hesitate to sack any indolent government functionary.

He said: “Forbes Magazine USA recently recommended the state government’s Community Choose your Project Initiative as a model for the development of Africa.

“I assure you that I will remain focused and will not hesitate to change anybody who is underperforming in my cabinet.”

Obiano who urged the people of the state to join hands with his government to make Anambra great said: “I appreciate Ndi Anambra for supporting me irrespective of political affiliations and inclinations. The GDP of the state has increased from N3 trillion to N4.2 trillion in the last five years.”

The governor also identified the massive support from the members of the state House Assembly and the achievements recorded in all sectors of the state economy as part of his major successes in the past five years.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/obiano-reviews-5-years-of-governance.html

The Taraba State government yesterday cried out that innocent people were being killed since the day Governor Darius Ishaku was declared winner of the governorship election in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Simon Dogari, who briefed reporters on the incidents trailing the outcome of the election, said the attacks were being masterminded by the opposition parties who lost at the polls.

He said the attacks were intended to give the impression that the governorship election in the state was not credible.

Dogari said: “There have been several cases of attacks on innocent and defenceless people in Jalingo by miscreants hired and armed by those who lost the elections.

“Their intention is to create tension and anarchy in the state such that the impression would be created that the elections were not credible.

“The state government is happy that this motive has not been achieved. We give the credit to God and to all the good people of Taraba State who have ignored the call to arms and have in various ways helped to defuse tension rather than yield to the temptation to react violently.

“The elections were generally free, fair and peaceful. There were no major incidents, as voting took place in all the centres.
“It is also instructive that one of the major contestants in the gubernatorial election, Senator Aisha Alhassan, also rated the election as free, fair and credible, even though she lost.

“Yet, the main opposition group has embarked on a mission of organising armed youths to confront people who came out in their numbers to celebrate the PDP victory.

“The most unfortunate and dangerous dimension to this campaign was the religious colour their group tried to assign to the crisis.

“It is disheartening that a man who is aspiring to a high position of leadership of this state would resort to religious bigotry to achieve his ambition.

“Again, we thank God and the larger section of the populace for refusing to cooperate with him to cause more tension and damage to lives and properties.”

He said that Governor Darius Ishaku “deeply appreciates the contributions of all the good people of the state in achieving peace and wishes to thank everybody, including Christian and Muslim leaders, who have been part of the peace building process.”


The state government said it would ensure that all law abiding people are protected in order to go about their lawful activities without molestation.

“Governor Ishaku also wishes to remind all of you that peace is the bedrock on which every positive human endeavour can thrive, hence his peace mantra: Give me peace and I will give you development.

“We urge you to refuse to be used as political thugs, to shun violence and all forms of drug abuse and to support the government to build that future you deserve.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/innocent-people-are-being-killed-because-we-won-election-taraba-govt-cries-out/