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Obaseki says he is yet to move to another party

Editorial
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Obaseki says he is yet to move to another party

 By Vincent UFUOMA

The embattled governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said he is yet to move to another party for his re-election bid.

But there is an indication that he may fly the flag of the opposition PDP in the governorship election scheduled for September 19.

He tweeted on Wednesday that his focus at the moment is to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic currently spreading fast in the State.

“I have not moved to a new platform yet to seek re-election.

“My focus now is to control the spread of the coronavirus (#COVID19) pandemic, which is ravaging our country and threatening our healthcare system.”

Mr. Obaseki who has been on loggerhead with Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), was disqualified last week by the APC screening committee from contesting the party primary election due to ‘multiple discrepancies in his academic certificates.’

The ICIR reported on Tuesday about Obaseki’s resignation from the APC shortly after meeting with Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr. Obaseki said on Twitter that he will continue to fight and defend the interest of Edo people as he considers seeking his re-election bid on yet to announce platform.

“I have officially resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress (@OfficialAPCNg) after meeting with the CoS to @MBuhari,”

“We shall continue the battle to protect the interest of Edo people and sustain good governance in the state,” he tweeted.

In another development, the Appeal Court setting in Abuja on Tuesday upheld the suspension of Mr. Oshiomhole as the APC national chairman.

APC names Ajimobi as acting chairman as court upholds Oshiomole’s suspension

Samad UTHMAN
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APC names Ajimobi as acting chairman as court upholds Oshiomole’s suspension

THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has announced Abiola Ajimobi, a former governor of Oyo State as the party’s acting National Chairman.

This follows the ruling of an Abuja Appeal Court upholding the suspension of Adams Oshiomole, as the party’s elected chairman.

According to The PUNCH, a three-man panel of the court led by Justice Eunice Onyemanam, in a unanimous judgment on Tuesday, affirmed the order of the suspension of the APC National Chairman earlier issued by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on March 4, 2020.

It could be recalled that a three-man panel led by Justice Abubakar Yahaya had already lifted Oshiomhole’s suspension pending the hearing of his appeal as prayed by him.

But the Justice Onyemanam-led panel, which earlier heard the appeal on Tuesday, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

However, in a press statement obtained by The ICIR, signed by Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC National Publicity Secretary, the party disclosed that the enthronement of Abiola Ajimobi, the party Deputy National Chairman was in line with the advice of the party’s legal department, backed by the party’s constitution.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has received the news indicating the Appeal Court has upheld the suspension of the Party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by an FCT High Court pending the determination of the substantive suit,” the statement read.

Issa Onilu added that the action was “guided by advice from the Party’s legal department in line with the provisions of Section 14.2. (iii) of the Party’s constitution, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Sen. Abiola Ajimobi will serve as the Party’s Acting National Chairman.”

According to him, Section 14 subsection (iii) of the APC constitution stated that the Deputy National Chairman, North/South “Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone”.

However, media reports had it that Ajimobi is currently suffering from complications from the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Reports say the former governor  has been admitted at the First Cardiologist and Cardiovascular Consultants Hospital, Lagos, since June 2.

According to a former aide of him who did not want to be named, the former governor was in coma for about a week but has since regained consciousness. It was not clear if he was suffering from COVID-19.

Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi is the immediate past governor of Oyo state where he served for eight years of two tenures.

He became the National Deputy Chairman of the party in March 2020.

 

ICPC seizes multi-million asset belonging to Bauchi Gov, Bala Mohammed

Ihuoma ILO
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ICPC seizes multi-million asset belonging to Bauchi Gov, Bala Mohammed

 

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), says it has seized a  multi-million naira property which houses Zinaria International School located at Plot 298 Wuye District, Cadastral Zone B3, , Abuja, belonging to Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State.

According to ICPC, the seizure was pursuant to its powers contained in Section 45 (4) (a-c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Rasheedat  Okoduwa, spokesperson of the Commission, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

Okoduwa stated Bala Mohammed would be prosecuted after his tenure, saying he enjoys immunity by virtue of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.

She explained that investigation by the ICPC’s intelligence revealed that Mohammed in his official capacity as the FCT Minister had allocated the said property to a school that had himself and family members as directors and shareholders, despite an existing right of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture over the land.

The Commission, Okoduwa said, will issue notices of seizure to be served on the appropriate land registry, ministry and department where the property is situated as required by law.

She disclosed that Mohammed had earlier been charged for using his office to confer corrupt advantage upon himself and relations under Section 19 of ICPC law but could not be arraigned before he was sworn in as Governor of Bauchi State.

The ICPC spokesperson further revealed that the charge which was pending before Justice Danladi Senchi of FCT High Court 13, Jabi, was withdrawn by the Commission according to the provisions of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, to forestall its being struck out by the court suo moto.

Following the notice of seizure, the Commission will apply to the court for an order of forfeiture under Section 48 of the ICPC Act in line with the Federal Government policy focusing on recovery of proceeds of crime, pending when the tenure of the governor expires.

AfDB bans two Chinnese, Danish companies for 21 months over fraudulent practices

Lukman ABOLADE
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AfDB bans two Chinnese, Danish companies for 21 months over fraudulent practices

THE African Development Bank (AFDB) has placed a 21-month settlement ban on two Chinese and Danish Companies, Sieyuan Electric and Burmeister & Wain over fraudulent practices.

The development bank made this known through two separate statements signed by Amba Mpoke-Bigg of its Communication and External Relations Department on June 8 and 16 respectively.

The AfDB revealed that an investigation by its Integrity and Anti-Corruption office revealed that in 2015, Sieyuan Electric and and its subsidiary, Jiangsu Rugao had falsified documents to illegally outscore other bidders in the bank’s financed project in Rwanda.

Sieyuan Electric and subsidiary again falsified documents in response to an enquiry by the Anti-Corruption wing of AfDB.

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In the settlement agreement, the China based company and its subsidiary are excluded from AfDB’s project for 12 and 21 months respectively.

The bank also announced a 21 months debarment of Danish based Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor for colluding with some members of the Mauritian administration to gain undue advantage over competitors in the bank’s Saint Louis power plant in Mauritius.

“Evidence supports a finding that Burmeister & Wain, on a balance of probabilities, financially rewarded members of the Mauritian administration and others, through the intermediary of third parties, for providing access to confidential tender-related information,” AfDB wrote.

It noted that the information allowed the company gain access to technical specifications of the tenders as required for the project.

“Burmeister & Wain further concealed the arrangements it had entered into with the third parties, in breach of the rules governing the tenders,” the statement further read.

Following the debarment agreement between AfDB and the contractors, a cross- debarment shall be made which would bound the two companies from bidding for projects from any other developmental bank.

The two companies have been cross debarred by the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

Sanwo-Olu suspends reopening of places of worship, event centres  indefinitely

Samad UTHMAN
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Sanwo-Olu suspends reopening of places of worship, event centres  indefinitely

BABAJIDE Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, has suspended the reopening of mosques, churches, event centres and gatherings in the state till further notice.

The governor announced the suspension during a press briefing held at the Government House on Tuesday.

“I am here to inform you that we will not be proceeding with the reopening of places of worship as stated earlier for 19th and 21st. We are suspending it till further notice” the governor said.

Sanwoolu added that the state government’s review “indicates that attempt of opening we needed that attempt to reopen.”

“We wish to state that all social events, event centres, social clubs all still remain closed. And for emphasis, all of them still remain closed, they have not been opened,” he said.

According to Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, the suspension of the opening of the places of worship and social gatherings was as a result of advice from health officials 

The governor had  in a press briefing on June announced its intention to reopen religious centres on June 21.

According to him, mosques were to reopen from June 19 while churches were to begin services from June 21 and were to open only on Friday and Sunday.

 

 

Man gets help from UBA after public outcry on Twitter

Editorial
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Man gets help from UBA after public outcry on Twitter

By Vincent UFUOMA

A PAINTER, Adeyemi Olarewaju, who was almost electrocuted by transformer near a branch of the United Bank for Africa in Ado Ekiti has received a cash gift of N1 million to cover his hospital bill six months after the accident.

Olranwaju told The ICIR that the management of UBA had just left his house leaving him with a cheque of N1m to go for onward treatment.

“I will be going back to the hospital tomorrow,” he said.

Speaking to The ICIR, he said his problem started on December 18, 2019, when he left home at the request of a former manager of the bank to help repaint the perimeter fence of the bank in Ado Ekiti.

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But little did he know that he would have an accident in the bank that will leave a permanent scar on his body.

His story which attracted an outcry on Twitter was posted on social media by @YemieFASH on Monday, 15th June. The Twitter account holder called attention to the plight of the man whom he said has been abandoned by the UBA.

This reporter later reached out to the victim who confirmed the story. He said trouble started last year when his friend asked him to come and paint the perimeter fence of the bank. And as he was trying to paint an area of the fence that is close to a transformer,  he felt a huge shock ran through his body and was nearly electrocuted. He said it took the intervention of people around to rescue him before he was immediately rushed to the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSTUH) for treatment.

“I didn’t know what happened but I know that it was while I was trying to cover an area very close to a transformer owned by the bank that I got electrocuted. It took the efforts of one of the security men at the bank to pull me out of the transformer’s house and was immediately rushed to teaching hospital.”

The incident which has led to the amputation of one of his hands and left him paralysed kept him for nearly three months at EKSTUH. He was later discharged because he could no longer afford the cost of his treatment. He said the bank left him to pay after it had paid for his initial hospital bills.

“My friend, the manager who invited me for the job, gave me N50,000 for my hospital bill. It was about three days later that I learned my friend has been retired as the manager of the bank. He called me to introduce me to the new manager and explained my predicament to her. The new manager gave me money in tranches of about N150,000 for another hospital bill and an additional N20,000 which I learnt was contributed by staff of the bank to celebrate the festive season with my family.

“It was later, I was told by the hospital that I will need additional money to undergo a surgery. I have exhausted all my savings and have since been reaching out to the bank for help. The manager outrightly turned down an appeal by my father for additional funds, saying the bank has done all it could do for me financially and it has nothing else to offer,” he stated.

However, he told this reporter that the management of UBA had just left his house leaving him with a cheque of N1m to go for onward treatment.

He expressed gratitude to those who shared his story which later got the attention of the UBA management.

 

“We won’t be using your useless airline again …,”Naira Marley fires back at ExecuJet

Ihuoma ILO
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“We won’t be using your useless airline again …,”Naira Marley fires back at ExecuJet

NIGERIAN musical star, Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley, on Tuesday slammed the management of Executive Jet Services Limited over a comment by the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Sam Iwuajoku, that the musician and his crew were a bunch of “useless” people.

Marley who came under criticism after he performed in a concert Friday night in Abuja in violation of the lockdown guidelines, said he and his followers would no longer patronise the airline for calling them “useless” people.

“Do you know that over 20,000 Marlians travel with executive jet a month. We won’t be using your useless airline again for calling us useless,” Marley wrote on Twitter.

He also thanked God for saving their lives, claiming that the aircraft nearly crash.

“Thank God we didn’t crash on that flight sha because we nearly did. BTW We didn’t book the flight ourselves.”

Marley further called out the CEO of the airline saying “Mr executive jet calling us useless is not only defamation but oppressive. The statement by the CEO is arrogant and silly. #NobodyIsUseless”

His comment came after the management of the airline apologised to the Federal Government for conveying the artiste and his team to Abuja amidst the interstate travel ban due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the letter, the company’s CEO said he thought it was Babatunde Fashola,  the Minister of Works and Housing that was the passenger not knowing that “it was a bunch of useless people”.

The Federal Government had on Tuesday announced an indefinite suspension of the airline for the role it played in the concert controversy while the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) sealed off Jabi Lake Mall, where the concert held for two weeks.

But in his first reaction to the incident, Naira Marley who tweeted that the management of the airline requested their names while onboard clarified that his brother’s name is Moshood Babatunde Fashola while his own name is Azeez Adeshina Fashola.

Meanwhile, Musa Bello, FCT Minister in a statement on Tuesday said that the FCT Administration which has a responsibility to protect the lives of the citizenry is determined to prosecute all those involved in orchestrating the concert to the full extent of the law.

He said the administration views the actions of the organisers and attendees at this concert as reckless, wicked, insensitive, and utter disrespect and disregard both for the law and the wellbeing and welfare of fellow citizens.

 

 

We’re robbing our children to pay for our greed – Atiku speaks on Nigeria’s debt profile

Seun DUROJAIYE
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We’re robbing our children to pay for our greed – Atiku speaks on Nigeria’s debt profile

ATIKU Abubakar, former Vice President and one-time presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern over the rising debt of Nigeria.

“We are not just robbing Peter to pay Paul, but robbing our children to pay for our greed,” Abubakar said of a recent statement that the country’s debt to revenue ratio is now 99 percent.

In a series of tweets shared on Tuesday, the former Vice President cited figures presented in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, which show that while Nigeria spent a total sum of ₦943.12 billion in debt servicing in the first quarter of 2020, the Federal Government’s retained revenue for the same period was only ₦950.56 billion.

According to him such debt to revenue ratio shows that the country is in a crisis saying that the nation’s 2020 first quarter financial report Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy is shocking .

“Nothing has shocked me in my entire life in public service as the revelation from Nigeria’s First Quarter 2020 financial reports in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, which shows, alarmingly, that whereas Nigeria spent a total sum of ₦943.12 billion in debt servicing, the Federal Government’s retained revenue for the same period was only ₦950.56 billio,” he said.

“This means that Nigeria’s debt to revenue ratio is now 99%.”

“No one should be deceived. This is a crisis! Debt servicing does not equate to debt repayment. The reality is that Nigeria is paying only the minimum payment to cover our interest charges. The principal remains untouched and is possibly growing,” he said further.

Atiku Abubakar also condemned the current cost of governance, describing it as unnecessary while urging the Federal Government to cut down the cost and channel the revenue to other vital areas of need in the country.

He advised against the maintenance of the presidential air fleet and ‘renovation of buildings – referring to the National Assembly Complex, just as he also condemned the limousine fleet for top government officials, overseas travels and treatments, and the ₦4.6 billion Presidential Villa maintenance budget, stating that all are wasteful projects.

“As a matter of utmost urgency and importance, I call on the Federal Government to take immediate steps to drastically reduce its expenditure, especially on wasteful projects.

“We cannot be on the verge of economic ruin, while still maintaining a Presidential Air Fleet that has more planes than the Presidential fleets of those from whom we take these loans,” his tweet read in part.

In the 2020 revised budget, President Muhammadu Buhari approved N27.7 billion for the renovation of the National Assembly Complex, a N9.3 billion deduction, representing a 25 percent reduction from its initial budgeted amount of N37 billion.

Meanwhile in a Quartz Africa report, Marco Hernandez, World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria said that Nigeria’s problem isn’t debt, but more about servicing debt.

 

JAMB announces 160 as cut-off mark for university admission

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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JAMB announces 160 as cut-off mark for university admission

THE Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced 160 and above as the cut-off mark for admission into universities across the country for the 2020/2021 academic session.

Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar who disclosed on Tuesday this as part of the outcome of the 2020 policy meeting on admissions to tertiary institutions which was held virtually said polytechnics cut-off marks is pegged at 120 and above while Colleges of Education’s cut-off mark is 100 and above.

While cautioning management of universities not to charge above N2000 for admission screening, Oloyede further disclosed that 612, 557 candidates were offered admission in 2019.

He said about 510,957 admission spaces were unused by tertiary institutions in 2019, adding that  only 1,157,977 candidates had the required five credits with English and Mathematics that sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) last year.

“Out of 1,157,977 candidates who sat for UTME in 2019, about 612,557 were admitted,” Oloyede said.

Oloyede noted that candidates waiting for their results will only be considered when they are uploaded on its website.

Speaking at the meeting, Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, directed JAMB and tertiary institutions to proceed with the conduct of 2020/2021 admissions.

Admission processes are expected to commence in August based on the guidelines released by JAMB.

Represented by Emeka Nwajiuba, the Minister of State for Education,  Adamu urged JAMB and tertiary institutions to consider candidates with previous years Senior School Certificate Examination and other qualifying results, to proceed with the admission process.

He said government will make arrangement that will accommodate applicants who will be taking the examination when the opportunity to do so is worked out.

“As major stakeholders, we must jointly come up with reactions that would realign our programmes to these new realities,” Adamu said.

“While these reactions are being fine-tuned to check their capacities and capabilities to withstand the new reality, JAMB and tertiary institutions could take advantage of the current situation and consider candidates with previous years Senior School Certificate Examination and other qualifying results, to proceed on with the admission process.”

“Whatever arrangement that the country comes up with in the long run, will surely accommodate those who will be taking the examination when the opportunity to do so is worked out.”

After meeting with Gambari, Obaseki renounces APC membership

Samad UTHMAN
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After meeting with Gambari, Obaseki renounces APC membership

GODWIN Obaseki, Governor of Edo State has resigned his membership of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

“I have officially resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress (@OfficialAPCNg) after meeting with the CoS to@MBuhari. We shall continue the battle to protect the interest of Edo people and sustain good governance in the state,” Obaseki wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Obaseki who has been in a running battle with Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of APC, which has culminated into his disqualification from contesting the party’s governorship primary in Edo State also told State House correspondents Tuesday morning after a meeting with Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Contrary to the reasons given by the APC screening committee that disqualified him based on ‘multiple discrepancies in his academic certificates,’ Obaseki dismissed the ground for his disqualification.

The Governor had tweeted on Sunday that he would disclose his next move after meeting with President  Buhari and consulting with his supporters. 

He is yet to announce his next move, but there are speculations that Obaseki may join the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Since his disqualification, Obaseki has been in talks with the leadership of the PDP with the view to actualise his second term bid by securing the party’s governorship ticket.

 The ICIR reported on Friday how the embattled governor was screened out by a seven-man panel screening committee of APC led by Professor Jonathan Ayuba, in Abuja after sighting multiple inconsistencies in Obaseki’s submitted academic certificates.

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