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PRESS STATEMENT,
BY PDP NORTH CENTRAL SUPPORT GROUP ALLIANCE FORUM.

28th May 2021

Aliyu Babangida is a sinking ship and should not drag Governor Wike into his predicaments.

We the People's Democratic Party North Central Support Group Alliance Forum wishes to condemn the recent comment made by the battered former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu over our highly revered governor of River State, Governor Nyesom Wike.

Ordinarily, we wouldn't have dignified him with a response, following the response of the party in the state, dissociating itself from such careless and reckless statement. But to make our position clear, setting the record straight and making our voices heard on the matter, we make this salient and sincere response for the records.

It is no longer news that the frustrated former governor, who is looking for who to transfer his frustration and aggression to in other to gain cheap fame, worked against our party, during the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and never denied the same.

For the unpopular former governor to have referred to Governor Wike as a dictator, it shows how lowly he reasons; this may have caused his level of inferiority complex since he can not match up with the capacity and track records of His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, governor of River State.

Recalled that the battered former governor Babangida Aliyu's selfish ambition to bury a party he killed in the state has stalled the democratic congress in his state simply because he insisted that he will unilaterally handpick party excos against the popular wishes of party members in the state.

We do not have any doubt, however, that his ordained and handpicked excos will help him bury the party in the state come 2023 as we are very sure that in his characteristic manner, he will play his usual anti-party game.

Former governor Babangida Aliyu, who has been accused of diverting ecological funds of the Federal Government, released to Niger State in 2014, to the tune of about N1.940 billion should be more bothered about facing his criminal charges of eight-count money laundering charges.

We will advise that the jobless and out of favour former governor should stop holding onto straws by looking for cheap popularity and sympathy by attacking Governor Nyesom Wike. Instead, he should come out boldly to request help from Nyesome Wike the people's governor.

As it is now, our dear party needs more unity and peace rather than utterances that can divide the party if truly we are serious about salvaging our dear nation from the present clueless government come 2023.

We are calling and encouraging the leadership of our great party to disregard unserious entities, spurious and disaffection statements and entreaties, their pranks of supporting the NWC, while they are intentionally putting the party apart will never see the light of the day. Aliyu Babangida played this sinister script in 2015, he is at it again against the run-up of 2023.


Signed:

Joseph Martins.
Secretary-General General,
PDP North Central Support Group Alliance Forum

Abdulsalam Wasiu, the former Chairman of National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS) Kwara axis has called for the modification of the compulsory one year service program for Nigerian graduates, Nigeria Youth Service Corps (NYSC)

The former Nans Chairman made the call on Saturday while reacting to the bill proposed by Member Representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Hon Awaji-Inomnek Abiante on the need to scrap the program set up for Nigerians graduates.

Comrade Abdulsalam emphasised that scrapping the program will heightens the rate of unemployment as well as proliferating the rate of crimes In the country because according to him, the program affords many young graduates the opportunity to gather the little proceeds (Alawê) from the federal government to their own advantage. He said

"A lot of Nigerians have been advocating for the scrap of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme for some time now, while some are calling for its modification. However, the time to take a more drastic approach to the whole drama and take the bull by the horn has arrived"

"Interestingly, two weeks ago, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, who represents Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State at the National Assembly, Abuja, introduced a bill to scrap the National Youth Service Corps, which started on May 22, 1973, during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon under Decree No. 24 of 1973."

"NYSC, which was proposed to be scrapped, was purposely introduced as part of strategies to foster unity in the post-civil war era. Other objectives include: to enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self employment, to contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy, to develop common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national integration, among others. Sadly, the programme has lost the main essence of its establishment. Therefore, a stronger view believes that it should either be scrapped or modified."

"While young people all over the world are fully engaged in the economy, agriculture, fintech, e-commerce, tech and other sectors, young Nigerians are compelled to waste a year after graduation."

"Taking a critical look in the aspect of unity as one of its core objectives, tribalism is still one of the major travails in Nigeria. Igbos are calling for Biafra; Yoruba youth are in a haste to have Oduduwa Nation; in the North, people are being killed like festive chickens, and people can no longer travel, in peace, by road again. So where is the unity?

"Looking beyond the security and unemployment reasons presented by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, the scheme is inconsequential in this modern age. It is a time-wasting endeavour made compulsory for graduates by a country that has failed to invest in its youth and has not given them a hope for the future."

"We live in an era where young people in their teens are doing amazing things because the country they live in has given them all it takes to succeed. They are not restricted because of their age rather they are encouraged to fly high as they can because of their youth. If anything is to hold you back in these countries it is because of the quality of your idea and work ethic.*

*Scrapping NYSC will not solve the problem(s) of unemployment rather add to it, because as worse as we perceive the scheme at this present time, it still favour some youth - in terms of work experience and automatic employment - in the world of work."

"Conversely, modifying the scheme to focusing on psychomotor domain where graduates will be posted to vocational or skill acquisition centres, will be better and reduce a lot of deviances in the country."

"The rate of prevailing unemployment of graduates after higher institutions in the country is alarming, yet each year, all the higher institutions in the country keep on churning out graduates in thousands into the labour market for jobs that are non-existent."

"The need for entrepreneurial development as a way of equipping the graduates with necessary skills that will enable them start up something on their own will be a better modification of NYSC."

"Federal government can establish a modern entreprenurship hub/vocational or skill acquisition centres across the 6 geopolitical zones of the country, post graduates to the zones that fall within the range of their states, then motivate them to learn skills of their choices. They should be empowered, with necessary resources, after the one year entreprenurship training. The knowledge they have acquired during the course of the training will, no doubt, boost the economy of the country and reduce the rate of unemployment."

"Also, it will reduce the rate of atrocities in the country. Youth dominates the larger percentage of bandits, kidnappers, robbers, cyber fraudsters, among other deviants. One of the prominent causes of these deviances is unemployment and not engaging in something legal that can bring food on their tables."

"Too much dependence on white collar jobs is failing. As such, the Government should direct the attention of graduates to modern skill acquisitions."

By Obafemi Babajide

Leadership anywhere in the world is a serious business, you need a sincere re-orientation and an enormous character re-programming and re-arrangements.

As a leader, people watch you keenly, your errors are louder and more magnified than your positives. Take, for example, a leader or ruler who lives on revamping and rebuilding progressively may not draw as much traffic of commendations at the time he does so much good; just wait till he/she takes or makes a wrong decision or approach, he/she goes viral like a quietly released human pollute in a densely air-conditioned board room where all maybe going well initially. The foul smell stays stuck, even when the bomb detonator is no longer there, the foul smell never goes away. Such is small negativity in the life of a leader, especially a soaring one like the Tinubus, Fasholas and co.

Senator Oluremi has had some unmanaged gaffes that could spell doom in so many ways to her and her husband's soaring popularity and acceptance. For me, I think she either needs to always take a deep breath, resample he thoughts and responses or she should rather go for anger management training, public speaking and responses or any other salient courses that can help her manage her ego and status.

How can Senator Tinubu in this age of social media go so uncouth as to calling someone you do not know a thug?

If she has the ranks and file of those Lagos politicians who wait on her husband under her footstep, what about pretending to be receptive and reasonable so that she can help her husband get inroads to other parts of Nigeria for his 2023 political ambition.

The other time, it was the same woman that was addlipping at the background in a viral video of Senator Smart Adeyemi's vituperation about the insecurity state of the nation.

The same woman did not follow the principle of washing your dirty linings inside your house when she openly confronted BRF for employment slots on the floor of the National assembly during his ministerial screening.

Is it not this same woman that refused to shake Saraki because he became senate president against their will when she was been sworn in in 2015 for her second term in office? The same woman had a brawl with Dino Melaiye at a point on the floor of the Senate some time ago.

It appears that we may be having another Alain Ngalani the kickboxing queen in the making as the First Lady of our nation if this awful behaviour is not nipped in the bud.

The most comforting part of the video for me was the other woman's quick response to the duchess uncouth sneer. She, not minding who Senator Oluremi is returned the savo, bullet for bullet and that settles it.

"Abi iru katikati wo ni anty Remi nse kiri bayi?

Counting from today, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, there are only 30 days (720 hours) away for the pace-setting Ekinrin-Adde community of Ijumu LGA, Kogi State to roll out the drums in celebration of the Emindin (New Yam) Festival and the annual Ekinrin-Adde Day Carnival holding on June 19, 2021, and which promises to be a bang!

Under the general superintendency of the National Executive Committee of the Ekinrin-Adde Community Development Association (EACDA), the various activities lined up by the National Planning Committee to make the event colourful, splendid and spectacularly grand, having all received the royal approval of the Olu-Adde, HRH Oba Anthony Bamigbaiye Idowu, ACA (Ahe-Maworo I) and the Olu-Adde-In-Council.

Asides from the usual display of the community's very rich cultural heritage, this year's edition comes with unique additions, which are novel in every ramification. Chief amongst these additions is the special celebration by way of Reception Dinner in honour of some notable sons and daughters of the community, who, in their various fields of endeavours, have done the community exceedingly proud.

Amongst these illustrious Ekinrin-Adde compatriots are:
1. Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, the first indigenous Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja.
2. Prof Sola Omotola, the new Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration, Federal University, Oye- Ekiti (who, arguably is one of the youngest Nigerians to have occupied such exalted position in any Nigerian University);
3. Mrs Folashade Joseph, MD/CEO, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, and
4. Mr Benjamin Akinola Fagbemi, Director, National Population Commission.

Others are 5. Mr Oloyede Aiyeniko, Director, Procurement, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA,
6. Mr Adebayo Fagbemi, MD/CEO Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company, NELMCO, Abuja, 7. ESV Olugbenga Collins Rotimi, MD/CEO, Olu Rotimi & Co., Abuja and, 8. Mr Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, an internationally acclaimed multiple award-winning investigative journalist and Director of Current Affairs, Television Continental (TVC), Lagos.

Another major highlight of the event is a One Hundred Million Naira (#100,000,000.00) Social Infrastructure Development Fund for the scaling-up of the community's social infrastructure, with a special focus on the education sector. Ekinrin-Adde Day read2021 comes under the distinguished chairmanship of the Baareselu Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba Land and Chairman, House Committee on FERMA, Hon Olufemi Bamisile (MHR), and Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Honourable Minister of State, FCT as Chairlady of the day. Chief Olaiya Michael Olobatoke, MD/CEO, McKesson Properties will serve as the Chief Launcher of the occassion, while the Special Guests of the day are: Barrister Babatunde Irukera, Executive Vice Chairman, MD/CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Abuja and Hon. Taofik Isah, Chairman, Ijumu Local Government Area. Other important guests expected at the event also include Senator Smart Adeyemi, Hon. Tee Jay Yusuf (MHR), Hon. Shaba Ibrahim (MHR), and a host of others.

This year's edition of Ekinrin-Adde day celebration, as usual, promises to be a pod of glamorous outing for all, as the Ekinrin-Adde community which is fast emerging as a major tourism hub in Okun land, will once again put on display, its captivating tourism potentials and rich cultural heritage. Participants will certainly have a great treat of the community's warm hospitality.

The Olu-Adde-In-Council and the national leadership of the EACDA have taken very good security measures and assured all indigenes and invited guests of a highly secured environment, memorable and fun-filled day as they turn up en mass for this year's event which will start by 10 am prompt at the Baptist High School ground, Ekinrin-Adde.

The turnout for this year's event is expected to be huge, as all the invited dignitaries are very excited and have expressed a sense of appreciation to HRH the Olu-Adde and the National Executive Committee for their being nominated for honour at such a big community event, and have all confirmed they will be physically present at the event. This is, therefore, to ring the bell to draw the attention of all sons and daughters, home and in diaspora, as well as friends and well-wishers of the community that the much-awaited BIG Day, Ekinrin-Adde 2021 is nigh! We pray that God will keep all of us and the Ekinrin-Adde community safe beyond the date, and grant us very clement weather to have a great event. Ire o.

Adewale Victor Adekanye, National Publicity Secretary, Ekinrin-Adde Community Development Association, EACDA.

By Samuel OJ Temibi

One time Yagba West Chairmanship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Comrade Ajagun Opeyemi Samuel has condemned the gruesome murder of Hon. Solomon Adebayo, otherwise known as Akeweje.

Hon Solomon Adebayo, a Pension Board Commsioner was gun down by suspected Fulani herdsmen few days ago at Eruku on his way back from Ilorin, Kwara state, while Yagba West Council Chairman, Hon Pius Kolawole who was in the same car with the late Pension Commissioner was kidnapped and taken to unknown destination.

Ajagun, in a chat with this reporter on Monday, said that the proliferation of criminal elements across Nigeria, especially in Kogi state and the untamed activities of these elements is a signal to note that Nigeria's leaders are no longer in charge.

He said that the security operatives must stand up and beam its search light on the perpetrators of the killing and kidnapping of the notable sons of Yagba Land.

Ajagun, in an infuriated manner said that Nigerian politicians who are saddled with the primary onuse of ensuring the security of lives and properties have not only slumbered, but confused and lack the man power to mitigate the upsurge incidents of killings and kidnappings of the innocent citizens across the country.

"This evil machination must stop, the security institution must stand up and defend the people before the country is thrown in a state of anarchy. This particular incident that happened in Yagba Land must be investigated to a reasonable conclusion and the perpetrators must not be spared at all"

Ajagun said that, although Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello has continue to wage war against insecurity across the state, he must double his efforts at a time like this.

While sending his condolence message to the family of late Hon Adebayo, Ajagun described the deceased person as a humble, intelligent and a fine young man who has dedicated his time and energy to the development of the state while he was alive.

Ajagun wondered why people like the late Akeweje and an incumbent council chairman will be susceptible to Fulani's attacks. "If an incumbent local government chairman can be easily kidnapped just like that, what can we say of an ordinary farmer in the farm" he asked.

He called on the state's commissioner of Police, Williams Ayade to lay siege on forests across Yagba Land and rescue the kidnapped chairman at the drop of a hat.

"I want to specially call on Okun Development Association to partner with the relevant authorities in a bid to put a stop to the security mess across our land before it degenerate to another thing. The influx of Fulani herdsmen must be rejected by all, our representatives both at the state and federal levels must rise and speak up in our favour before we are all consumed.

Ajagun said that he would make himself available in any activities that will see to the security of his people in Okunland.

By Obafemi Babajide
 
Women today, are leaving no stone unturned in proving their mettle, creating exemplary behaviours, setting goals, setting and breaking records and imprinting their footprints on the golden shores of time. In the Africa of today, women are rising against the challenge of been labelled weaker sex, they are daily taking the front burner, they are making headlines. Most importantly, they have shown even their male counterparts, signs of their preparedness to rule or lead the governments of states and nations of Africa and the World. 
 
 In recent decades, great women have led government organisations, parastatals, MDA’s and even nations of Africa and have excelled beyond expectations. Women like Professor Dora Akunyili, Madam Oby Ezekwesili, Madam Aruma Oteh and Madam Ngozi Okonjo Iweala who now is the Director-General of World Trade Organisation [WTO]. We have seen examples of Madam Ellen Sirleaf Johnson who did well as Liberia President and the first female President in Africa from 2006 to 2018 and now Madam Samia Suluhu Hassan, the new Tanzania female President.   
 
In this order of great women is Mrs Folashade Joseph another good example of a girl child, who defied all odds in getting to her present status and who does everything humanly possible to excel wherever she finds herself.   
 
Appointed as the MD/CEO of Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation [NAIC], on the 10th of April 2017, Madam Folashade Joseph, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy of ameliorating the suffering of Nigerians and moving our national economic dependency from oil to agriculture and other viable sectors, set the wheel rolling with utmost urgency. 
 
Mrs Joseph, like the biblical verse, had set her hand on the plough, there won’t be time at all to look back. She is a woman under authority and instruction to deliver; the progressive change was her mandate, success was her target, that success she will toil for day and night, and that success she must achieve.  
 
Her first assignment was to look into re-aligning NAIC with the primary reason why it was created in 1987 and was then named Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Company which was later in 1993 renamed Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation by the enabling act 37 of 1993.
 
This primary mandate of NAIC is to operate the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Scheme [NAIS]. The scheme which Mrs Joseph re-calibrated NAIC back towards is a mechanism modelled to shield farmers from the effect of natural hazards. Farmers, especially peasant, subsistent, including those who do farming as an MSME are mostly affected or even sent out of businesses through natural hazards and untoward disasters. 
 
The main goal of NAIC is to make farming beautiful and enticing. Madam Folashade Joseph has succeeded in this wise by re-assuring farmers of the government’s determination to keep them in business by undertaking to give them covering through seamless insurance arrangements that will ensure a win-win situation for all.
 
From the big farm owners, down to the subsistent farmers, NAIC has models of pocket-friendly insurance policies at 50%, which is paid by the government and covers all risks and hazards.

Since her appointment, settlements of claims in NAIC has been prompt. To this end, the majority of farmers and those who had claimed settlement with NAIC, had expressed confidence and satisfaction in the way matters are now been handled, there is however a huge increase in the confidence level of farmers patronising NAIC because of them believing that it can now effectively handle their risks.
 
Her staff welfarism and training programme is top-notch. Mrs Joseph believes in training and re-training of staff for the optimum result-oriented environment. On her resumption and in line with her vision of making the corporation the leading Agricultural Insurance Organisation, Mrs Joseph immediately built and commissioned a new ultra-modern conference hall which was to assist in the delivery of an efficient, safe, productive and energy optimising environment; which will also reduce operating cost, increase staff orientations, re-orientation, training and as well generate additional income to NAIC through other outside users. 
 
She has also created a farmer's friendly environment by ensuring that her staffs go round the nation training and sensitising farmers on how best to go about their farming businesses in other for them to gain a high yield and to also avoid common and unnecessary natural hazards and risk. She has made sure that her staffs allay people’s fear of the wrong notion that insurance companies are reluctant or reneges when it comes to settlements or payment of claims. 
 
Because NAIC is government-owned and they are the sole underwriter of agricultural risk, Mrs Joseph is firm on operating the NAIS scheme of subsidising premium dues to the tune of 50%; this however means that the farmers pay 50% while the Federal Government and the State Government where the project is located pays 37% and 12.5% respectively.
 
Her term in office has seen to extending the scope of NAIC not only to agricultural insurance businesses but to underwrite other policies in businesses such as fire, burglary, workmen compensation, motor, marine, hull and cargo, goods in transit and performance bond because the act enabling the corporation empowers it to do so since they are also necessary for the Agric-Businesses across the value chain.
 
It is therefore not a surprise that in line with the Buhari’s next level agenda, the President through the Minister of Agriculture, deemed it fit to re-appoint Mrs Folashade Joseph, a trailblazer for a second term in office which started on the 12th of April 2021.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Ijumu chapter has suspended Ijumu Local Government Chairman, Hon. Taofiq Isa over gross misconducts and mismanagement of funds.

In a letter signed by the local government chairman, his secretary and made available to journalists, the chairman was alleged to have misappropriated millions of nairas and was also alleged of involving in anti-party activities.

The letter further fingered the local government chairman in series of misconducts and atrocities ranging from the personalization of the party, diversion of social items, factionalization of the party, continuous absence at his duty post and so on.

The party noted that the unregulated conducts of the Chairman and his continuous exhibition of arrogance is scandalous, repressive, reprehensive and will no longer be tolerated.

The copies of the letter are hereby made available to members of the public below.

By Obafemi Babajide

Fate they say plays a major role in enthroning and dethroning leadership. One might be lucky if fate brings the right leadership card, one might just be negatively lucky, to have had to deal with the wrong card. In a situation where one is not allowed to freely choose who rules, one might have to deal with the choice of fate until prayers are answered and the same fate that brought the same anarchical leader takes him or her away for peace and progress of the land.

Have you watched the video being circulated by His Transcendence, my lord the chairman of Ijumu LGA and his foot soldiers? If you haven't, you might not be missing much. I have watched the video and was moved to tears. I was moved to tears, not for the major actor in the video but because Ijumu land who has a long list of Professors, an A-list of civil servants and professionals fell into this kind of unwholesome leadership melee.

While I was a teenager, one of the books that got my attention was a play written by Ola Rotimi, titled "Our husband has gone mad again". It was a satire woven around politics and polygamy.

The lead actor, Major Rahman Taslim Lajoka-Brown was a man who went into politics to self seek not to serve his people. He was often referred to as mad by his harem of wives whenever he displayed his madness tendencies. I can't really recollect what happened to him at the end of the day but I'll recommend you read the book and draw your own comparison of our present-day Ijumu LGA and her leadership.

Where it not that I don't disrespect constituted authorities no matter how they got to power, I would just have said, it appears that our local government chairman in his characteristic manner has gone mad again!

How do we explain those flippant and uncouth words coming out of the vocal cavity of a supposed honourable chairman at a public function? How do we rationalize the plethora of jumbles we've had to deal with rather than speak about live-changing projects and programmes for the local government.

Why can't he draw strength and examples from people like Honourable Olumoko a one time chairman of the same local government with a phenomenal record of achievements?

What first caught my attention was how freely Mr chairman spoke and referred to someone as his concubine in public, this is a man with a retinue of wives and a cortage of hidden paramours.

In a saner clime, the people he governs would have demanded his immediate resignation for indecent behaviour and fouling the atmosphere but who dares do that here in Nigeria.

Another one that caught my curiosity was the way he spoke disdainfully and lowly of his fellow appointees and elected officers. He sounded the battle knell and subtly vowed to disarm them because they have gathered against their benefactor.

He played god! He was boastful about those he had enthroned and was sure he was the alfa and omega of their sinking ship, the APC.

According to him, he single-handedly enthroned all politicians in Ijumu land, he did likewise to produce the governor and will stop at nothing to make the governor the new president of Nigeria come 2023. Can he make anyone a ward councillor? Can he even control his immediate household? What a muffling hallucination.

Isn't it baffling that while GYB is busy looking for more members to join the party, my lord chairman is sending party members the other way. While his boss and governor is uniting party stalwarts, 'oga' chairman is busy fanning the embers of discord.

If he can be so blessed by God to enthrone, why can't he dethrone?

Let's even take side by side his achievements with a few of those he mentioned because he alluded to the fact that he is more of a free spender than them. Names like Honourable Omofaiye and Kilani Olumo not to even mention Senator Smart Adeyemi which he brought into the issues would have been preferred to take charge of the affairs of a local government than this jamboree self eulogising fang.

Ade Omofaiye was a four-year(one term) assembly member of Ijumu constituency with enduring legacies and progressive feathers to his cap. I dare my lord the chairman, to bring out the list of his transformational projects and those donations he has done to communities, only then would I ask that Omofaiye makes available his projects and donations, lest we forget.

Honourable Omofaiye having passed the baton to Hon. Kilani a fine breed rancour-free gentleman who is empowering widows and youths and who is also blazing the trail in law-making at the states assembly.

Could Mr chairman reel out his achievements aside from buying motorcycles and cars for his sycophants and concubines, then I shall seek also to publish the silent but lasting legacies of these gentlemen amidst the tight and declining economic situations.

Why should an in house issue become a public discussion by someone who sees himself as the leader of a party at the grassroots when nobody sees him as one!

This and more became a burden in my mind after watching this show of shame being spread around like a song of victory by the leader of a nitwit group and his unreasoning cult followers.

When, just when shall Ijumu be free from this Goliath that held us bound?

A civil society group known for its consistent agitation for good governance and accountability from public office holders under the nomenclature of Kogi Good Governance Iniatives (KGGI) has revealed its plans to drag kogi lawmaker to court for an alleged dual identity and fraud in his certificates.

The group in a statement by its secretary, Mr Odunayo Olowolaiyemo said one of the main assignments of the group is to beam its light on political office holders and engage anyone found guilty of infidelity.

The group expressed readiness to use all legal means to investigate the allegation leveled on the lawmaker and do justice appropriately.

"We are approaching the court this week to make sure that a top government official in the government of Alh. Yahaya Bello vacate his office for contesting elections with credentials suggesting dual identities"

"We want to assure Kogites and the general public of our determination to use all legal means to oust any unqualified persons within government space" he said

The group assures the public of more detailed facts to be released as it commences the legal battle against the unidentified lawmaker.

By Samuel OJ Temibi

Candidate of Social Democratic Party in the Yagba West Chairmanship Election, Comrade Ajagun Opeyemi Samuel has called for the cancelation of what he described as a "Kangaroo" election which took place in Yagba West Local Government yesterday.

Ajagun made this statement while reacting to the non availability of election materials in the local government.

Ajagun expressed worries over the manipulation of the council elections stating that there was no election across the local government.

He added that the state's electoral umpires were no where to be found at his ejiba polling unit and across the local government expressing shock over how the fictitious figures being disseminated on the social media were recorded.

"My experience today in the just concluded kangaroo election by Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) indicates how bad our electoral institution can be manipulated for personal interest. I want to let the world know that there was no election today across the local government area. I hereby reject the processes that gave birth to the declaration of the APC's candidate as the winner of the imaginary election and calls for concellation of the unrealistic result and proper investigation into the activities of the returning officers and the security officers dispatch to conduct the election in Yagba West must be done to ensure justice is served"

"I was in my polling unit 7 of Ejiba Ward throughout today to cast my vote and to be voted for till 3pm and we didn't receive the election officers nor the sensitive materials. I also have evidence of the 100 polling unit of 14 ward across Yagba West Local Government where none voted"

"What happened today is an embarrassment to democracy and insult to our constitution where there's no vote, yet the returning officer made announcement formulating figures without proper election. It worries me to know that our people who left their farm, businesses and other daily engagements were disenfranchised by the evil perpetuators in our local government"

Ajagun said that the ruling All Progressives Congress had no popular candidates in the council election stating that he had 95% chances of winning the election if it was not manipulated.

"I want to sincerely appreciate you all once again for your Love, Support and Solidarity bestow on me ever since the beginning of this struggle to liberate the good people of Yagba West. I want to reassure you all that the vision is real, the determination is strong and the mission will be achieved soonest"

By Samuel OJ Temibi

Kogi state government has lost a whopping of 44 billion naira to the #EndSars protest that was reportedly highjacked by "hoodlums and "irate citizens of the state"

Speaking on Friday, Hon Commissioner for Finance And Economic Planning, Idris Ashiru who is the chairman of the committee set up by the governor to ascertain the level of damages done in the heat of the #EndSars protest across the state and to give report on the number of items that was carted away, said that a total number of 4,604,182 items and facilities with a total value of N44,640,336,131.34 has been determined as either "carted away or destroyed"

On the Oct 3rd, Nigerian youth came out en masse to protest against police brutality, unjust harassment and killing of innocent youth across the state, a development that left all states being been shutdown due to road blocks occasion by the protest. Kogi state was not left out in the struggle to put an end to the "unconstitutional conduct" of the police, however, reports has it that, some people bursted into the state's warehouse, public properties and carted away items worth 44 billion naira. The worst is, the state reported that hoodlum carted away an expensive medical equipments.

Giving reports to the governor, the committee made recommendations on how to replace the items as well as compensate private citizens whose stores were vandalized.

“Budgetary allocations to be made in 2021 appropriation bill for the replacement and reconstruction of some of the items and structures vandalised or carted away.

“The state government will like to seek the intervention and support of the federal government, donor agencies and corporate organizations,” Ashiru said.

The governor, however said that, youth should not allow disgruntled politicians and those who are not loyal , those that are not patriotic, those who have no interest of this country to use them.

The Governor urged security agents to return to their duty posts, assuring them that the President is equal to the task of reforming the police.

By Obafemi Babajide

At a time the nation became stuck in the frailties of leadership, especially vibrant, youthful and purposeful one's; the yearnings for a Moses, who despite human shortcomings, will lead Kogi and Nigeria out of the dangerous moat, is audible to the deaf and clearer to the blind.

What is leadership and who is a leader?

Leadership is an art expressed by the demonstration of characters worthy of imitation, emulation and inspiration.

Leadership is not only the ability to take control, regulate or take charge, but it also entails leading by example; at least showing light, exhibiting a result-oriented or induced character.

A leader may wish to lead from the front, within or the back, once you make an impact or influence others positively, you will be termed a great leader no matter your age, level or social standing and affiliations.

Olobatoke Micheal Olaiya, ticks all the boxes of a creative, clever, cerebral, competent, thoughtful, serious, and purposeful leadership in youthful representation.

Mike, a good listener with no penchant for filibustering and deodorising, is the next sophisticated alternative in efficient youthful leadership.

The Kabba born philanthropist, who's charity began from home typifies the assertion and believes that you don't lead people by what they hear you say to them; you lead by what they see you do, simply put, your actions and inactions must not be fake or vague.

For the plus-size but swift Olaiya who cuts across party and religious lines, leadership and representation might be on it's lowest ebb at this period but every voice deserves to be heard because every life matters.

Going by the recent EndSARS protest that rocked the nation so badly, one might not need a soothsayer to know that the leadership of the nation has to shift from a gerontocratic system to a blend of the youth and the experienced seniors.

It is also clear, that the citizens of our dear nation, will defile party, religious, gender and tribal affiliations in choosing who leads them this time.

Watch out and team up with this vibrant emerging leader, he is OBJECTIVE MATURE ORGANISED (OMO), he is the face of hope!

Your Excellency Sir, given time factor and to make publication of this open letter easier for the media, I will make it short and straight to the point.

In your long relationship with Enugu State APC, I besiege you to consider sportsmanship for once, by conceding victory to APC in the Isi-Uzo state assembly constituency bye-election, which will hold on 5th December 2020.

Like the PDP and other political parties, APC exists solely to field candidates in elections and hopefully win and implement or influence implementation of its manifesto in full or part.

In Enugu State, it has been highly odd that APC that is in control of the Federal Government, that is in control of majority of the states, that controls both chambers of the National Assembly, that is unarguably the biggest political party in not only Nigeria but in the whole of Africa since 2015, has not won any election since same 2015 that you have been PDP governor in the state.

Yet, in Enugu and Abuja, much is said about your closeness to APC. Between 2015 and 2019, many Enugu State APC chieftains - perhaps naively - swore that you would decamp to APC ahead of 2019 general elections, on the basis of which it is said that Enugu State APC did little or nothing to prepare for 2019 primary and general elections.

With hindsight, Enugu State APC should have learnt from our experience of 2017 local government area elections conducted by your Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC). In those elections, despite a measure of spirited campaign by your friends in Enugu State APC, you awarded all chairmanship and councillorship positions to your party, PDP.

In spite of this potential lesson and for reasons best known to them, some Enugu State APC leaders still believed the rumour that you would decamp to APC - presumably with all or most of the elected and appointed officials of your state government - before 2019.

Close to 2019, some of the said Enugu State APC leaders even led you to the Presidency, who you persuaded that APC was safe in your PDP hands!

I knew of Maradona of Argentina (may his soul rest in peace) as I knew of the Minna maradona, but none compares to your dribbling skills. I mean, how could you have persuaded the Presidency under APC and in control of all government organs involved in INEC-organised elections to rely on you - a PDP governor - to dash 25% of the votes cast in the presidential election to President Buhari in exchange for your own re-election and re-election of all other PDP candidates (senatorial, house of representatives and state house of assembly) in 2019?!

Even more shocking to me is that no questions have been asked since, instead of the 25% you had promised President Buhari, he scored only about 5% of the votes cast in Enugu State - his second worst in Nigeria.

You may have got away with that monumental dribble, as you had got away with unfilled expectation of your defection to APC since 2015, but no maradona always gets away with hand-of-God antic. A time must come when the dribbler must play straight and honourably.

For you, that time has come and the test ground is Isi-Uzo. Having recently learnt few lessons from our past experiences with you, we approached Isi-Uzo with clear determination to win, starting with reconciliation and unity of Enugu State APC (you should be happy about this) and our choice of candidate.

As one who believes so much in "hand of God", let me inform you that hand-of-God is clearly in APC's Isi-Uzo campaign. One evidence of that is that, against APC's excellent candidate whose record of entrepreneurship and philanthropy in Isi-Uzo is unrivalled, PDP is fielding a candidate wrapped in cultural sacrilege.

Another evidence was what I personally witnessed during our campaign flag-off at Eha-Amufu. On that faithful day, as we arrived Eha-Amufu for the flag-off, thick rain-bearing cumulus cloud that hung over treetops, as if rain makers had been paid by PDP to visit heavy downpour upon us, miraculously receded back into the distant skies.

As Chief Security Officer of Enugu State, your security reports may have shown to you what most close observers of the Isi-Uzo bye-election anticipate will be an embarrassing but deserved defeat for PDP in the order of about 95% for APC, 4% for PDP and 1% for other parties.

If PDP's knowledge of what will befall your party in Isi-Uzo is the reason why APC's candidate, his family, his campaign handlers and supporters are being threatened with violent attacks, murder, arson and other forms of intimidation, I must advise against such. Not only have we made reports to all the security agencies, we shall defend ourselves if attacked.

In the spirit of sportsmanship, however, I appeal to you as my governor and friend, to honourably concede Isi-Uzo to APC. God has given us the state constituency, and you should not fight God.

Finally, sir, with the wind of change blowing all over the South-East, which South-East APC Presidency Project 2023 is playing a major role, if you didn't defect to APC before now, we expect and will warmly welcome your defection if you concede Isi-Uzo to us.

Our candidate, Engr Prince Macdonald Ejiofor Okwor, would, as Minority Leader of Enugu State House of Assembly, host your reception into APC.

And, on his presentation to President Buhari as the first elected APC person in Enugu State, which Senator Ken Nnamani would lead, I can see you in that delegation.

Leave Isi-Uzo for APC for the good of Enugu State in the emerging 2023 Nigerian scenario in which PDP should virtually die in the South-East for Nigeria to become peaceful, united and prosperous - with a South-Easterner as president of Nigeria on APC platform.

Your purported friendship with Enugu State APC will remain worthless and mere deception if APC does not win this one election.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Chinedu Jideofo-Ogbuagu
Member, Enugu State APC National Coordinator, South-East APC Presidency Project 2023.
09052910866, 08023163451

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By Babajide Obafemi

This endsars protest is gathering momentum every day. The crowd of youths gathering with passion, energy and the relief materials been shared to re-energise protesters is unprecedented.

My simple advice to Mr President or his advisers is that PMB needs to address the nation, most especially the protesters by himself using a calm, soothing and pleading language.

The economy is bad no doubt, but, APC knew this before pledging heaven and earth to resuscitate it. The endsars protest is beyond police brutality, it goes down to announce the difficulty people go through to make ends meet. It goes down to announce how cruel government policies of increasing fuel and electricity tariff immediately after lockdown are. It goes down to say that those who wrote PMB's independence speech, compearing our petroleum sales tariff to that of Saudi Arabia are myopic.

PMB needs to talk now, brutality or forcing this protest to stop could snowball it to something else. If the protest is not happening in a few northern states, the south here is almost on total shut down. It doesn't take too long before it will spread like wildfire.

The time to act like elders who knows what they are doing is now. You can't match the energy, unity or commitment of the youths, you can only use wisdom.

Wisdom is highly required now!

I stand with the youths in ending police brutality and economic hardship.

Obafemi writes from Lagos.

PDP Removes Hon Shola Adedoyin As Leader Of The Party, Suspends His Brother As Vice Chairman

The People's Democratic Party, PDP, Ekinrin Adde Ward has removed Hon Shola Adedoyin as the leader of the party and subsequently suspended his brother, Mr Festus Adedoyin as the party's Vice Chairman.

The party in a letter directed to its Ijumu local government Chairman and signed by the ward chairman, Mr Otitoju James Kode and Ward Secretary, Mallam Olamipekun Akeem accused Hon Shola Adedoyin of financial infidelity and total domination of the party's executives at the ward level.

The party said that Hon Shola Adedoyin Highhandedness and self aggrandizement has culminated into the party losing out in the last general election.

"It is high time we bring to your notice the misdeeds, lukewarm, ineptness and gross misconduct of Chief Shola Adedoyin. This is done in time before the matter escalates beyond restoration"

"Firstly, he is so immersed in bad habits such as highhandedness, self aggrandizement, inflexibility and unhealthy domination over party executives. He has also turned himself to a leader who nobody can talk to or offer piece of advice on matter concerning the general welfare and progress of our great party. A tree, they say, cannot make a forest. But he has turned himself to a giant Iroko tree that can make a forest in piloting the affairs of PDP in Ekinrin-Adde ward using his brother, Mr Adedoyin Festus, as a cohort in carrying out all these misdeeds. By claiming to be a giant Iroko Tree, he has never delivered his pooling unit in the past elections"

"In addition, his highhandedness and aggrandizement are exhibited and clearly evident in the removal and installation of the party executives without a genuine reason whatsoever. Does party constitution give such autonomy to any individual to do and undo?The recent is the circulation, within the ward, a suspension letter spearheaded by his younger brother luring some executive members to sign deceiving them that they would be given empowerment by the leader who asked him to gather their names and signatures.

"He has turned our great party to his personal organization which he can control and dominate at his whims and caprices. As a matter of fact, he abhors being corrected in any of his plights even if a fault is noticed, especially in any matter that concerns the party. It is interesting to inform your honour that his refusal to give out delegation money meant for the former youth leader of the party led to the defection of that boy to another party. More so, during the last general election, he cunningly deducted a wholesome of One Hundred And Fifty Thousand(N150,000) from the "pushing money" which he could not give a concise account for. This was repeated during the last governorship election when he singlehandedly shared the money without the presence of any executive members and leaders of the party
He is not even concern whether the party wins or loses in as much as he could gain his heart desires which is money"

"In conclusion, all these attitudes cannot do the party any good but wreck destruction on our party especially during this stiffness in opposition party. He has to be called to order before the forthcoming Local Government Election. We want the honorable leaders of our great party to invite us eyeball to eyeball to look into the case to let peace reign supreme and as a result, the party will progress successfully. We hereby remove him as our leader and suspend his younger brother, Festus Adedoyin as the Vice Chairman of the party in the ward"

Your Excellency sir, let me once again say a huge congratulations on your victory at the supreme court of Nigeria after all trials as at it affect your election for another term.

I received your victory with an open arm, as it indicate equity and the wish of the people of our peace loving state.

Your Excellency, I write this letter first as a concern member of your party, The All Progressives Congress (APC) willing to see that we do that which is necessary for records, and that history will be kind to you.

Your Excellency the wave of change that swept off some of your SSA on Security across Okun land, particularly Kabba/Bunu local government and Yagba federal constituency, simply confirmed the desperation, wickedness and the evil associated with an average Okun man whom will stop at nothing to see the fall of his fellow brothers. Strangely this sweep was only peculiar to western senatorial district. As a student of arts and science of government we are keenly watching the walking of a fish.Above all, Your Excellency sir, it is within your prerogative to choose whom you appoint to work through your appointment, this known fact as kept us off the demand of a square pen in our square hole across our local governments against this charlatan and school drop out that suddenly took over the local governments space in okun land.
Your Excellency Sir, time and space will not allow me to tell you if those within your government working daily for the fall of their fellow Okun brothers why they daily showcase a dwarf reputation, running while nobody is after them. Our leader, I can atleast assured you sir that God sparing our lives he will be bitten to the game in no time. Power belong to God and He elect people on his own term.
Your Excellency Sir, writing this letter become necessary in the wake of assertion by some of your Ex-SSA Security notable among them Mr. Moses Olorunleke of Kabba/ Bunu LGA who pride that your Excellency will impose him on the people of Kabba/Bunu local government, asserting that your Excellency will suspend all laws to effect his emergence.
Your Excellency sir, Kabba/Bunu is the home of enlightened people as such, we pride our selves that we have far above four(4) graduates in the Kabba/Bunu local government area in our line up interested in the local government election as such we expect your government sir and the All progressive Congress ( APC) to give us a fair ground to elect a chairman after our own heart, whom emergence at our party primary will confirm the wish of the greatest number of person(s). And not a fellow who could not complete his education at School of Health Tech. Idah. We challenge him to produce his certificate.
Your Excellency Sir, am not in doubt that out of your magnanimity Mr. Moses Olorunleke has occupy the chairmanship seat for above three years, and by virtue of your office you do have interaction with him inline of his duty. Your Excellency would never have appointed Moses Olorunleke to head any session in your company department, I hope my guess is equally your guess Your Excellency.
Your Excellency Sir, no man will ordinarily wish Moses Olorunleke to occupy the executive director position of his private business. The peoples governor, Our feeling as a people of knowledge and class, our pride as people who value class and outstanding performance is hurt by the continue display of Moses Olorunleke as if your Excellency cannot do without him.
Your Excellency Sir, We are home of enlighten and we seek your support in our quest for a chairmanship candidate that will project our party positively and the aspiration of the people of kabba/Bunu local government. We demand a fair participation for our best brain who have certified themselves worthy in learning and good conduct in the coming local government election. These young men and vibrant men are party loyal men, with record of good performance in their choice of field.
Your Excellency sir, we are your party men, some of this youth men showing interest committed their time, prayer and resources to your emergence in the last election, all bone out of their confidence in your leading, and people drive agenda.
The hour has come your Excellency sir, for us to stand with what is just,and fair.As a people of knowledge,we reject Moses Olorunleke for his poor human relation and want of education and satisfy credentials to pick our Chairmanship slot in give away.
Your Excellency Sir, Kabba/Bunu local government remain the home of enlighten in Okun land, and the choice of Moses Olorunleke will be an insult on the investment we made in ourselves as a race. Your Excellency sir, if Moses Olorunleke have interest in remaining a life chairman kindly allow all aspirants a level playing ground for his emergence.
Your Excellency sir, we humbly request for a free and fair primaries, you are the leader of this party and you enjoyed the loyalty of all members, all members of this party . I thank you sir for your time. Be assured of our continue loyalty to your government sir, and the aims and objectives the All Progressives Congress (APC).God bless the peoples Governor.
Messer Olu Adewale, Member, All Progressive Congress (APC) Kabba/ Bunu LGA chapter.

The Progressives Media Organization (PMO) has reacted to the naked dance of the opposition People's Democratic Party, over the alleged US ban on some APC governor's over the purported rigging of election.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Peter Lorter, the progressive media organization said that PDP's reaction to the US Visa ban is another example of the party's obnoxious relabelling strategy and propaganda.


The organization said that Nigerians are not oblivious of identity of individuals who through Machiavellian means have continued to undermine the country's electoral process, in a desperate effort to phase out of existence our thriving democracy.

"What we find laughable and amusing is how the supposed opposition party, the PDP has mustered temerity and effontery to engage in finger-pointing whenever issues of credibility in elections are talked about"

"From all indications, the PDP is struggling to make itself relevance in national affairs after it has been routinely rejected following their catastrophic 16 years of profligacy, plunder and self-service"

"Lest the party forgets, its 16 years of locust became further unpopular for its industrial scale corruption, election manipulation and rigging. It distinguished itself in electoral fraud, mandate stealing and massive rigging"

"PMO wishes to prod the memory of yesterday's ruling party to the open fact that its own chieftain and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu confessed to the world how the party has regaled in the game of mischievous manipulation of the people's will for years"

"It is also on record that our country experienced the darkest days in the electoral management right under the PDP's nose where the magic of fraud allowed them to churn out figures of imaginary electorate that far outweighs the total number of registered voters"

"We must remind the PDP that the fidelity of electoral process was grossly compromised under them where names where written in hotel rooms and submitted to their unholy allies as winners"

"For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP needs not continue feasting on its flesh over elections it fatally lost in Ekiti, Osun and Kogi, which have since been laid to rest by the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court and the victory of our candidates affirmed. The men of yesterday should stop licking their wounds over their rejection by Bayelsans in 2019, a state they have mindlessly raped since the return of democracy in 1999"

"Nigerians expect that the PDP and its leadership desperately clutching to straw to remain afloat in the country's political firmament should by now apologize to them for defiling their wills as expressed through the sanctity of the ballot system"

"The recommendation for the prosecution of its accomplices in Akwa Ibom for electoral offences speaks volume to how much Nigerians have been deprived by the party's penchant for maneuvery in our electoral system"

"If anyone has the moral justification to hail the action of United States, it is not the rigging machine called PDP from whose hand President Muhammadu Buhari rescued our hard-earned democracy from imminent collapse"

"The era of shameless lies and propaganda by the PDP and its alm-seeking, attention-starved media handlers is now a thing of the past. Our people are wiser and will not be fooled by the gloating of the master riggers"

"Just in case they are craving for a talking point, our team of thoroughbred professionals can raise talking points that border on the infrastructural renewal our nation, currently enjoys across board. We can keep them busy with the massive investment in agriculture that has fostered food security in the country. If they are in frantic search for issues to talk about, the bloody nose this administration has given corruption, a creation of the PDP is there to talk about. PDP should revisit its drawing board, if it has any before playing the role of opposition. It is obvious they lack the rudiments"

"Lastly, PMO will continue to support the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari in its avowed commitment to sanitise our electoral system and create an enabling environment that could make the people's vote count"

By Samuel OJ Temibi


Member representing Ikeja Federal constituency and Chairman House Committee on finance, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke has hailed the supreme Court judgment on kogi state gubernatorial election.

Faleke, an erstwhile political foe of Gov. Yahaya Bello who is now rumoured to be the successor of the governor described the judgment as an affirmation of people's will.

The Kogi born Lagos political icon noted that the judgment has further solidify the integrity of the apex court because according to him, governor Yahaya Bello won the Nov. 16th governorship election overwhelmingly.

"The apex court ruling is an affirmation of the people’s will as expressed through the outcome of votes casted in the governorship election in the state"

"It is a great moment for democracy. The highest court in the country has finally settled the controversies surrounding the Kogi governorship election and affirmed Governor Bello and our great party as the true winner of the election"

Faleke urged the governor to keep pursuing what he described as a "true reconciliation of all aggrieved contenders in the election"

He wished the governor well and prayed for his success as he explore all routes to make kogi a great state.

By Obafemi Babajide

As Nigerians go through the pang of lockdown, with little or no palliatives in some area and no monetary compensations all over; and with a President and Commander-In-Chief of Armed Forces who is widely adjudged as upright and stern when it comes to matters of corruption; in fact, his negative dispositions to corruption had largely won him the sobriquet; Mr Integrity [mai gaskiya] among his people.

But in the face of this dwindling economy and serious hardship with a possibility of depression in the economy setting in which is currently facing the citizens of the Nation, it became pertinent to ask, if it takes only integrity to rule Nigeria and get the economy working again?

In 2015, when corruption in Nigeria became so endemic, so thick that it could cut through a piece of ice, a different coalition of aggrieved politicians came up with the idea of merging up. They collapsed structures to form a formidable team that could beat the best of existing political structure. Although they flew together, they were birds of different colours. It was crystal clear that, as many add predicted it, things were soon going to fall apart. And fall it did after they had gained power.

To many Nigerians, it started looking as if they had made the wrong choice in voting a septuagenarian. The General looked as if he had lost his steam to age and those cabals who surround him, power play, deals and who gets what when and how watered down peoples expectations of the new government.

To many, six months without coming up with the names of his cabinet was enough to adjudge Buhari as not serious. Would we have expected him to bring down the host of heaven to rule with him? Certainly not!

The list of those who made it eventually to PMB’s cabinet, to many Nigerians was not worth the wait. Except for just very few names who had shown brightly before and very few who could be termed technocrats, nothing was new. As a matter of fact, it was a list of names people had expected to make the list. So, why the long wait after all?

The General won his second term bid albeit a not too free fair or robust election, this time around, the integrity mantra was although played again, it was not as captivating as it was in 2015. Nigerians wanted more than integrity, they wanted the country to work, they wanted ease, which was not going to come easily anyways.

With the current in house wrangling, power tussle and inanities, one might take a guess that aside taming corruption, the man at the helms of affairs might have nothing much doing with the economy. In actual fact, with the hustle for 2023 being played so much in the open, the fight against corruption might just be forgotten so soon.

Goodluck Jonathan was sent out of power on the altar of the huge corrupt practices going on under him and also, that he was too soft and indecisive; he was also seen as leaving major decisions to the hands of the three women [two in his life and one in his cabinet], to make huge decisions. But with this niggling economy of the Nation and some flashes of corruptions, does it not look as if a dog was given a bad name in other to hang it?

In truth and fairness, one could still see rays of hope through a few progressive ministers working to deliver on the mandate of the portfolios given to them. A lot of those remaining, however, are square pegs in round holes. 

It is now too obvious that, although we needed an incorruptible leader who will be fair to all, we also need someone who is fairly tuned to the trappings of the present social-economic movements and issues. Someone who understands the jet age language, someone who could easily sway, someone who could process information swiftly, set the balls rolling and proffer a quick response to yearnings and aspirations.

With the biting lockdown and no solution in sight as to when the economy will come up again; it is crystal clear that integrity alone will not deliver good governance, administrative savviness, a swift but bendable leader with an updated and upgradeable administrative capacity will do. Nigeria’s problem is not only corruption, there is a huge deficit in leadership and followership. We need a total overhaul, we need to look deeply inward, and we need a leader who can manage both the corrupt, the incorruptible and those at the verge of becoming corrupt.

Obafemi writes from the top of "Akogba" hill in Ekinrin-Adde

Tuesday the 21st of July 2020 was another day of plenty drama and a big show of shame at the national assembly public hearing of the case that involved the ministry of labour and one of the agencies directly under it; the NSITF.

A similar but shameful drama had occurred a day before, involving a former senator, governor and a serving minister of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. This one involved either a voodoo play, ill-health or a classical Nollywood act.

I had in all honestly taken my eyes away from the tragic imbroglio, focusing instead on my beautiful wife of a decade and the matron of our boys’ hostel. Like a popular Yoruba adage says: “ igbe kinkin leti awo gebgiri, boju ba kuro nibe, se okan ma kuro nibe ni”? Simply means that when you see a little poop on the tip of the plate of your bean soup, even if you take away your eye from it, can you take away your mind?

I have keenly watched the back and forth dramas been acted by our men and women in power these days, from the Abike Dabiri, Chairman/ CEO of Nigeria Diaspora Commission versus Isaa Pantami, the Minister of Communication, to the Edo APC crisis which journeyed upward to the National APC level and which also consumed the two gladiators on the scene; Adams Oshiomole and Governor Obaseki.

Then to the eventual dissolution of the APC NWC by Mr President after a lot of foot-draggings, to the Ondo governor and his deputy’s crisis and attempt plus counter attempt to impeach him or not, down to the primaries in Ondo where winners and losers have emerged.

The pitiful drama did not cease! Then comes the NDDC Samaritan woman, Joy Nunieh who was met by the saviour Senator Akpabio beside the well of NDDC, “give me out of the water of this well to drink for I am thirsty, for if you give me, I might show you the riches of life” declared saviour Akpabio, “I am not in the position to quench your thirst sir, but, I do not mind to be shown the riches of life for life”, the Samaritan Nunieh enthused. “Go bring your husband, that I may bless your household”, again saviour Akpabio retorted. “I have no husband”, Nunieh answered. “You are right, for you have had four husbands, and the one that you cohabit with now, may not be your final bus stop”, replied saviour Akpabio. What a needless drama in unveiling the numerous warms that had eaten deep into the commission!

Who is afraid of the forensic audit of the cash cow called the NDDC?

And then to the drama of Ngige, the Lagos boy extraordinaire! I watched and read when and how Honourable Faleke accused Ngige of so many wrongdoings in handling the affairs of The Ministry of Labour and Employment, I also knew that he was invited to clear himself and prove all allegations wrong before the House panel that was handling the public hearing between the labour ministry and an MDA under the ministry, what I wasn’t sure of was if the house had indicated that the hearing will be based on age, state of origin and who mentors who.

For the cerebral ilk of Babatunde Fashola, Babatunde Irukera, Rotimi Amaechi et al, it would have allowed them to not only school the panel but also the public. It would have made them open up on facts and figures, it will make them bring up data’s, and it will allow them to analyse, re-analyse and proffer a solution or projections for the future.

Instead of clearing his name and that of his wife, and also setting the record straight, the white long goatee Ngige chose to dance naked in the market place at broad daylight.

Pray, tell me, what has been a VI boy, a Mushin boy, a Lagos boy or been an Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s boy got to do with the proper and efficient handling of the sensitive ministry handed over to him in trust by the President and Commander In Chief of The Armed Forces. Truth be told, Ngige’s unintelligent outburst confirmed to me that he was guilty as charged.

Although I am from the Yoruba part of Kogi state, I have lived in various parts of Lagos for more than a decade, I dare say with pride and unapologetically, that both states dwarf Ngige’s Anambra State in everything you can point to. It is despicable for a former governor and chief security of a state who was so kidnapped within the confines of his authority to even try and compare himself with a kingmaker in the guise of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. How dare Ngige, who did not win more than a term as a senator of his people and still woefully lost his constituency at all the elections that produced PMB refer to someone who not only has produced three governors in Lagos and some part of the South West after himself, has produced several senators and reps members, has made kings and has also helped PMB achieved his ambition of ruling and ridding Nigeria of corruption his age and classmate?

Where was Ngige when Abacha was ruling, reigning and raging? Without gloating, Ngige belongs to the class of late maturers, he is either few minutes late in reasoning or processing information, and hence his shameful dance in the public glare at noon.

I think it is time to single out Ngige and some of his low thinking class of ministers who will always drag PMB and his goal-getter/fighters ministers behind by few steps. Ngige and his dump class will always allow naysayers to ask if this is the change we truly bargained for.

Obafemi writes from isolation

Kogi Philanthropist, business tycoon and founder of ROTSHADE HELPLINK INITIATIVE, Dr Boluwafemi Rotimi has said that the initiative will distribute 5000 bags of rice and hundreds of motorcycles to residents of his local government Ijumu, in continuation with its COVID-19 Emergency Response.

The Initiative’s latest gesture is coming after its recent donation of over 2000 bags of rice to some Lokoja residents in Maigari's palace today, some churches in the state capital of Lokoja also benefited from the kind gesture of the initiative, this is to serve as palliatives in combatting the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Founder of the Initiative, Dr. Bolufemi, its a philanthropic effort started from the state capital LOKOJA, where we distributed relief items to indigent residents. He said "We have more than 2000 bags of rice already distributed in lokoja but 5000 will be going to ijumu next week by God grace"

While commending the efforts of government and everyone who has contributed to the wellbeing of the people of the state, Dr. Bolufemi promised that ROTSHADE HELPLINK INITIATIVE would continue to join hands with others to help the people and win the war against Coronavirus.

Explaining the reason behind the gesture, he noted that “in its years of existence, ROTSHADE has fostered and championed the cause of the less privileged through scholarships and several donations.

He said, “ROTSHADE has also been providing widows and youths with means of livelihood and survival.
He stressed that touching lives remains the primary goal of ROTSHADE HELPLINK INITIATIVE.

The actual date of distribution in Ijumu LGA will be communicated soon.

By William Jumbo

Why?

It is not ethical to discuss pending issues in court. However, the barrage of recent misleading, fallacious, defamatory, frivolous reports being fed the public by the deregistered Liberation Movement and its candidate, Vijah Opuama, and their sponsors in All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Chief Timipre Sylva and Timi Alaibe, an opposition chief in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are calculated to whip sentiments against the PDP, Governor Douye Diri, and his deputy, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrujakpo. Clearly, these tissue of lies are primed to mislead the tribunal into making a perverse judgement and misinform the public to believing that they have a viable and strong petition at the tribunal.


This, including the need to put the issues in perspective - as well as stop a lie which if been repeatedly told might become garbed as the truth- necessitated this piece to state the facts as they are.

To begin with, the Nigerian Constitution and Electoral Act clearly listed those who can be parties to an election petition. Also, the powers of an election tribunal are clearly defined. Election tribunals have no constitutional powers to deal with pre-election matters. These are matters to be determined by High Courts. In the case of Atiku Abubakar vs Muhammadu Buhari, the Supreme Court stated unequivocally that issues bordering on supplying false information in form CF 001 are issues of pre-election and should be determined by High Courts before the elections and not election tribunals.

Even at that there's a time frame that such a matter can be heard.
Early May, in the case of Musa Wada & others, Justice Ngwuta of the Supreme Court reiterated that by Section 31 of the Electoral Act, anybody challenging the presentation of false information in form CF 001 has 14 days within which to file an action challenging the qualification of the candidate for providing false information.

Therefore, bringing issues of alleged presentation of false certificate before an election tribunal is clearly an exercise in futility as this clearly is a pre-election matter, and tribunals are not empowered to deal with pre-election matters.

Similarly, in the unreported case of Jeremiah Useni vs INEC and Simon Lalong where the petitioner alleged that Lalong had several conflicting names is a case in point.

General Useni listed Lalong's name as follows; school certificate Sule Simon. IJMB A'Level Certificate Simon Lalong. ABU law certificate Simon Lalong Sule, and 1991 call to Bar certificate Simon Lalong Sule.
He further listed NYSC discharge certificate Sule Simon Lalong; Affidavit of change of name from Sule Simon Lalong to Lalong Simon Lalong Bako; Change of name in newspaper from Simon Lalong Sule to Simon Bako Lalong, LLM Unijos degree Bako Simon Lalong; and MBA practice licence Lalong Simon Bako.

As damaging as Lalong's case appeared- in comparison to the case of Bayelsa State deputy governor which, without conceding, is a spelling error, the election petition tribunal, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court as per Paul Galunje JSC held that in so long as the issue relate to affidavits and information in form CF 001, General Useni's petition cannot be determined by a tribunal as it had become statue barred. That, since all the information on Lalong were published before the Plateau governorship election, the petitioner and his witnesses, especially a certain Mr. Yaba Kudu who testified as to the content of Lalong's form CF 001 can no longer be heard.

Also, it is pertinent to state that for an allegation of false information and forgery to warrant a disqualification of a candidate in an election, either pre or post, it must be made with the intention of aiding the qualification of the candidate presenting the information or document. The question then is, (a) Is NYSC certificate one of the requisite qualifications for contesting elections in Nigeria by virtue of Sections 177, 186, and 187 of the Nigerian Constitution? The answer is No.
Therefore, all the noise about alleged forgery of NYSC certificate, and false information is just cheap media blackmail by Opuama and his sponsors. Such cannot in any way affect the chances of any governor or his deputy.

For the purposes of reminding those who may have been carried away, the conditions to be met by a person seeking election as governor or deputy governor known to the Constitution and Electoral Act are four. They are
(a) The person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth.
(b) Must have attained the age of 35 as at the time of the election
(c) is a member of a political party, and
(d) has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent.

From the above, has it been proven by the deregistered Liberation Movement, Opuama & Chiefs Sylva and Alaibe, that the deputy governor of Bayelsa State who hails from Ofoni in Sagbama LGA of Bayelsa State, is not a Nigerian by birth; has not attained the age of 35 at the time of the senatorial and gubernatorial elections having obtained his first primary school in 1976;/and does not belong to a political party having been sponsored by PDP in both elections, and that he's not educated to school certificate having obtained both school leaving cat and WAEC certificates?

Even from the averment of the petitioner and his several misleading publications, Opuama admitted that the deputy governor possesses all of the foregoing. And since the allegation of forgery of NYSC certificate and age declaration as well as degree certificate, without conceding, are not aimed at aiding his qualification which he already posses, no tribunal or court can validly disqualify his election. This is the position of the law, especially in the case of Ikpeazu vs Ogar in 2017. This was reiterated in the Useni VS INEC & Simon Lalong case.


Another reason the Liberation Movement's petition is dead on arrival is that the Nigerian Constitution does not recognize independent candidates. Membership and sponsorship by a valid and legal political party is a prerequisite for any candidate to participate in an election and file an election petition. Any election petition filed without the inclusion of the sponsoring political party is a nullity and dead on arrival.

An unregistered political party, to the extent of its nonregistration, is not a juristic person that can acquire rights or incur liability. Sadly for Vijah Opuama, Liberation Movement is one of the political parties deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On the INEC website, Liberation Movement is number 33 on the list of deregistered political parties. Apparently aware that Liberation Movement is no longer a political party, Opuama whilst filing his petition failed to include his party Liberation Movement as a party to the petition. Sources close to the defunct party say they're worried that the respondents have through preliminary objection raised the issues, the competence of the petition, and want the petition dismissed.

If, as gathered, it is true that these objections have been adopted and ruling reserved, the implication is that the matter is closed before the tribunal and can never be opened. But for the 4th alteration which now allows election petitions to run their full course, and not be solely determined by preliminary objection, this Liberation Movement petition ought to have been dismissed and thrown out.

Therefore, Sylva, Alaibe and others who are sinking monies in this so-called Liberation Movement bride with the sole aim of having triplets should know that their bride has been certified barren and therefore incapable of bearing children.

Even at that, a deputy governorship candidate isn't a necessary party in an election petition. Thus, if the Liberation Movement, its candidate, and their sponsors think they can succeed on this petition through maligning, defaming and ridiculing the Deputy governor, they should know that they're on an illegal wild goose chase that is certain to end in futility

A further reason why this LM's candidate's petition is dead on arrival is that election petitions are suis generis. That is, it is unique or has a life of its own. There's a stipulated time frame within which a petition can be amended. That is 21 days. There are a plethora of cases where both the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal have held that election petitions cannot be amended. Olushola Oke and another vs Mimiko and others is a typical example where the Supreme court held that election petition amendment is strictly regulated and cannot be amended outside of the prescribed 21-day period window for amendment.

Curiously, after the deputy governor's preliminary objection to Opuama's petition on the ground that his party wasn't joined as a party to his suit, and the tribunal adjourned ruling, Opuama having realized the futility and nullity of his petition has asked his deregistered party, Liberation Movement to join the petition.

That this application came long after the whole hullabaloo of subpoenaing the deputy governor, the attendant negative backlash, and reservation of ruling, clearly shows that the non-joinder of Opuama's political party from the beginning makes his petition incompetent. Also, seeking to amend his petition after the mandatory 21 days after filing, shows that he's just realized that he had all the while been engaging in media trial, and that his petition stands no chance. Most sadly, this is an attempt to carry a baby already aborted to term.

Therefore, in law and in fact, it is crystal clear that Opuama and his sponsors do not actually have any competent case before the tribunal. The reason being that their petition was from the onset incompetent. You cannot amend an election petition after 21 days, just as you cannot reopen a case that's been closed and adjourned for judgement. To seek the leave of the tribunal to join Liberation Movement after the tribunal has heared the preliminary objection of the respondent drawing attention to the non-,joinder of Liberation Movement from the outset negates and violates the requirement of a political party as a necessary part of an election.

4. Equally, the Liberation Movement and Opuama's petition is dead on arrival because, by their own action, he and his party have reinforced the argument of the respondent that he cannot succeed in his petition without making Liberation Movement party to the petition. This is because their filing of application for joinder after the respondent had raised the illegality of their petition clearly shows that they've admitted that their petition is incompetent and the tribunal needs to take note of this admittance by Opuama and his party.

It is obvious that had the respondent not raised the matter, Opuama would not have stumbled on this afterthought to raise this frivolous deceitful application of joinder.

The so-called subpoena issued on the deputy governor that has made sensational headlines is again an exercise in futility based on the following.

First, an election petitioner can only subpoena witnesses listed to be subpoenaed by him. The petitioner never listed the 4th respondent who is the deputy governor of Bayelsa State as one of his witnesses. Therefore, they're estopelled from subpoenaing him.
Secondly, a tribunal or a court cannot subpoena a party that's already before it. As fourth respondent, the deputy governor is already before the court and has deposed to averments that are already before the court. Subpoenas are issued to witnesses who are not before the court and whose testimonies are required. Thus, it is both morally and legally wrong to subpoena the 4th respondent who you've already brought to court by virtue of your petition.

Thirdly, no party makes an adversary its own witness. The evidence act prohibits making an accused or adversary a witness to his accuser. Their intention is to malign the deputy governor hence they've decided to subpeon him when he is already a party before the court as a respondent and their case is against him. It is settled law that a plaintiff's case must succeed on the strength of his ability to prove all the allegations beyond reasonable doubt, especially when there is an imputation of crime, and not on the weakness of the defence case even where evidences are admitted by the defendant.
The subpoenaing of the deputy governor clearly shows that the plaintiff Opuama and his party cannot prove their case beyond reasonable doubt on the strength of their own case. And where a party by its own act has shown that it cannot prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, the court or tribunal is left with no other alternative but to dismiss the case of the plaintiff and not to aid it by subpoening the defendant to become witness to help a plaintiff prove his case.

It is immoral and illegal to subpoena a deputy governor who has to defend himself to help them prove their case. The law is that he who asserts must prove. Equally, no person can be a respondent and at the same time a witness in the same suit.. It is clearly an exhibition of legal neophancy to make the deputy governor a respondent and a witness to the plaintiff.

Therefore, Nigerians and the whole world of morally right people should know that Opuama and his sponsors, Alaibe and Sylva do not have any proof of their allegations of alleged forgery by the deputy governor.

More worrisome is that the same Opuama has subpoenaed the NYSC to testify to the authenticity of the deputy governor's NYSC exemption certificate. Being the issuing authority, NYSC is the only authentic and qualified legal witness that can certify the authenticity or otherwise of the certificate in question, and not the deputy governor who is being accused of forging it. He will only produce the same forged document which they are contesting and not the authentic one they claimed was issued by NYSC.

Equally, can the deputy governor be subpoenaed by virtue of section 308 of the Constitution of the country which confers immunity on him? The tribunal should not be misled into trampling on the Constitution as the summons clearly purports.

Furthermore, subpoenas are supposed to be personal service. However, from what has been awash in the media there is no evidence that the subpoena was personally served on the deputy governor. What was portrayed in the media was that an administrative officer in Government House, Yenagoa, received the subpoena. Does that amount to personal service as required by the law? If the answer is in the negative, which is it, of course, then it is clear there was no subpoena served on the deputy governor warranting him to appear before the tribunal.

Similarly, Opuama and his sponsors have made a lot of noise about the deputy governor's degree certificate issued by Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST. It is an established moral fact that a man who speaks from both sides of the mouth cannot be taken to be speaking the truth. Opuama had in an earlier publication claimed that the deputy governor's name is not on the list of admission into the university. The same Opuama is now again claiming that the deputy governor having been admitted in 1991 ought to have graduated in 1994/95 because he was admitted for a four-year programme. The question is, which of his claims should be believed?
Is it the claim that he was not admitted, or the one that he was admitted in 1991 and ought to have graduated in 1994/95?

First, there's no law that stipulates that a student must graduate within a time frame set for a particular course and that if he fails to graduate within the said period, whatever certificate he obtains is invalid and forged.

Secondly, Opuama haven been a toddler at the time, he does not know that academic calendars were largely disrupted between 1992 and 1994 as a result of several ASUU strikes and the June 12 1993 election annulment imbroglio that led to the lockdown of several universities, just like we are currently locked down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nigerians should be informed that the deputy governor was admitted for a five-year programme, not a fou-years programe.. His academic records are still with RSUST, and any person who is in doubt is free to write to the institution to obtain the records of his grades in each of the courses he offered during his years of study. Furthermore, Nigerians need to informed that the deputy governor was admitted into the same RUST in 1998 to read an MBA programme and graduated with a distinction. Equally, he was readmitted into the same RUST to read a law degree and also graduated from the sane university. Based on the above, Opuama as the chief blackmailer is purporting that a university of repute such as RUST will issue one person three different certificates if the person did not have the requisite qualifications and merited the award of such degree certificates.

Again, it is only the RUST authorities and not the uninformed Opuama and his sponsors that can say the said certificate is authentic or not.

Finally, there are unconfirmed reports that the NYSC have written certain security agencies who were mandated to investigate the so-called forged NYSC certificate. It is my belief and candid opinion that if the allegations of forgery levelled against the deputy governor as being rumoured were true, the security
agencies would have made their findings of forgery against the deputy governor known,fully aware that some APC chieftains have been infusing some of these security agencies to return a verdict of guilt against the deputy governor.

Matters pending in court are not issues of media propaganda which is the stock in trade of Opuama's sponsors. It will do him a lot of good as a petitioner to focus on the trial inside the tribunal rather than this media trial which his sponsors Chiefs Sylva and Alaibe are helping him do as it the one who wins the war that is the ultimate hero, not the person who wins the battle.

From the foregoing, any discerning mind should know, and now know if they do not already know, that Opuama's petition is not only a storm in a tea cup, but dead on arrival.

Though I'm not a lawyer by training, but I'm only trying to make some legal common sense.

Jumbo writes from Warri

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On behalf of the Executive Committee, i bring you great complementaries of the yuletide season and wish all of us prosperous 2020 full of achievements and resolved accomplishments.

As you are reading this Stewardship Report, Oyo State Alumni Association is having End of The Year Diner in Ibadan.

Once again. I greet you warmly and enjoin you all to follow me as I enumerate our stewardship to you individually and collectively:

1. *CHAPTER LOGO AND LETTERHEAD STATIONERY:*
Ladies and gentlemen, you will agree with me that identity and means of identification are the most critical aspect of any organization. So, immediately we were sworn in, we embarked on creating a means of identification for the Chapter; we consulted graphics designer, got 4 logo designs deliberated on them in the Exco and pruned the numbers down to two and brought the two to you our people to make final choice and some of us participated and eventually a logo was chosen. We proceeded to making Letterheads for effective communications.

2. *REGISTRATION WITH NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:* On the 2nd of March, 2019, your chapter (95Set Chapter) sent in her Letter of Intent to officially become a Chapter of the Association. Few issues were lagged and they were immediately addressed. The approval though going through normal bureaucracy, is expected to be issued in the next National Working Committee meeting coming up early next year in Minna.

3. *95SET COOPERATIVE:* Recall that our coop was properly setup almost at the same time when this Exco was inaugurated. It is pertinent to let you all know that ours has become the bride of National Alumni; at point the National Alumni wanted an absorption of our Coop but with of assistance of some of our members here, we were able to explain to them that our coop like any coop all over is an independent venture agreed to by a group of people. Thank you Engr Olatunde, Engr Atoyebi, Engr Adesope and Mr Akinyemi to mention but a few who assisted us in this regard.

4. *FELICITATION AND CONDOLENCES:* During the course of this year, we recorded the deaths of some of our colleagues. Some died here in Nigeria and two died abroad. These where low moments in the life of this Chapter. We shall continue to remember the times we shared together while in school and to some while out of school. May their gentle souls rest in peace. Amen.

Similarly, some of us lost either of their parents and condole with them too. May the souls of our departed parent(s) continue to rest in peace. Amen

To show our concerns to our fallen colleagues, members of the Chapter contributed monies to be given to their wives. Sadly these monies will soon be disbursed, why? We haven't completed the financial handover through our bankers.
In line with the above, we must be quick to appreciate our colleagues who represented during funeral ceremonies of our members. Ladies and gentlemen, as I type, pains and sorrow of loosing some of us to death is all over me but we all must take solace in the fact that one day we will died and allow that feelings to increase our apatite to love the more and follow God the more.

5. HOSTEL PLEDGE: Let it be on record that your 95Set Chapter is the only chapter, yes only chapter that pledged to donate (as a group) towards the proposed hostel that the National Alumni is embarking upon.

The above being said, it is sad that we have not been able to fully redeem our pledge of 1Million Nigeria Naira till date. Be sure that our inability to fully redeem this amount is not the fault of our members. The major fault lies with us the exco to a large extent: we were supposed to drive the appeal & collection, and that is what we have resolved to do henceforth, because not to make a promise is far better than making one and not fulfilling it. To this end, our Financial Secretary and yours sincerely the Chairman will drive the appeal, collection & redemption to a logical conclusion in January.
Fortunately what is left is less than 350k because the NWC will sitting Feb 2020, we must endeavour to close the payment before then.

6. DATABASE: We promised this house that a database of all the members will be collected to propagate our economic progression. To this end, a database program was deployed but it was not smooth enough for our intention and our zeal waned. As we go into the new year, we will reawake ourselves in this wise and look for a better software that can do that for us. We intend to produce a Yellow Book as part of the derivatives of the database.

7. BANK ACCOUNT: Keystone bank is our official banker. Till date we have not fully taken over the account. Though the last administration has officially written the bank of the existence of a new exco, withdrawal from the account has not been possible. However, to deposit money is not a problem. This exco has not made any withdrawal since our inauguration. This is the main why disbursement to affected people have not been done. All these will be perfected in the new year and announcement will be made here.

8. HEALTH INSURANCE: We have collected intent letter and conditions of services from Three nominated brokers. We have scrutinized them but yet to decide on which platform to use. Once this is concluded we will get back to you.

Ladies and gentlemen, we know that many here may want to use this stewardship report to grade us, but let me crave your indulgence not to tow this line, 2019 came with a lot of burden and challenges, we promise to do far more, reachout the more, and by God grace achievement more before we handover to the next administration.

Thank you and God bless you all.

Long live FUTMinna!
Long live FUTMAA!!
Long live 95Set!!!

E-Sign
Arc Adeleye A Johnson
Chairman '95Set Chapter

I've taken my time to do a comparative analysis of budgets in the past and present, within the Kaduna State and across borders, my conclusion thus becomes simpler than I had thought, the proposed budget for 2020 is nothing but a financial plan for modernization in the State.

After doing a thorough appraisal of the 2020 budget presented by Kaduna State Government, I was amazed to discover that about 73 percent of the total budget is allocated to capital expenditures.

This is a complete negation of the locust years where recurrent expenditures subsumed the capital expenditures, it is also a clear departure from what is currently obtainable in the Federal Government Budget.

The State plans to inject 31 percent of the budget into economy to boast the production in the State, this is commendable as any state that wants to break the yoke of backwardness must take investment into economy as a priority, John Maynard Kaynes formulated ideas that became the bedrock of development in the western world, the State must plan deliberately to develop the economy, the recent budget has shown that Kaduna State is already on the right path.

Also, anyone that follows the nature and structure of development of the Asian Tigers would understand that Education is a key sector that must receive special attention, the Tigers broke the jinx because they invested adequately in education, as a departure from the past, and also moving closer to UNESCO Standard, about 18 percent of the budget is allocated to capital expenditures in the education sector, this is indeed a great leap.

The state government has shown that the budget is made to alleviate the pains of the masses and elevate the state, the allocation for the helpless children on the streets is also worthy of praise, the sons and daughters of nobody have gotten attention from 2020 budget proposal.

Beyond sentiment, this proposed budget deserves approval from all, but it is imperative to also call the attention of the State government to agriculture, Kaduna is highest exporter of Ginger Products, the State Government should explore and exploit the hidden opportunities in this aspect, this will further boast the economy and create employment for the youths.

On a final note, the budget portrays an attempt to lead away from the status quo, the state is on the path to modernization, but it becomes imperative to remind ourselves that budget is just like a "wish list", or a "paper tiger", the proper implementation is what gives the budget a deserved accolade. As the executive prepares to implement the budget with total transparency, the legislature must be ready to do a thorough oversight function, while the judiciary must be prepared to hear the dissenting voice.

Limis Gamaliel Shayet
Msc, University of Abuja
limisgamaliel@gmail.com

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Relief came to the ways of over eighty students of Community Secondary School( CSS) Ayere,Ijumu Local Government Area,Kogi State when member representing Ijumu Constituency at the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon.Kilani Olumo paid their school fees.
Hon.Kilani who equally is the Chairman House standing Committee on Education ,Science and Technology made this known when he paid an unscheduled visit to the school to have a first hand knowledge of facilities on ground at the school.
The Lawmaker disclosed that his gesture to pay the students school fees is borne out his promise to ensure that no student in the area is denied the opportunity of going to school as a result of inability to pay their school fees.

Hon.Kilani while inspecting Computer laboratory,Science laboratory and Examination Hall promised to come to the aid of the school in ensuring a conducive learning and teaching environment .
In her response, the Principal of the School, Lady Evangelist Oluseyi who could not hide her joy thanked the Lawmaker for his kind gesture and charged the students to be more serious with their studies.
She thanked God for the victory of the Lawmaker at the appellate Court and prayed God to guide,protect and endow him with divine wisdom in the onerous task ahead.
Evangelist Oluseyi commended him for being a good and worthy voice of Ijumu Kingdom at the state House of Assembly.[color=#990000][/color]

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Member Kogi State House of Assembly, representing Ijumu Constituency, Hon. Olusola Kilani has felicitated with Nigeria and her citizens on the celebration of the country at 59th year of Independence.

Hon Kilani said that despite the fierce interference of the military rule, the country has been able to stand firm and undivided, stating that Nigeria is still on the right track of achieving greatness in the future

He added that even though Nigeria is still a developing country, it has the potential of becoming one of the great nations in the universe through its mineral resources if efforts are properly channeled towards harnessing the minerals for a sustainable economic prosperity.

He urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of unity, oneness and patriotism and eschew from promoting tribalism, terrorism and other social vices that are capable of relegating the country among its contemporaries.

He appealed to Nigerians to continue to have faith in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and urged kogites to support the administration of Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, stressing that both of them have been able to foster unity and deliver the dividends of democracy to the door steps of the people.

Hon. Kilani acknowledged the efforts of the heroes who have pass away while fighting for the liberation of Nigeria as a country, he prayed that their labour will never be in vain

Ahead of the November 16th gubernatorial election in Kogi State, Barr Natasha Akpoti has emerged the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, having won the ticket of the party in the primary election held on Tuesday in Lokoja, the state capital.

Akpoti who was the senatorial candidate of the party in the last National Assembly elections was returned as the Guber candidate after polling a total of 751 votes in the election which she was the only candidate.

Presenting the flagbearer to the public, the Chairman of the electoral panel, Dr Benson Ogbonna said that she was declared winner having satisfied all the requirements as stipulated by the constitution of the party, and in line with the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended).

“Although Mrs. Akpoti was the only candidate for the election, but the SDP maintained that for her nomination to pass through due process, party guidelines and procedures, all 762 accredited voters from the 21 local government areas went through the voting process to fulfil the requirements for the nomination of Akpoti as the party’s governorship candidate,” he said.

Akpoti in appreciation promised better deals for civil servants, free education, development of SMEs, and collaboration with the Federal Government to revive the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company.

Meanwhile, she is currently in court challenging the results of the senatorial elections which declared the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Dr Yakubu Oseni as winner.

21th August, 2019.

FOR THE RECORD:

Kogi State was created by former Head of State, General Gbadamasi Ibrahim Babangida on August 27th 1991. After a series of agitations which originated since 1981 when many Elders of the old Kabba province such as Professor Albert Ozigi, Joseph Abu Ogbeha, Liman Umar, Walter Bako and Timothy Elukpo, had mobilised themselves and set up a committee, headed by Senator Ahmadu Ali, to lobby various successive governments.
Their lobby process suffered a lot of setback with various administrations, due to politic. The group submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly, in the Second Republic, Shagari's administration, for the creation of Kogi State separately from Kwara and Benue States.
That effort died with Shagari’s government that was eventually ousted from power a few years later by General Mohammadu Buhari, via a military coup.
There was nothing the group could achieve during the administration of General Mohammadu Buhari, because of his masses unfriendly policies initiated by his government. Many rights of the citizens was whisked away, and any group could hardly agitate for anything so called their rights.
The agitation for the creation of Kogi State later gained serious momentum when General Ibrahim Babangida assumed office.

After creating Akwa-Ibom and Kastina States in 1987, the government had warned that it ‘would no longer entertain request for state creation from self-seeking politicians and champions of ethnic groups. Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha, who refused to give up on the agitation, approached Babangida and in a veiled conversation presented the agenda of the creation of Kogi State. General Babangida and was denied. Some elders from old Kabba-Province, led by Timothy Walter Bako, paid a solidarity visit to Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha at Jaji in mid-1980s as part of the ‘lobby’ to actualise Kogi State. The solidarity team got the same message from Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha. He had encouraged his townsmen to make do with what was available in Kwara State and take advantage of the opportunities it presented. He also told them there was nothing to suggest their aspirations were going to be actualised as at that time.
But the table turned and General Babangida developed a change of heart and was set to meet with Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha once again in 1990 at the Abuja State House. And in company of his late wife, Jacinta Ogbeha, Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha paid General Babangida a courtesy visit and the Kogi agenda was further discussed with better in-depth analysis. Which led to the Head of State giving a nod for the creation of Kogi State.

At the critical stage of decision making, Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha had earlier travelled out of the country for vacation and was physically absent to further push his agitation. And due to pressure mounted on the Head of State by top ethic group leaders and high ranked military officers; his efforts became threatened. This lead to him reaching out to his friend and brother, General David Mark and General Abdulsalam Abubakar to keep the pressure on General Babangida and sustain the lobby (both men were members of the Armed Forces Ruling Council).

General Babangida announced the creation of Kogi State on the early hours of 27th August 1991, and it was a reunion of various ethic groups who has coexisted far before the colonial era and under the old Kabba Province for over 80 years.
At the creation of Kogi State in August 1991, Colonel Danladi Mohammed Zakari, was appointed first military governor. On Zakari’s resumption, the new Governor was accommodated in Brigadier General Tunde Ogbeha’s house; which also temporarily served as the Governor’s office.
From the above history; kindly take note of the sacrifice made by the people who fought for the creation of the state. And how they all come together from different tribes to actualize their objective.
EBIGO AGENDA:
The EBIGO Agenda as initiated by the state government is in total disagreement with what Kogi State stands for right from its inception by the heros who fought for the creation of the state. The state was created to harmonies all ethic groups who were former allies during the defunct northern region and prior to the colonial era. EBIGO Agenda is a movement that can further fuel division amongst other ethic groups who must already be feeling left out when it comes to governance in the state.
There are three main ethnic groups and languages in Kogi: Igala, Ebira, and Okun (a Yoruba Group) with other such as Bassa-Nge, a people of Nupe extraction in Lokoja and Bassa Local Government Area, Bassa-Komo of Bassa Local Government Area, Gwari, Kakanda, Oworo people(A Yoruba Group), Ogori, Magongo, Idoma and the pure NUPE people of Eggan community under Lokoja Local Government.
These groups mentioned above has totally been ruled out of the EBIGO Agenda proposed by the government of Kogi State and the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Kogi State Chapter. The the implementation and adoption of the EBIGO Agenda; these other ethic groups will have no hope of one day heading the affairs of the state. In totality, all groups in Kogi State have to rise up and put the EBIGO Agenda to condemnation, and rubbish to be scrapped; as this is far beyond political sentiment, but in a bid to see our dear State succeed without being hijacked by desperate political mongers.
My question to Yahaya Bello campaign team is: how do you intend to accommodate other ethic groups in your EBIGO Agenda? What will be the hope of an average Kakanda person hoping to one day rule Kogi State?
EBIGO Agenda is selfish and should not be welcome by any fraction of the state. The agenda stands as a threat to the unity and peace of all ethic groups in the state, and the agenda is not only a stain on what those who agitated for the creation of the state solicited for, but also a division tool formed to place the three major ethic groups far above other striving ones. And this makes me wonder what the founding fathers of the state will be thinking of: a man who knows nothing about how Kogi State came to be, but oppotuned to be governor, as chosen by fate. Governor Yahaya Bello has no political right to initiate an agenda such as EBIGO. Kogi State is for everyone and no tribe should be place above another. EBIGO; which stands for Ebira, Igala, and Okun, is an agenda that will successfully marginalize other ethic groups if allowed to flourish.
Every meaning Kogiet who have the love and unity for the state at heart, should rise up in condemnation of this movement, irrespective of political differences, religion background and ethic group. We all want Kogi State to succeed, and every tribe and ethic group should count.

God bless Kogi State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria