beejay85: Gideon Orkah coup happened in april1990...which Babangida narrowly escaped... Babangida knew if another coup of that dimension happen again ,he may not survive it..so he hasten the movement of the capital to a well fortified aso rock.. In Lagos ,you can cause havoc and escape without trace through the expansive waterways
FreeStuffsNG: I have always known that there's a very significant hidden but corrupt reason why Abuja has never been able to grow on is own in the manner Lagos grew phenomenally despite moving the capital away from Lagos by Gen Babangida to escape June 12 protests
The June 12 elections took place in 1993. The Federal Government moved to Abuja in1991.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate replacement of the NDDC's Ondo State Representative nominee, Mr. Victor Akinjo, with a new Ondo State Representative nominee, Hon. Otito Atikase.
The President has equally approved the immediate replacement of the NDDC's Cross River State Representative nominee, Mr. Asi Oku Okang, with a new Cross River State Representative, Rt. Hon. Orok Otuk Duke.
Furthermore, the immediate past Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, is reappointed to a second term and will remain in acting capacity, pending the Senate's confirmation of his reappointment.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE FIVE MILLION EYEGLASSES TO NIGERIANS WITH SIGHT IMPEDIMENTS
President Bola Tinubu (@officialABAT), on Friday in Abuja, declared his unwavering support for a partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health’s National Eye Health Programme and the Peek Vision Foundation to provide more than 5 million pairs of eyeglasses to Nigerians with sight impairments.
The President recounted how close to home his first intervention in eye health was as he made a pledge on behalf of the Federal Government during a courtesy visit by the Founder and CEO of Peek Vision Foundation and Co-Founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund, Prof. Andrew Bastawrous.
"My first experience was with my mother of blessed memory. She was ill and she could not recognise me. When I intervened, she was treated and given a pair of glasses. The next question she asked me was: I have you, and you are able to do this for me. What about those other women and their children who may not have somebody like you to intervene for them?
"So I made a promise to her that I will pursue the mass provision of eye care vigorously and that I would provide free eye screenings and surgeries to people because of that question my mother asked me and because of her passion to see others healed. We eventually impacted the eye health of millions of people in Lagos, and you could see their joy over the immediate sight enhancements when they were given a pair of glasses," the President fondly recalled.
Highlighting the pressing need for improved eye health services in Nigeria, President Tinubu expressed concern about the more than 24 million Nigerians grappling with varying degrees of vision impairments.
"We must act now because sight and vision is critical to economic development and growth," the President said, recalling his visionary "Jigi Bola" programme, which was initiated during his tenure as the Executive Governor of Lagos State in 2001 and provided free eye screenings and surgeries to Lagosians while setting a new precedent for proactive eye care initiatives in West Africa.
"I am in support of this initiative, and I will encourage the mobilisation of further commitment to see this through and to reach vulnerable people all across our country. Some parents may not pay attention to this, but I will, because I am touched," the President concluded.
Expressing his commitment to the cause, Prof. Bastawrous said:
"Good vision unlocks human potential. It improves earning, learning, and wellness for individuals, communities, and countries."
He shared his personal story and the transformative power of vision care:
"When I was 12, I was told by my teachers that I was clumsy and lazy, but the results of an eye exam explained I had very poor vision. And when I put on a pair of glasses, I saw the leaves on a tree for the first time, and my life completely changed and two weeks later, I was using my first pair of free eye glasses and I saw stars clearly for the first time. My grades improved, and the trajectory of my life completely changed, all because of a very cheap intervention that is 700 years old. Had that not happened, I would not be standing in front of you today. I would not be a professor, and I would not be involved in the work I am doing because sight gives opportunity," the Peek Foundation CEO shared.
Professor Bastawrous noted that eye care is still chronically under-resourced in many countries, adding that the estimates in Nigeria show that 0.0002 percent of the health budget is spent on eye health.
"The good news is that President Tinubu has an excellent team in the health sector, and some of them have demonstrated tremendous leadership in the sector. What we would like to offer is to bring our Peek Vision methodology and platform to Nigeria to help unlock resources from multiple sources. In the countries where we have worked, Peek in Botswana unlocked 10 million dollars for the school programme, and in Kenya, 17 million Euros. Through the Vision Catalyst Fund, we have secured a donation of 200 million pairs of glasses, and we would like a significant proportion of that to come to Nigeria,” he concluded.
At the end of the event, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate was joined by the Coordinator of the National Eye Health Programme, Dr. Oteri Okolo and the Director of Public Health, Dr. Chukuma Anyaike, as he presented a National Policy Document on Eye Health to the President.
We’ll reclaim Gov’t House in 2023, say Jarigbe, Cobham, Asu Okang
As build up to 2023 begins to gather momentum in Cross River State with the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP State Exco, critical stakeholders of the party have promised that they will reclaim the government house in 2023.
The disclosure was made recently in calabar shortly after voting was completed to elect the new leadership of the party in the state.
Former Deputy Governor of the State, Mr Efiok Cobham while addressing party members, promised that the PDP will take over powers from the All Progressives Congress, APC in 2023.
Mr Cobham said they gave Ayade their all and he has decided to pay them evil for good, believing that his departure from the party will collapse it.
He maintained that the governor has committed a great error of judgement, after benefiting from the highest Goodwill of the party, and he is demonstrating utmost ingratitude to the party that brought him to the political limelight.
Also speaking, the newly elected Cross River State Chairman of PDP, Mr Venatius Ikem said, “Our party has been reduced to an opposition party, it is very unknown to us. We are to lay a new foundation to correct the mistake so that we will reclaim the government house in 2023″.
He maintained that there is a resounding commitment and conviction by all the members of the party that the mistakes would be corrected in 2023
Meanwhile, the Senator representing the Northern Senatorial District, Sen. Jarigbe Agom said nothing good comes easy, adding that the party will fight with everything at its disposal to reclaim and restore the state. “What the governor is doing in the state is a complete mirage”, he said.
The former Commissioner for Information, comrade Asu Okang also revealed that before 2023, no fewer than eight local government council chairmen and six commissioners will remain in APC before 2023.
Mr Okang maintained that PDP is Cross River and Cross Riverians believe in the Party. According to him, “PDP is still the party to beat in the state, it is the choice party for the people of Cross River State”.
He said 90% of National Assembly Members are in PDP, stressing that for APC to begin to think about winning the state in 2023 because the governor is in the party is just a fiction of their imagination
He assured that PDP will still win in the forthcoming by-election in Ogoja/Yala federal constituency when it is scheduled to hold.
He thanked Cross Riverians for keeping faith and believing in the party, he assured that PDP will not fail but urged the people of the state to continue in their support for the party.
Asu Okang served as Cross River State Commissioner for Information and Orientation in the administration of Governor Ben Ayade. He was relieved of his appointment when Governor Ayade defected to the APC. He said that he was relieved of his appointment because he refused to join the APC.
He campaigned for Atiku Abubakar and the PDP to win the 2023 elections and he said that PDP will regain the governorship position in Cross River State.
NDDC: Cross River APC group protests commissioner’s appointment in Abuja
31st August 2023
Scores of demonstrators took to the streets of Abuja on Thursday to protest President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asu Okang, as the commissioner representing Cross River State on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission.
The protest is coming on the heel of a similar one held in Calabar, Cross River capital, on Wednesday.
Tinubu had on Tuesday approved the appointment of a new board and management team for the NDDC.
But the choice of Okang as the Cross River representative on the NDDC board sparked protests among the APC supporters, who insisted that it would be unfair for the President to appoint a PDP member to reap the fruit of their labour.
Thursday’s demonstration in Abuja was led by a group of aggrieved party members under the aegis of Cross River APC Stakeholders.
Chanting solidarity songs and displaying several banners that read, “Asu Okang not an APC member” “Cross River an APC State, not PDP” and “Cross River rejects Asu Okang as NDDC commissioner,” the protesters embarked on a peaceful walk from the popular Unity Fountain to the National Assembly.
Addressing journalists, leader of the group, Bukkie Okangbe, appealed to the President to reward their loyalty by withdrawing Okang and allowing the state governor to decide for them.
She said, “We are here because we want to send a message to the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu that injustice is not good. This is the season of injustice to Cross River and we will not keep quiet. If we have to protest every day, we will continue to do it until we are heard.
“The Cross River stakeholders have been on the ground since yesterday (Wednesday). Our message is clear. The NDDC slot given to one of our brothers is not a bad idea. But we believe in a reward system of who works deserves reward. Somebody who fought against the APC system should not be the first person to benefit from it.
“Even if they say this is a unity government, let the people who work benefit from the reward. We totally reject the slot of NDDC given to Asu Okang. We will continue to protest until the right thing is done. There are so many APC stalwarts in Cross River who are more qualified that should represent us in the NDDC. These are the people who should be appointed, not people brought from another party. We are therefore rejecting the NDDC slot for Cross River.
“If our leader, the governor of Cross River State, has been asked to choose for us, nobody will be here today. We will be fine with it. But as long as the hand of the governor is not there, we will keep agitating until the right thing is done. Enough of injustice to Cross River State. You are aware that we just protested being denied the Women Leader’s slot last week.
“That’s why I lamented earlier that it is a season for Cross River State to receive injustice from the party. It is so sad because we worked so hard for this Renewed Hope. I don’t think this is from Mr President. That’s because I know who he is. I have worked with him three good years before his presidential election. I am sure Mr President will listen to us and do the right thing for the APC camp on Cross River State.”
The new board and management team included Chiedu Ebie – Chairman (Delta), Samuel Ogbuku – Managing Director/CEO (Bayelsa), Boma Iyaye – Executive Director of Finance and Admin (Rivers), Victor Antai – Executive Director of Projects (Akwa-Ibom), Ifedayo Abegunde – Executive Director for Corporate Services (Ondo), Dimaro Denyanbofa – State Representative (Bayelsa), Abasi Ndikan Nkono – State Representative (Akwa Ibom), Monday Igbuya – State Representative (Delta) and Tony Okocha – State Representative (Rivers).
Others are Patrick Aisowieren – State Representative (Edo), Kyrian Uchegbu – State Representative (Imo), Victor Kolade Akinjo – State Representative (Ondo), Dimgba Eruba – State Representative (Abia), Asu Oku Okang – State Representative (Cross River), Nick Wende – Zonal Representative (North Central), Namdas Abdulrazak – Zonal Representative (North East) and Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir – Zonal Representative (North West).
President Bola Tinubu receives Representatives of Peek Vision, Producers of 'Jigi Bola', with a plan to replicate the eyecare success in Lagos years back, at national scale.
Politics › Re: $800m Garnishee Order Killing FCTA Economy, Says Wike by naptu2: 10:48pm On Sep 01, 2023
