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Assembly aspirant, urges legislators to protect the youth

Assembly aspirant, urges legislators to protect the youth

Legislators have been advised to make laws that would protect and develop the youth as one of their major roles in ensuring a better society.

The Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant vying to represent Somolu Constituency ll, on the platform of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Tunde Aleshinloye-Williams, gave this advice in Lagos while addressing some party members.

Mr Aleshinloye-Williams who stated that the Youth age category is the backbone of any Nation said "it is time, a special attention is given to develop the youth of the Nation and give them opportunities to thrive, if we are ready to move forward".

He said, "it is sad that some Nigerian youths are greatly using their talents abroad, to develop other people's Countries, while back home they were frustrated and rejected before traveling out to search for better opportunities, thus causing brain drain in the Country.

Mr Aleshinloye-Williams charged the youth to take their destinies in their hands by participating fully in the electoral process and ensure credible people are elected into political offices to represent them, saying "they are the leaders of today and their future is now".

According to him, "the youth must not sit on the fence, they must participate in politics. They should not sell their votes to the highest bidder, but elect credible people with capacity to serve and make things change for the better".

"The PDP is youth friendly, and that is why I'm there. When given the opportunity to serve, I would not only lobby to protect the youth but the aged, children, female and all, by lobbying for Shomolu constituency ll to develop and create an enabling environment for people to thrive.

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Second term bid: Suspense in Lagos as Ambode flies to Abuja to beg Tinubu

Second term bid: Suspense in Lagos as Ambode flies to Abuja to beg Tinubu

 

The confusion over the reelection bid of Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, failed to clear off on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress national leadership could not secure a firm commitment from its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on governor’s second term ambition.

The APC leaders, led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the party’s National  Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, who were said to be acting on the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, met with Tinubu again to prevail on him to “forgive” Ambode his alleged infractions and back the governor to secure a second term.

 

A source close to the national secretariat of the party, however, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the effort of the leaders could not be said to have resolved the situation as Tinubu did not give Osinbajo and Oshiomhole any specific promise of supporting Ambode for a second term.

The source stated, “The President asked the vice-president and the national chairman to resolve the crisis amicably so that the governor could get a second term. Osinbajo met Tinubu twice in Abuja on Friday on Ambode’s matter, where he relayed the President’s message and the need to keep Lagos for the APC.

 

He also told Asiwaju the President would not want the crisis to affect the party in the 2019 general elections.

“The National Leader however maintained that there would be wider consultations back home before he would be able to accede to the request. He said the governor’s matter is beyond him alone.

“It is difficult to say what happened during the second meeting with Osinbajo but it appeared the vice-president and Tinubu were able to arrive at a meeting point, which is difficult to clarify.”

 

It was gathered that Buhari’s foremost concern was that the crisis in Lagos State, which boasts of the highest number of registered voters, if not well-managed, could affect his political calculations for his second term bid.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that as the APC leaders battled to save the embattled governor’s second term ambition, Ambode landed in Tinubu’s house in Abuja, where the governor appealed to the former Lagos State governor to forgive him his alleged offences.

 

Another very reliable party source said, “Yes, it was part of the efforts we are making from this end to save the party from crisis in the state and the nation. The governor came to beg Tinubu in his residence in Abuja to forgive him. I think the appeal helped to reduce the tension and soften the ground for the governor. It is, however, difficult to say if that had ended the crisis.

 

“Some governors have also called the national leader, pleading with him to save their ‘poster boy’ the humiliation of not getting a second term. Their fears are that such development in Lagos, which is the economic nerve centre of the country, could have negative effect on the fortunes of the party in other states.”

A source in the camp of the Lagos ex-governor, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, confirmed the meeting between Tinubu and his political godson in Abuja.

 

“Yes, the meeting held. He (Ambode) saw Asiwaju in Abuja but I cannot give you any detail,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu, Tinubu’s loyalists hold Lagos declaration rally today

It was learnt that Tinubu returned to Lagos on Saturday as preparations for the rally and formal declaration of an APC governorship aspirant in the state, Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, were being concluded.

 

The organisers of the rally, billed for City Hall, Lagos Island, on Sunday, had concluded that 1,000 supporters be mobilised from each of the local government areas in the state for the rally.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that after the return of Tinubu from Abuja, the chairmen of the local governments held another crucial meeting at Watercress Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on “new development” concerning the Sunday event.

 

A source at the meeting, who is an aide of one of the council chairmen, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the chairmen were informed that while the rally for Sanwo-Olu would still go ahead on Sunday, the chairmen should no longer “mobilise” 1,000 supporters from their local governments.

“No, the rally has not been called off. The chairmen are in the meeting, but the latest information is that they should no longer mobilise 1,000 people from the councils. Those to attend the rally are the leaders from the ward to the state level; the state and federal legislators and party chiefs,” he said.

 

One of the aides of Tinubu told one of our correspondents that the rally would still go ahead as planned on Sunday.

“That’s the grand declaration. It’s going ahead; nothing has changed,” he said.

Another source, a former member of the state House of Assembly, however, said the reduction in the number of those to attend the rally was a crowd control strategy at the venue.

 

“You know the way our people behave. Even the supporters, who are meant to attend, will get to the venue before the organisers,” he stated.

The former lawmaker, however, said the latest information on the battle to save Ambode’s job was that nothing had changed from the resolve of party stakeholders in the state to see off the Epe-born technocrat.

 

“As of this afternoon, what we heard was that Asiwaju has not agreed (to back Ambode). I don’t know what happened in the evening o; things might have changed,” he said.

A lawmaker, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, argued that while the embattled governor had not shown enough political sagacity in handling the affairs of the party leaders in the state, it would be in the interest of the APC to resolve its festering crisis amicably.

 

He added, “It was the same crisis we faced in the day of (Babatunde) Fashola until we were able to block the funneling of money to the Labour Party by one of our leaders.

“Don’t forget that we lost some seats to the PDP in the last elections. We knew what we had to do to bring some of them back to the APC.

 

“So, it is in the interest of the party to resolve this crisis to prevent such crack again.”

Epe Christians, Muslims, others organise prayers to save son’s job

Meanwhile, it was learnt that some segments of Epe, the hometown of Ambode, had embarked on prayers to save the head of their son, whom they believed had positively contributed to the modernisation of the ancient town.

 

The prayers, it was learnt, cut across Muslims, Christians and traditional worshippers.

The Olu-Epe of Epe town, Oba Sefiu Olatunji Adewale, attended a special Islamic vigil organised by the Muslim Community at the Epe Central Mosque, on Friday night and lasted till the early hours on Sunday.

The prayer session is an annual programme meant to pray for the general well-being of all Epe indigenes.

 

A resident of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told SUNDAY PUNCH that notable indigenes of the town, especially Muslims, attended the prayer session.

Asked if special prayers were offered for the governor, the source said, “Definitely, he (Ambode) would be the special focus of such prayers at this time.

“Everybody in the town wants him to return for a second term and we are not happy with his current predicament.”

 

“The Christians and traditional worshippers have also joined in the prayers. If we miss this opportunity, only God knows when Epe will have the same opportunity again.

“In this place, everybody is for Ambode; no division. That is why you don’t see any of the chairmen from this area in the meetings that had been held on this crisis. The seven Epe chairmen were not at the Watercress Hotel meeting on Saturday either.

 

“If anyone is believed to be against Ambode, the person could go missing, either now or later.”

 

Punch 

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Stop predicting my defeat, return Abacha loot – Buhari blasts HSBC

Stop predicting my defeat, return Abacha loot – Buhari blasts HSBC
 

President Muhammadu Buhari has lambasted HSBC for saying his second term would stunt the economy.

 

HSBC Bank Plc is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world.

The financial institution had in a recent report predicted that President Buhari will lose the 2019 presidential election.

 

A statement on Saturday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said “a bank that soiled its hand with ‘‘milions of US dollars yet-to-be-recovered Abacha loot and continued until a few months ago to shield the stolen funds of one of the leaders of the Nigerian Senate has no moral right whatsoever to project that a “second term for Mr. Buhari raises the risk of limited economic progress and further fiscal deterioration.”

He stated: “We ask them to heed President Buhari’s constant refrain: return our stolen assets, then see how well we will do.

“From the facts available to our investigation agencies, HSBC’s put down on President Buhari is no more than an expression of frustration over the administration’s measures put in place which has abolished grand corruption, the type which this bank thrives on in many countries.

 

“They may also just be out to discredit the President out of the fear of sanctions and fines following the national assets that are stolen.

“With the coming of President Buhari, it is not a secret that corruption, corrupt individuals, banks and other corporate entities that aided corrupt practices are under investigation for various offenses.

“For many of them, including their friends in the media, they would rather have President Buhari out of their way, for business as usual to return.

“Our investigation agencies believe that HSBC had laundered more than USD 100,000,000 for the late General Sani Abacha in Jersey, Paris, London and Geneva.

“Among these accounts on the records are: AC: S-104460 HSBC Fund Admin Ltd. Jersey ($12,000,000); AC 37060762 HSBC Life (Europe), U.K ($20,000,000) and AC: 38175076 HSBC Bank Plc. U.K ($1,600,000).

“The bank is also suspected in the laundering of proceeds of corruption involving more than 50 other Nigerians, including a serving Senator as earlier indicated.

“In a book, “Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation”, published in 2017, Jack Bernstein told the story of global money laundering highlighting the unenviable place of the HSBC.

“This is a bank that states and federal authorities in the U.S. forced to pay $1.92 billion to settle charges of money laundering; fined $1.2 billion in Hong Kong for “systemic deficiencies” in bond sales and was made to pay $100 million in currency rigging settlement as reported by The Telegraph of 18th January, 2018.

 

Thisday

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David Mark visits IBB in Minna

David Mark visits IBB in Minna

Former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida


Sen.David Mark , has arrived Minna, capital of Niger State to hold a private meeting with the former military President Ibrahim Babangida. The meeting lasted for two hours at the Hilltop residence of the former military ruler.

 

NAN reports that Sen.David Mark arrived at about 1.30pm in company of Sen. Zainab Kure, Sen. Tunde Ogbeha and Sen.Suleman Adokwe, current chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.

The 70 year-old Mark, who has been in the senate since 1999, obviously came to discuss his presidential ambition with Babangida, who had hosted several other aspirants. Among them were the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Attahiru Bafarawa, Sule Lamido and Ahmed Makarfi, all contesting under the Peoples Democratic Party platform.

Said one of Mark’s aides who didn’t want his name mentioned: ” Yes my boss is discussing with IBB. First to brief him and seek his prayers and support for the task ahead”.

Sen. Zainab Kure, who is the director general David Mark Presidential Campaign Organisation told NAN that Mark is a good material needed to reposition the country for optimal growth.

“He was a former military Governor, communications Minister and senate president of the Federal Republic. So he possesses all the required political acumen to lead our country “,she said.

Zainab also hoped that the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) would conduct a free, fair and credible election.

” I am appealing to all eligible Nigerians to support the electoral processes to enable the commission discharge its constitutional mandate “, she said.She said that the task to ensure a peaceful conduct of the 2019 election is the joint responsibility of all stakeholders especially the politicians

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Lady who ‘jumped’ off Third Mainland Bridge: How I was blackmailed after defrauded of N75m by syndicate

 

Three months ago, Nigerians were stunned speechless when a woman, later identified as Mrs. Akinloye Oluwatoyin, allegedly jumped off the Third Mainland Bridge, into the Lagoon over an alleged discovery of her nude pictures and that of her lover on the internet. Rumour was rife that she leapt to her death because she couldn’t face her husband after her torrid affair was discovered via the pictures.

The alleged affair and subsequent ‘suicide’ sparked tense controversy on social media, creating two divides. One faction cursed the unknown lover, Otunba Femi Adesanya, who it was believed shared the pictures on the social media, the other faction railed against Oluwatoyin for violating her wedding vows. Incidentally, how the supposed death of Oluwatoyin spread was unknown back then, but her ‘corpse’ was never retrieved and nobody could state for a fact that she was seen leaping to her death.

The whole drama started on that fateful June 10, when Toyin was alleged to have jumped from the University of Lagos, Akoka, end of the bridge into the Lagoon. She was further claimed to have parked a Ford SUV before she committed suicide. It would be later discovered that the parked Ford SUV was not hers, neither was she ever at the bridge, let alone to have taken a fatal leap. Toyin, as she is fondly called by friends, was said to have been alerted by friends about the social media stunt, leading to her taking to her Facebook wall to tell friends and family in Nigeria and US, where she is a businesswoman, dealing in clothes, that she was hale and hearty. Before Toyin spoke, however, an unknown person, still fueling the furnace, ignited another rumour, insisting the businesswoman was swindled N10million by her supposed lover and she got him arrested.

The lover, piqued by her move after all the intimacies they had shared, allegedly flung her like raw fish to the sharks of social media to feast on by sharing her alleged nude pictures. Apparently determined to ruin her reputation, Adesanya shared semi nude pictures of himself, but complete nude pictures of Toyin. He was alleged to have shared it to prove to an unconcerned world that they were lovers and that the money was given in the spirit of love and romance.

Today, however, Toyin has finally decided to speak out, insisting that everything on social media was just one big pack of lies cooked and served to ensure she stopped seeking justice after a group of fraudsters, including a female friend, an Islamic cleric and Adesanya defrauded her N75million. She said: “I thought Adesanya was a genuine businessman, who was into selling of fuel at different filling stations. He was also the person who circulated the story that I jumped off the Third Mainland Bridge into the Lagoon over infidelity. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tried to caution him, but he wouldn’t listen. He was desperate to blackmail and stop me from pursuing the case.”

Toyin, who is married to Tunde, has three children for him and they all reside in US. Part of the lies told against Toyin during the damaging rumour was that following her alleged affair, her husband conducted a DNA test on their children and discovered that he was not the biological father of the three children. What most Nigerians didn’t know is that Toyin, in spite of all the insults hitting her from all directions, refused to back down in her quest for justice.

She petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who detailed his Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, to investigate the case. According to a police source, investigations showed that Toyin was a victim of fraud, “who, fell prey to a notorious fraud syndicate, based in Ijebu-Ode Ogun State,with international connections.” The source further said: “The victim, known as Toyin Texas, lost a total of N75m between March 2017 and January 2018.

This was the period she fell prey to the syndicate’s antics. Members of the syndicate went to publish her supposed nude pictures with a member of the syndicate on internet. This was done in a bid to prevent her from instituting a case against them.” Our correspondent gathered that on July 2018, Toyin wrote a petition to Idris, asking him to ensure the arrest of members of the syndicate. She further claimed that members of the syndicate were trying to kill her after their blackmail plans failed. Two among the alleged members, Adesanya and Alhaji Ganiu Awojobi, who allegedly played active roles in defrauding the businesswoman as well as publishing her nude pictures, had been arrested by IRT operatives.

The police said that Awojobi, who acted as an Islamic cleric, lured Toyin from America to Nigeria in November under the pretext of praying for her. Adesanya on the other hand, pretended to be a businessman and later defrauded her using a phony oil deal. The police discovered that Adesanya, alleged to be the leader of the syndicate, had a penchant for defrauding and blackmailing married women, especially rich women in Nigeria and those based overseas. It was alleged that several pictures of nude women and videos, most of them believed to be married, were recovered from him. Police alleged that Adesanya uses Sherifat as “a catcher” to get unsuspecting women and defraud them. Adesanya and the prophet were also able to brainwash Toyin into parting with her phone after telling her that her friend, Sherifat took her name to a shrine and that if she received a call with the phone, she would die. She gladly relinquished her phone to Adesanya, which he later converted to his.

The police also alleged that they discovered during investigations that Adesanya was the person who published Toyin’s nude pictures on the internet. Toyin, while narrating her ordeal, said that Adesanya and members of his syndicate caught her through the aid of one of her friends known as Sherifat.

The victim explained that Sherifat, who also resides in US, sometime in November 2016, told her about a vision and message a prophet, living in Nigeria had for her. This message, incidentally, came a month after the death of Toyin’s younger sister. Sherifat told Toyin, that an Islamic cleric in Nigeria, who used to pray for her, saw a vision and had a message for Toyin.

The cleric prophesied that if Toyin didn’t want to die the way her late sister did, she should be fervent in prayers. Toyin recounted: “Sherifat lives in the USA and we were close friends. When this issue started, she was the person who linked me to the Alfa in Nigeria, but I wasn’t talking to the Alfa. She then traveled to London in March 2017 to meet Adesanya, who she had an affair with. She called and told me again that the Alfa told her that my death was looming unless I performed some prayers.” While Sherifat was speaking with Toyin, Adesanya allegedly collected the phone and spoke with Toyin, stressing that he knew the cleric. He described the cleric as “powerful and well known in Nigeria.”

Toyin recalled: “Adesanya also told me that he had several businesses in Nigeria, including petrol filling stations in Ijebu- Ode, Ogun State. Alfa Awojobi asked for N154, 000 for the prayers; I told Sherri and Otunba that I didn’t have such an amount of money and they offered to pay N100, 000 for me, while I pay the balance. I did what they asked and the Alfa started praying for me. In April, 2018, the Alfa insisted that I must come to Nigeria for the final prayers. I was really scared and I didn’t want to die the way my younger sister did.

“I traveled to Nigeria and went straight to Alfa at Ijebu-Ode. He asked me to take my bath before entering his house which I did. By midnight, he brought four men and they started praying for me. Alfa said he had seen more visions and had more prophesies concerning my husband children. I ended up spending N1.5m at the Alfa’s place before returning to America.” She explained that in the midst of all these that Adesanya told her that he wanted her to invest in his oil business.

“He took me round some filling stations in Ijebu- Ode and people greeted him as if he was the owner of the filling stations,” recalled Toyin. “He asked me to invest a huge amount of money and maintained that after a month, I would get back my capital and 50 p e rcent as profit. I trusted him.” It was based on that trust that Toyin ran from pillar to post, to borrow N30m.

She disclosed that the person that gave her the loan, paid direct into Adesanya’s account. A month after money was paid, Toyin called Adesanya to ask about the business. “Adesanya got angry and paid back the money into my account. I was shocked and this made me believe and trusted him more than ever. I saw him as a genuine businessman. I pleaded and asked him to continue with the business. He asked me to change the money into dollars, which I did and took to him,” said Toyin. Toyin said that two months after the altercation, the situation still remained the same; Adesanya was not forthcoming with what was going on with business, she decided to cut ties and run. When she asked for her money, Adesanya told her that things were not going as planned because the money was not enough. He said that he needed more money.

This made Toyin to go looking for more money until she ended up paying as much as N75m. The last batch of money, which was N31m, was paid into Alfa Awojobi’s bank account. She said: “On December 2017, one of Adesanya boys called and told me that I was been defrauded. I tried to arrest Adesanya with military police, but they couldn’t recover my money. I also got him arrested with policemen in Osun and Ondo states, but he was soon allowed to go. I reported to operatives of the EFCC and they recovered 21, 000 nude photos and videos of various Nigeria women from him. He claimed that he was very sick and the EFCC granted him bail. But after his release, he went on the internet and published photoshop nude photos of myself and him, claiming that he had sexual relationship with me, which was a lie! “The EFCC also discovered transactions between the cleric and Adesanya. They were not able to arrest him. Someone advised me to go the IRT through the IG.

Thus, I reported my case and operatives trailed and arrested the cleric and Adesanya.” Narrating his own story, Alfa Awojobi confessed to the crime, but admitted to have collected only N31m from Toyin. He added: “It was Otunba, my partner, who brought the businesswoman to me. I’m a fraudster. I joined the syndicate three years ago. I was once a victim before I joined.

I act as an Islamic cleric, locally known as Alfa. It was Otunba that brought Toyin as a job and we defrauded her. All the money that was paid into my account by the businesswoman was shared between Otunba and I.” Adesanya, rather than face the crime and admit to it as his partner did, preferred to dwell on the nude pictures and his alleged affair with Toyin. He insisted that he had sexual relationship with her and added that Toyin’s nude pictures were displayed on internet because she first made his arrest public. It was apparently a case of tit for tat

 

NewTelegraph 

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SDP Will Restore Osun’s Lost Glory, free the People from Economic Bondage, Says Omisore

SDP Will Restore Osun’s Lost Glory, free the People from Economic Bondage, Says Omisore

 

Senator Iyiola Omisore, a former deputy governor in Osun State, former Chairman Senate Committee on appropriation is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the September 22 governorship election in Osun State. He speaks with select journalists on his ‘Restoration Agenda’ for his state, why he is advocating freedom for the people and a shift of power from the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) government to SDP; the good chances of his party in the election. Excerpts:

 

Your party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) earlier before now, released your manifestos called the ‘SDP Agenda for Restoration in Osun State,’ with a focus on five thematic pillars, first of which is economic management and accountability. What do you think is wrong with Osun State’s economy?

The Osun State economy is, no doubt, the worst in this country acclaimed by everybody and I believe that transparency, accountability and people-oriented policies will drive safely the economy to yield results. At present, there are lots of wastages, a lot of leakages, a lot of money has been wasted through consultancies, a lot of high and inflated contracts, a lot of undone jobs already paid for. These are enough areas I’m going to block. I will block all leakages and ensure that the money in Osun is spent for Osun people. The idea is to further establish linkages with national processes in a way to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals. Then, for the implementation of our programmes, we are going to maximally harness the Osun State’s human and capital resources to lay a solid foundation for an enduring turn-around of the state as an economically prosperous, socially harmonious and a model in democratic governance in Nigeria. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to inputs to thrive, and assets to protect human dignity.

 

You talked about the issue of inflated contracts, meaning that money had been taken out unjustifiably. Do you have any plan to retrieve the money back, or would there be any form of probe into government activities?

Well, contract jobs have been done, but there are a lot of avenues for wastes which we need to block. The leakages are there already, but its blockade will be done carefully so as not to slow down the government, and talking of probe, that is not an issue. We are going to look at all these positions professionally without minding whose ox is gored, and without being biased or without any sentiment, fear or favour. We will review all activities critically and ensure things are done correctly.

 

You also highlighted the issue of professionalism and performance, and if we look at the civil service generally already heavily criticized for slowing down the processes of governance, but with a peculiarity to Osun now, and the issue of salary payment, are these also bothering you?

To whom much is given, much is expected, and to whom less is given, less is expected. You can’t expect optimal performance, and what we call optimisation and leverables from workers who are not paid for over 36 months or are paid half salaries. So, basically, their morale will be low; their drive to work will be low; efficiency will be low, there is no doubt about that. So, you don’t expect much from them. This is why I think the driving force for any economy, any business, any office and any development is human capital development. Hence, we are going to reinforce human capital development to ensure that we increase performance and ensure we drive them and encourage them, motivate them, professionalise them and train them, so that they can deliver our goods, our manifestos and visions.

 

As you said, workers are being owed for 36 months, one of the reasons being Osun government saying there was no sufficient funds to run the state; how are you going to resolve this to ensure salaries and pensions are paid?

As rightly said, ‘Osun says there is no money,’ they are trying to let the public know there is no money.Where as they just collected about N17 billion Paris Club funds, and the wage bill is about N2 billion per month, and they said they are paying half salary, which means that over N16 billion can pay for 16 months. But, there is no courage; there is no will. There is no sincerity to defray the costs, rather, the government prefers to use it for bogus contracts, bogus expenses and mainly for election campaigns. Now, it is evident to everyone in the state that Osun state situation is comatose, and it is not in doubt that its current APC leadership has admitted its inability to cope, which is why the second term of Governor Rauf Aregbesola is being completed with a serious increase in hunger and poverty among people in the state and the private sector is nearing collapse, likewise the citizens are collapsing. Similarly, the confidence and motivation in the public sector is eroded and now at its all time lowest since Osun State was founded. Everyone is frustrated and the increasingly restive people of Osun State, including the aged, pensioners and our youths are calling for urgent action. Surely, the September 22 election has provided a democratic opportunity for action, an opportunity for people to vote Omisore of the SDP as the new governor of Osun State.

 

Similarly, the government had also added to the employ of the state, the O’YES cadets, said to be earning N10,000 per month, which at a time you spoke against. What will be the lot of this people under your administration?

The O’YES people recruited from Osun and who are Osun indigenes will be given gainful and pensionable jobs. We are not going to sack anybody, but we are going to make employment across board. Teachers will be recruited, likewise other categories of staff. There are so much vacancies but the government is not interested in empowering the people, employing our youths or getting them engaged is a major one for us.

 

The concern of your party is also in the area of equity in access to services, such as education, health, gender equity, agriculture and others, in what form will this take?

This is in the area of distribution of wealth across board. The distribution of infrastructure will be across board, health will be across board, and on the overall, it will ginger equality. There is no single clinic in Osun State that has drugs, but we are going to ensure that our hospitals are reawakened and well stocked. Our schools are brutalised and teachers are being thrown out of schools. This will be corrected; we are going to distribute the amenities across board. There is no water in Osun State. These are issues we want to address, because the public infrastructure has collapsed. Presently, there are challenges already identified which are long standing obstacle to economic growth and investment in the state, especially in agricultural area, a very critical sector which engages more than 75 per cent of the population of the state, and its neglect is impacting negatively on the economic yield of major cash crops and produce. But we will engage in partnership drive implementation to build sustainable investment linkages with the private sector and strengthen the engagement of other providers, including the civil society and community based organisations, because, at present, Osun State is under an intensive care unit (ICU). But given my courage, my experience and my pedigree, by God’s grace, we will ensure we bring back sanity to Osun State.

 

As an engineer and a builder, it is already said that there are lots of ground to cover in infrastructural development. Talking of local contenting and innovation, as part of your campaign programmes, how do you want to go about this, especially in boosting Osun State IGR?

The issue is we are going to encourage local contending to ensure that jobs, contracts, sub-jobs, that can be done by Osun indigenes are not given to outsiders. Of course, there can be major jobs given to major contractors, but we will ensure that our people here, the carpenters, the plumbers, the goldsmiths, the iron benders of this world, are all engaged to ensure that the money goes back to the state. All we need to boost the GDP is half of the money being wasted on contracts. Before the advent of oil, we all depended on agriculture in the whole of the old Western Region, and when we talk of this, the major focus was on the cash crops, and the majority of these cash crops were from Osun State. So, we go back to our cocoa farming, we go back to our oil palm and cassava farming, and ensure we encourage the farmers. We do all the roads network, we give access to rural and community projects; we will encourage them and offer them high yielding seedlings that won’t take time to grow. We will do that to shore up our IGR and also encourage people to go back to farm.

 

You have also raised concerns on the issue of security, in what form will this take?

Security may not necessarily be physical, but the physical security is good. However, we also have job security, food security, health security, and so on. But, it is security in all paraphernalia we are talking about. In this regard, we are also focusing on neighbourhood to neighbourhood watch. We have people with  goodwill with us, but a good government also should focus on security, and with this, there won’t be hunger. There won’t be greed; there won’t be lack. People will be happy, and the people are safe generally. So, security is very important; it is a matter of concept and things of the mind. A good government will create rooms for innovations aiding success and sustainability. This is a very important area, since the encouragement of local content earlier mentioned is fuelled by innovations in specific areas, which will in turn make an impact on every other pillar of the agenda for restoration. Basically, our challenges in Osun State require quick thinking and innovations in implementation, which has already been taken care of in our robust manifestos.

 

Thisday

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Last modified on Sunday, 16 September 2018 04:54

PDP wants Kemi Adeosun arrested, accuses FG of planning to help her escape from Nigeria.

PDP wants Kemi Adeosun arrested, accuses FG of planning to help her escape from Nigeria.
 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the resignation of Kemi Adeosun from office as Minister of Finance.

 

However, the party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Adeosun for forging her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Exemption Certificate in addition to alleged impropriety and abuse of office as minister.

The party also raised the alarm of plots by the Federal Government to secretly move Adeosun out of the country following her resignation.

 

The statement reads in part, “The party invites Nigerians to note that President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration has become notorious for shielding its many fraudulent and corrupt officials, could not summon the rectitude to sack Mrs. Adeosun, adding that she would have still been in office, if not for the sustained uproar by Nigerians and international creditors.

“Our investigations reveal that the Federal Government, which earlier made efforts to defend Mrs. Adeosun, has already perfected a plot to help her to evade prosecution following fears that she could open up on the humongous corruption going on in the financial sector under the Buhari administration.

“The PDP is also aware of plots by the Federal Government to secretly move her out of the country, and for that, we urge the international community to be at alert and ensure she is repatriated to face justice in Nigeria should the Federal Government succeeds in its devious plan.

 

“Furthermore, we are also aware that President Buhari was not by any measure prepared to drop her from his cabinet but for the demand by those responsible for her appointment, who protested her continued stay in office, although for their own selfish gains. A case of corruption fighting back!

“The PDP therefore demands an immediate open inquest into the records of the Finance Ministry under Mrs. Adeosun, to unravel all improprieties by the Buhari Presidency cabal, including alleged diversion of oil proceeds, fraudulent oil subsidy deals, leading to high fuel price; depletion of our foreign reserves, embezzling of funds returned by Switzerland and other huge sleazes in the ministry.

“The party also insists that President Buhari must be held responsible for all infractions in the finance ministry under Adeosun, as he appointed and retained her despite having information on the certificate forgery; a situation that confirms the decadence and lack of due diligence in the Buhari Presidency.

“Nigerians already know that the Buhari Presidency is a citadel of iniquity with inherent proficiency in stealing, forgery and manipulation of processes. This perhaps explains why President Buhari has not relieved his Special Assistant on Prosecution and Chairman of the Special Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla of his appointment in spite of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) confirmation that he forged his Secondary School Certificate.

“Is it not clear to all that the Buhari administration’s so-called anti-corruption war and purported integrity are mere orchestrations to hoodwink Nigerians and the international communityn, while Mr. President oversees the most corrupt administration in the history of our nation. 

 

DP

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Last modified on Sunday, 16 September 2018 04:53

Ex-IGP picks senatorial form, says Nigeria not ready for state police

Ex-IGP picks senatorial form, says Nigeria not ready for state police

A former Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, says Nigeria is not ripe for state police. 

Mr Abba who served as the 17th Inspector-General of Nigeria Police, was appointed on August 1, 2014 by President Goodluck Jonathan and later confirmed as substantive IGP on November 4, 2014.

Mr Abba spoke while addressing journalists at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat on Monday after picking the nomination form to run for the ticket of the party for Jigawa Central Senatorial District.

State police was one of the issues raised by the APC restructuring committee following the discourse on restructuring. Although the concept has been opposed by President Muhammadu Buhari, it has been supported by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. 

Noting that policing is an expensive business, Mr Abba said he doubts the ability of states to finance their own police.

“From experience and from what we are seeing the state government going through with regards to payment of salaries, payments of pensioners, even paying or taking care of qualitative education for our children and considering the fact that policing is a very expensive business, you need to know the cost of ordinary helmet for a police man talk less of the protective jackets.

These are very expensive issues. Ordinary gadgets of SPNH, gadgets for monitoring, are very very expensive and if the states cannot pay salaries, another important aspect of the socio-economic development of their communities, then how and why are they looking forward to shouldering this very big burden?” 

The former IGP who stated clearly he was not against state police, said he doubts the true intention behind the current campaign for the issue of state police.

“And that’s why I have the feeling and I don’t hide it, perhaps some people are looking for another opportunity to compound the security problems of this country.

“While I was at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in 2009, I was assigned to conduct research on discipline in the Nigeria police. During the period and looking at the performances of the police from what the research presented to me, I realised that yes, there is the need perhaps to take another look at the structure of the police. 

“I have nothing against state police like I said, having recommended it in writing far back even when it wasn’t a serious issue in this country. But I think at this stage, it looks as if some people are trying to look for what they can use to compound the security situation of this country. Maybe we can continue talking about it. We can continue fine-tuning it but I am not sure this is the right time.”

Speaking on why he joined politics, he said two interests birthed his decision which is the interest of his people and his own interest to serve his country.

“The interest of my people to have a better representation at the National Assembly and my personal desire to serve my country Nigeria at the national level again, and this is bearing in mind that representing the seven local governments that make up Jigawa central constituency does not end at conveying their views and vice versa, it also involves joining my colleagues in taking decisions that will affect the nation whether politically, economically, socially and other activities of human life that will put Nigeria in its rightful place in the comity of nations.”

When asked what his opinion was on the siege to the National Assembly and the homes of Bukola Saraki, Ike Ekweremadu and recently, Edwin Clark, he said “these acts have been condemned by many, investigations and some actions have been taken towards them.”

“Personally I have not seen where anybody has praised any of those actions you mentioned. Let me also say that in all the cases you mentioned, investigation are being conducted and even before the end of this investigation, some form of punishment have been taken on those involved so I think it’s not a matter for me to comment further on.”

Asked what his take was on the refusal of the current IGP to appear before the Senate, he said he would advise him to do so.

“I will certainly advise the IGP to respond by going there. I don’t think in any situation there is a better person to defend you than yourself. Of course we have lawyers who present the interest of their client but in all situation, this is my personal belief, your personal defence is always better.

“I had always appeared before the Senate whenever they needed me. Even at a time when everybody thought differently, I appeared before a committee of a Senate to make a clear presentation of what the situation was and I think it went on fine.”

P/T

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MALAMI YABO DEFEATS WALI, SHAGARI, ALIYU IN ONLINE POLL

MALAMI YABO DEFEATS WALI, SHAGARI, ALIYU IN ONLINE POLL

In a test of popularity, through an online poll that attracted 2,243 votes, Alhaji Faruk Malami Yabo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has again proved his mettle by defeating other aspirants within the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, eyeing the exalted position of the Sokoto State Governor.

Aspirants in the poll include former Deputy Governor and Water Resources Minister, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, serving Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, Ambassador Abdallah Wali and Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu.

Others were Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, Dahiru Yusuf Yabo, Barrister Abubakar Sanyinna, Senator Abubakar Gada, Alhaji Ahmed Yushe’u Kebbe and Professor Lawal Bashar.

While the stage is gradually getting set by the breaking of each day, these aspirants seeking to occupy the Sokoto State Government House come 2019 are already indicating interest with their posters flooding most roundabouts within the state capital.

In answer to the question "who becomes the next Sokoto State Governor", if the gubernatorial election were to hold today and one of the aspiring candidates listed is to be chosen? 4% of the respondents with 86 votes said they would vote for Professor Lawal Bashar while 118 votes went to Alhaji Ahmed Yushe’u Kebbe.

Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu had 110 votes, Ambassador Abdallah Wali and Senator Abubakar Gada with 123 votes each, Dahiru Yusuf Yabo polled 126 votes, Barrister Abubakar Sanyinna has 131 votes, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman polled 132 votes with serving Senator Ibrahim Danbaba having 136 votes.

Former Deputy Governor and water resources Minister, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari came second with a total votes of 145, while Alhaji Faruk Malami Yabo topped the poll with 1013 votes marking 45% of the total votes.

Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate, like most states of the federation will certainly be an interesting political battlefield come 2019.

This is simply because nearly all the heavyweights in the game of politics might be in the ring fighting skin fiercely to achieve the golden belt.

As the game hots up the incumbent Governor, Aminu Tambuwal is said to have entered into a secret agreement with a serving Senator from his senatorial district, Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, who recently defected to the PDP in order to become his anointed candidate and eventual trusted successor.

The poll is significant, because naturally, Nigerians would ordinarily have expected that, the Seat of the Caliphate will be greatly affected by the decamping of the Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, but instead, the soaring popularity of Alhaji Faruk Mallami Yabo seems to be making the State one of the strongest hub of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recently, 12 members of Sokoto State House of Assembly, who refused to move with Governor Aminu Tambuwal to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), bought governorship forms for Faruk Malami Yabo and while presenting the forms, Sani Alhaji Yakubu, who spoke on behalf of others, told journalists that they contributed the funds in order to support a Governorship Aspirant who could unseat Tambuwal, saying "the APC needed to reclaim its mandate in 2019 to save the State from its present “bad, difficult and critical” condition."

Malami Yabo who is described by many as a seasoned and experienced technocrat, served as commissioner for Finance under former Governor Aliyu Wammako and he is regarded as one of the biggest political heavyweight in Sokoto. A professional accountant of repute, who was credited with the improvement of the state’s internally generated revenue, bringing Sokoto State second, only to Lagos State, which is the richest state in Nigeria.
Yabo studied Public Administration at the Bayero University Kano and also holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy Administration (MPPA) from the same University. He attended the Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government where he studied Public Financial Management; and University of Manchester, Manchester Business School where he studied International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

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Mavrodi’s death: MMM announces final shutdown

Mavrodi’s death: MMM announces final shutdown

The management of the global ponzi scheme, Mavrodi Mundial Moneybox (MMM), has announced a final shut down of operations.

 

The ponzi scheme in a statement on its official global website on Friday said they were shutting down due to the death of the founder, Sergey Mavrodi.

Mr Mavrodi, an ex-convict, died of heart attack on March 26.

The scheme, which collapsed over a year ago in many countries including Nigeria, has been a subject of controversy globally.

Mr. Mavrodi launched his controversial scheme in 2011 and crashed in Nigeria in December 2016; with millions of Naira belonging to Nigerians trapped in the scheme.

 

Although the scheme announced a comeback in 2017, it could not launch operation before the renewed enthusiasm among its members fizzled out.

On Friday, the scheme said continuous operation without Mr. Mavrodi made no sense.

“Dear participants, after much deliberation, we have made the conclusion that continuing the System operation, without our leader and ideological inspire, is impossible and makes no sense,” the statement read in part.

“We all carried out the tasks he assigned to us, since we had no doubt in his genius and rightness of the path he had chosen. We are firmly aware of the fact that none of us has a full view of his conception’s profoundness and sequence of all the actions to achieve a final goal, declared in the “MMM’s Ideology”.

 

”Sergey Mavrodi’s broadmindedness scale is unprecedented. Therefore any attempts to continue the System operation without him are bound to fail. We respect him immeasurably and cannot afford to allow that our unskilled actions may cause profanation of his concepts.”

The scheme, which said members were aware of the risks involved initially, therefore announced final closure.

”In view of the above, with deep sadness, we have to announce the ultimate and irreversible MMM closure.

 

”We also remind (as a matter of form) that all initially were fully aware of the risks and read the WARNING and confirmed that by checking the relevant box when registering.

”Hoping for your understanding, Administration.”

Before its final collapse in Nigeria, many Nigerians participated in the scheme and associated with it publicly, especially on social media.

This was despite repeated warnings by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and other regulatory agencies warning about the likely consequences of such pyramid scheme once it collapses.

 

Last month, the death of Mr. Mavrodi was trailed by curses and several other hilarious comments by Nigerians who claimed they lost huge amount of money to the scheme.

Following Friday’s announcement, it is unclear whether the new development would affect the operation of the scheme’s websites across the world as the global website was still in operation Saturday afternoon.

Similar checks on Sunday morning shows that the Nigerian website of the scheme was still running.

 

PT

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