₦airaland Forum

The Director General of the Progressive Governor's Forum (PGF), Salihu Moh. Lukman has said the rejection of former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from defecting to the party despite meeting with the party leadership is an attestation of the strong internal democratic culture of the party.

In a statement titled "APC, and the Question of Values" on Friday in Abuja on Friday, Lukman said the fact that members were able to reject Fani-Kayode’s attempt to join the party meant the APC has values.

Lukman who is a Chieftain of the ruling party commended the internal democratic credentials of the ruling party, which he said is lacking in the opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Again, we are as a party debating the issue of who should join our party or not represent the qualitative difference between the APC and PDP. If it were PDP, once the National Chairman of the party act on a matter and backed by a serving governor, members can only grumble.

"I am proud to have my voice guaranteed and affirmed by my leaders in APC. As an employee of Governors, it has been a privileged opportunity to speak out openly on matters within the purview of leadership initiative. Rather than my leaders, including our Governors, relating to me as a subordinate who should only take instructions, they recognise and respect my views as a loyal member of the party."

He further said, “The issue of Mr Fani-Kayode’s drifted attempt to join the APC is a clear instance of attempts to manipulate some of our leaders into accepting membership of someone who ought not to have been considered a member of our party. If that was the case in the past, it is better late than never to correct such a mistake.

“As party members, we were able to rise up to the challenge of engaging our leaders. Fortunately, we are able to gain the respect of our leaders and surely, moving forward, issues of who qualifies to be a member of our party will be clarified unambiguously. Maybe this could challenge the PDP and other parties in Nigeria to begin to address issues related to their failings.”

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode may be on his way back to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) six years after he left for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sources close to him informed The Nation he met with chairman, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Gov. Mai Mala Buni and Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello at a Guest House in Abuja.

The closed- door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, The Nation learnt, may not be unconnected with fine tuning plans for the return of the former Minister to APC.

Fani-Kayode had earlier met with Governor Bello in his Wuse Zone 6 residence in Abuja before he led the former Minister to the party chairman's Guest House.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has said that there was no eviction order to herdsmen in Ondo State or any part of the South West region.

It said the speech of Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was misconstrued in the media and was only directed at government reserve including registration.

Chairman of NGF and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, spoke in Akure at a meeting with the national leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

Dr. Fayemi noted that the statement generated a lot of hoopla which led to what he described as unfortunate development in Oyo State.

He said Akeredolu didn't talk about herdsmen vacating the state but about registration of herdsmen who want to operate within the reserves.

The Ekiti Governor said they are after criminals and not fulani herdsmen.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, gave timeline to round off the war against Boko Haram and bandits.

The President said the counter insurgency war will be finished this year, 2021.

He called for prayers for the Armed Forces of Nigeria to enable them end what they are doing.

The President, who spoke during the Juma'at Prayer for the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration at the National Mosque, also assured that "this is a year of action and we will finish what we are doing."

According to Buhari, who was represented by the Defence Minister, Major General Magashi Salihi, "what is happening in this country will soon be over. This year we will finish what we are doing; pray for us that we succeed."

He said that the nation will continue to remember the heroic duties of members of the Armed Forces and will continue to pray for the repose of the souls of those that paid the supreme price defending the integrity of the nation.

The President also assured that the welfare and comfort of the families of the fallen heroes, as well as those who are still alive will continue to get the priority of the government.

The Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Dr. Mohammed Kabiru Adams, prayed for the repose of the souls of the fallen heroes.

He also prayed for an end to insurgency, banditry and other social vices plaguing the country.

The Lagos-Ibadan rail line is a double-track standard gauge rail, the first of its kind in West Africa. It is the first part of a new 2,773km Lagos-Kano standard gauge line. The newly introduced train provides fully air-conditioned train services.

It is important to note that wearing a face mask, and having an identification card – passport, national ID, work ID, or voters' card – is compulsory to buy a ticket at the counter.

Here are things to note about boarding the train;

1. The train departs from Chief Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya, Ibadan at 8:00am and arrives Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos State at 10:41am.

2. Also, the train departs Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos State at 4:00pm and arrive Chief Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya, Ibadan at 6:41pm.

3. The ticket details are as follows;

Economy Class ticket - N2,500
Business Class ticket - N5,000
First Class ticket - N6,000

4. The train has only one coach for the First Class, there are two coaches available for the Business Class.

5. The new service is operating on a limited schedule with just two trains a day but will expand to 16 daily departures once construction on stations is complete.

6. Currently, there are two stations in operation; the Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta, Lagos State and the Chief Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya, Ibadan.

7. There is also 5 minutes stopover at Prof. Wole Soyinka Station, Laderin, Abeokuta. Travellers going to Abeokuta will alight and while those going to Ibadan/Lagos will also join the train.

8. In lagos, the place to board the train is the train station at Alagomeji bus stop, Yaba. It is an old building.

Direction: Go on the road from Ojuelegba through Tejuosho to burst out at yaba. Once you get to the end of tejuosho road, turn right and just keep going down like you are going to the end of the road. Keep looking at your right where you have the BRT lane, you would see Alagomeji bus stop. Right next to the bus stop is the entrance to the train station.

9. The train station in Ibadan is at Moniya. It is a 10 minutes drive from Ọjọọ main park in ibadan, and about 20mins to Iwo road park (if there is no traffic).

10. It is also important to arrive at the train station at least 30 minutes before departure time. This is to allow you have time to purchase tickets and register.

Enjoy your ride!

...Says, ASUU -FG negotiations reach 98 percent
...Minister launches free medical outreach

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, says the Academic Activities in Nigeria Universities will resume January.

He says the negotiations between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal government had reached 98 percent, adding that it remains only two percent to be completed

He spoke Monday in Alor, Idemili South local government area of Anambra State, during the launch of Ngige free medical outreach at the Community's Health Center.

Ngige said, "We have met about 98 percent of the request of ASUU. Some 5 to 2 percent is what you can call promissory notes.

"So, I am very hopeful that by midnight today, there are some works we are supposed to get on to do. They also have some work they are supposed to do on their own side with their people.

"Tuesday, we will meet in the afternoon and we will compare notes. We will put everything on the table and compare. I believe that we might have come to the end of the strike when we meet tomorrow.

"Well, it is a journey of a thousand miles which you will have to take one step first. Tomorrow, all things being equal, we will agree now to agree because we were disagreeing before.

"We disagree to agree and agree to disagree formerly. But tomorrow, I hope we will agree to agree. Once we do that, schools will re - open in January," the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Ngige said the free medical outreach that was launched in Alor Monday, was equally extended to neighbouring communities like Abatete, Oraukwu, Ideani and Nnobi among others

He said those with different ailments like hepatitis, eye problems among others should go and be treated free of charge, adding that about 15 medical Doctors in different fields would handle the cases at the Health Center.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Thursday said that there is no cause for panic regarding the two weeks deadline for deactivation of Subscribers Identity Module (SIM) cards that are not linked with users' National Identity Number (NIN).

The Commission explained that adequate arrangements have been made to capture the data of 200 million Nigerians within the next five years.

It added that the steps taken so far to ensure that all subscribers have NIN in their SIM cards are meant to address the security challenges facing the country.

The commission also said the telecommunication operators would be involved in the exercise .

The spokesman of NIMC, Mr. Kayode Adegoke told The Nation that government has approved licensing of over 200 institutions to carry out enrolment " of Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) on behalf of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)."

Adegoke said the initiative was aimed at addressing the bottlenecks associated with the capturing of citizens data by NIMC.

He added that the method would increase the enrolment centres from the current 1000 to 10000 across the country.

He said the NIMC is desirous of scaling up its assignment to regulatory functions after the completion of the exercise.

Adegoke however explained in a statement that the licensed agents were approved after successfully fulfilling all the conditions in the advertised Expression of Interest (EOI) which was done in 2019 as a first step towards the take off the National Digital Identity Ecosystem project.

He said the breakdown of the successful licensees shows that 16 state governments were licensed, including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Lagos, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Oyo, Ogun, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

"The public sector institutions licensed are the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Pension Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria (through the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems Plc), National Population Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joint Tax Board and Nigeria Postal Services," he added.

Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje on Tuesday gave reasons why he dethroned Alhaji Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.

The governor said he took the decision to save the system and the traditional institution from abuse.

Governor Ganduje spoke at the presentation of a book on former President Goodluck Johnathan, authored by a journalist, Bonaventure Philips Melah.

According to him, Sanusi was not the best man for the throne at the time he was appointed in June 2014, saying that the deposed Emir was appointed to spite former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan had in April 2014, sacked Sanusi as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over claims by the ex CBN Governor that $49 billion was stolen by some persons under the Jonathan administration.

Faulting Sanusi's public outburst over the alleged fraud, Ganduje said the ex CBN Governor ought to have discussed the matter privately with the former President, who in turn could have ordered investigation into the allegation.

Ganduje said Jonathan took a bold step by sacking Sanusi as CBN Governor, even though the action created bad blood in certain circles.

The Kano Governor said: "Jonathan took a bold step in sacking Sanusi as CBN Governor, which created bad blood in certain circles.

"When Sanusi said $49 billion was lost in Jonathan's government, I said in my mind that No, you could have discussed with him (Jonathan) privately.

"You could have given him this clue and then he would know how to investigate even before those who had stolen the money would find a way of hiding the money.

"That statement, I said in my mind was not honourable. That statement created bad blood".

In June 2014, barely two months after he was sacked as CBN Governor, Sanusi got appointed as the Emir of Kano, a position that Ganduje said he did not deserve in the first place.

Governor Ganduje however sacked Sanusi as Emir of Kano on March 9, 2020, a decision the Governor said he took to "save the system and to save the institution".

Sanusi was appointed during the administration of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in which Ganduje was deputy governor. He succeeded Kwankwaso in 2015.

Sounding derisively jocular, Ganduje said: "Sanusi was appointed Emir of Kano not because he was the best man for the throne but to retaliate what Jonathan did to him.

"That was in order to prove that what Jonathan did to him was wrong and that the people of Kano wanted their son as Emir and therefore they decided to appoint him as Emir.

"But when he was appointed, there were a lot of demonstration with people burning tyres here and there. But because of government backing, he was sustained on the stool.

"When I became governor, (that's why you will laugh), I said yes, the Jonathan medicine is an important medicine.

"That medicine, even though I am not a medical doctor, but that medicine would serve the same purpose, for the same disease and for the same patient.

"So I took my Jonathan medicine and decided to save the system, to save the institution and I applied it effectively. So Jonathan and I are on the same page. Actually, I have no regrets."

The six governors from the South-south geopolitical zone and other important personalities from the Niger Delta region have expressed their angst at the Presidency for failing to attend a major stakeholders' meeting scheduled in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday.

It was gathered that the meeting was convened at the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, to discuss the emerging threats to the peace in the Niger Delta region.

A source and aide to one of the governors said the meeting was arranged days before Tuesday and wondered why the Presidency chose to treat such crucial gathering with levity

Pending the determination of his nomination for reappointment as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Monday named an Acting Chairman for the Commission.

He handed over to AVM Ahmed Mu’azu (rtd), as Acting Chairman, pending his clearance by the Senate.

Yakubu's five-year tenure ended Monday. He was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Prof. Yakubu noted that it will be inappropriate for him to remain in office beyond today, 9th November 2020, without confirmation by the Senate and swearing to another oath of office as provided by law.

According to him, “You may recall that the current Commission was inaugurated in three batches. The Chairman and five Commissioners were sworn-in on 9th November 2015, followed by another six Commissioners on 7th December 2016 and one more Commissioner on 21st July 2018.

“The Commission is a constitutional body whose members are appointed for five years which may be renewed for a second and final term. This means that my tenure and that of the first set of five Commissioners ends today.

“As you are already aware, our work as election managers requires us to enforce the law, regulations and guidelines. In doing so, we must demonstrate strict respect for, and compliance with, the Constitution of Nigeria and subsidiary laws. Consequently, it will be inappropriate for me to remain in office beyond today, 9th November 2020, without confirmation by the Senate and swearing to another oath of office as provided by law.

“Pending the conclusion of the statutory process, the remaining National Commissioners have resolved that AVM Ahmed Mu’azu (rtd) will oversee the affairs of the Commission.

“It is therefore my pleasure to hand over to him in the interim. We have worked as a team for the last four years. Therefore, there is nothing new to anyone of them”, he said.

He lauded the support of the members of the Commission, the Resident Electoral Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, the Director-General of the Electoral Institute, Directors, members of the technical team, heads of the various security agencies deployed to INEC and all staff of the Commission nationwide, adding that he looks forward to working with them again.

In his response, the Acting Chairman, AVM Ahmed Mu’azu (rtd), thanked the outgoing chairman of INEC and his colleagues for the privilege and confidence reposed in him to oversee the commission.

He assured that he will handle the affairs of the commission with all due diligence.