Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

A faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party under the leadership of Major Agbo has expelled the presidential candidate of the party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, over his alleged anti-party activities and misappropriation of party campaign funds.

 

Kwankwaso’s expulsion was announced in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday by the NNPP factional National Publicity Secretary, Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq.

 

The development is coming barely three days after the factional leaders vowed to probe the former Kano governor and some of his loyalists over alleged misappropriation of over N1bn, generated from the sale of nomination forms.

Abdulrasaq affirmed that the decision to expel Kwankwaso with immediate effect was taken after he failed to appear before the disciplinary panel to defend himself over the allegations of “gross anti-party activities and mismanagement of party campaign funds within five days.”

 

The spokesman, however, reiterated that his expulsion was done in line with the provisions of the party’s 2022 constitution as amended.

He said, “The NEC met in an emergency session on Friday, September 1, and resolved that following the refusal of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to appear before the disciplinary committee, which sat on Thursday, August 31, after being duly invited in writing, he is hereby, expelled from NNPP with immediate effect.

That the erstwhile presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso will be reported to appropriate quarters to answer questions on financial impropriety relating to mismanagement of public funds.”

 

Reacting, an ally of Kwankwaso and National Auditor of NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, frowned at the report, saying Agbo’s faction does not have the locus standi to dismiss the former governor.

 

“Expel who? These people are no longer our people. They are out of the party and cannot speak on behalf of the party. Let them form their own party or go to court. It is as simple as that. There are so many important things to worry about in this country.

 

“How can they expel Kwankwaso? Someone whose relationship with the National Working Committee is intact here at the national headquarters in Abuja? We will soon be having a press conference to address this matter,” he said.

ABUJA—AS the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, embarks on a two-day warning strike today, the Federal Workers Forum, FWF, has vowed to shutdown Federal Secretariats across the country.

This was contained in a statement issued by Comrade Andrew Emelieze, the National Coordinator of FWF and former Trade Union Congress, Chairman, Oyo State Chapter.

The statement read: “We at the Federal Workers Forum are in full support of the call by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for a two days national warning strike from Tuesday 5th to 6th September, 2023 over issues of government insensitivity to the plight of workers and the citizenry at large.

 

“As federal workers, we are also badly affected by the economic crisis visited on Nigerians as a result of the hike in the pump price of petrol, all in the name of subsidy removal.

 

“We had earlier written to the federal government to adjust our wages automatically inline with the existing economic realities but that has fallen on deaf hears.

 

“It is over three months now that fuel subsidy had been removed and fuel has equally been increased twice by over 300% , with a price shift from ₦187 to over ₦620 but salaries have remained the same. Federal workers within this period have gone through excruciatingly tough times. It has been stories of mass suffering and life has been made almost meaningless to the federal workers.

 

“Everything has been nauseating and hunger is now a way of life among the federal workers. As a matter of fact, federal workers have been financially embarrassed as against the provisions of the general order of the federal civil service rules and regulations.

 

“Federal government workers are no slaves,we therefore query this pathetic situation and call on all federal workers to ensure that the two days warning strike is successful.

 

“We call on the federal workers to ensure that all federal government Secretariat across the federation is shut down during the strike period. Workers are to also ensure that every other government offices, departments and agencies are shut down nationwide.

 

We call on all industrial unions, organising federal workers to comply with the directives of the NLC.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) is also called upon to ensure the success of this strike action

 

We urge the federal government to meet up with the demands of labour.

 

 

We demand also that government pay up all outstanding arrears of salaries, promotions, duty tour allowances (DTA) owed the federal workers and particular attention to the arrears of salaries of federal university workers in Nigeria.

 

“Henceforth, federal workers will no longer tolerate any oppression of federal workers anywhere and we shall not hesitate to join any workers group in solidarity strike when oppression is noticed; our attention here is drawn to the plight of our colleagues in the federal universities.

 

“We equally call on the NLC to pursue this struggle to a logical conclusion and stop this mass cheating of workers. The NLC must not disappoint Nigerians, the labour movement has our collective support.”

FRESH details on the reasons President Bola Tinubu appointed former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, as Chief of Staff, CoS, from a retinue of interested and qualified associates of his, have emerged.

 

Shedding more light on the “meticulous process ” behind his choice of CoS, sources close to President Tinubu, said he had articulated his vision for the ideal Chief of Staff before publicly declaring his interest to run. “He was determined to select an individual who possessed a unique blend of qualities to navigate the complexities of Nigerian politics successfully.”

Tinubu’s knack for selecting capable individuals for key positions has been widely praised.

 

Tinubu’s knack for selecting capable individuals for key positions has been widely praised.

 

One of the sources disclosed that President Tinubu had recognized the significance of the role of Chief of Staff in his administration.

 

“He was keenly aware of the intricate terrain of Nigerian politics, particularly after the late Abba Kyari’s ‘influential tenure’ in the position.

 

Tinubu, also known for his decisiveness and thorough consideration of key appointments, “was seeking a Chief of Staff with a specific set of qualities. Experience and a proven track record were non-negotiable criteria. He had no intention of entering the presidency with a Chief of Staff who was still learning the ropes of how to support a President in running a nation,” source said, adding that Tinubu closely observed the performance of Femi Gbajabiamila during his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives.” The source continued: “Gbajabiamila’s experience in managing various national challenges, including handling national strikes and negotiating with unions, made him stand out among contenders for the role.

 

“None of the other contenders came close to the level of nation-building experience that Gbajabiamila had acquired during his time as the No. 4 man in the country.

 

“President Tinubu was not swayed by how long someone has been around him but rather focused on capacity, posture, and competence when selecting his Chief of Staff. This commitment to competence and experience showcased his determination to hit the ground running and effectively lead Nigeria.”

 

The conversations regarding the Chief of Staff appointment reportedly gained momentum after the removal of the fuel subsidy, a move that initially stirred concerns about national stability, and the President’s resolve to find a perfect fit became more urgent as he needed someone that is both loyal and is also able to support the president in maintaining calm and peace during this challenging time.

 

Two other factors that Presidential Villa sources disclosed influenced the decision was hardwork and ability to use government resources to support the people.

The sources said Gbajabiamila was always with the President during the campaign, many times travelling late at nights putting in a lot of hard work during what was a dicey campaign.

 

According to them, President Tinubu was impressed by the timing of the Students Loan Bill which he signed to the applause of many in the country because of the wide appeal for the legislation by many Nigerians. The signing of that bill orchestrated by Gbajabiamila gave huge political capital to the President.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has shunned the reconciliatory meeting called by the Federal Government.

 

The last-minute reconciliatory meeting was convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong.

 

The purpose of the meeting was to avert the two-day warning strike.

The NLC had declared a two-day warning strike to begin on Tuesday.

 

However, the Festus Osifo-led Trade Union Congress (TUC) was said to have shown up for the meeting.

 

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, says there is need for immediate rehabilitation of the critical infrastructure at the Apapa and Tincan Island ports

 

Oyetola said this during his maiden visit to the Tincan and Apapa Ports on Monday in Lagos.

 

The minister also urged terminal operators to support the Federal Government in the rehabilitation of the ports.

 

According to Oyetola, the rehabilitation of the port is going to be a collaboration between government and the terminal operators.

 

“My coming out today is to see things for myself. I have seen the challenges, the need to actually do a lot of things about our port.

 

“Infrastructure are almost collapsing from what I have seen, so a major rehabilitation has to be carried out.

 

“I am looking forward to the terminal managers beginning to contribute to the rehabilitation of the port.

 

“Its important and if they do that, they will make more money for themselves,” he said.

 

The minister pointed out that he was impressed with the management of the ports so far, adding that he would support them.

 

As regards the quay wall, he noted that he had asked NPA for a report of what they had carried out so far, adding that they need to know the numbers to be able to sort them out to get the president’s approval.

 

Oyetola said he believes that the blue economy is a sector that will generate revenue for government, adding that the country needs the infrastructure to balance up.

 

“If we have the right infrastructure in place, it will be a way of domestication of the economy.

 

“We rely so much on oil. So a lot of other opportunities have been untapped for so many years. I think we must commend the president for taking this initiative, I believe we can do it.

 

“To address the collapse of the port, there is need to rehabilitate the port as a matter of urgency, dredging has to continue,” he said.

 

The minister added that as regards access road, it would be looked into it and he would engage the Minsters of Works and Transportation to see what they could do together.

 

“I have discussed with the Minister of Transportation in respect of the rails. With all these things in place, I think we are good to go.

 

“On issues at the other ports like the eastern one, it will also be addressed. We are looking at the totality of the port,” he said.

 

On his part, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) commended the minister for visiting the port and for supporting the agency.

 

He assured the minister of the agency’s support in line with the Federal Government’s agenda

The Court of Appeal Headquarters on Monday said the presidential tribunal judgement on the petitions before it would be aired live.

 

The court said this was to promote, transparency and openness and for Nigerians to watch.

 

The Chief Registrar, Court of Appeal HQ, Umar Bangari, stated this in a statement while disclosing the date for the judgment on the matter.

 

He said the date for the judgement had been fixed for September 6, 2023.

It read, “The Court of Appeal wishes to inform the General Public that judgment in the following petitions before the Presidential Election Petition Court will be delivered on Wednesday 6th September 2023: CA/PEPC/03/2023 between Mr. Peter Gregory Obi & Anor VS. Independent National Electoral Commission & 3 Ors.

CA/PEPC/04/2023 between Allied Peoples Movement VS. Independent National Electoral Commission & 4 Ors. CA/PEPC/05/2023 between Abubakar Atiku & Anor VS. Independent National Electoral Commission & 2 Ors. In a bid to promote transparency and openness, these judgments will be televised live by interested Television Stations for the public to follow.”

 

He also said only accredited persons, including counsel and representatives of political parties, would be granted access to the courtroom on judgment day.

 

“Access to the Court premises will be strictly on accreditation. Only accredited individuals, including Counsel and representatives of Political Parties, will be granted access to the courtroom. Interested members of the public are advised to watch proceedings from their television sets. We appeal for the maximum cooperation of the general public to ensure a hitch-free exercise, please,” the statement added.

Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, has assured the parents and concerned citizens over the case of a 12-year-old boy, Adebola Akin-Bright’s missing intestines at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja.

 

Sanwo-Olu, gave the assurance on Sunday, when he visited the victim with the parents in attendance at LASUTH, Ikeja.

The governor announced that the state government would take over all the expenses for the operation to ensure the boy’s life was saved.

 

Earlier, the management of LASUTH had absolved itself of the allegation that it was culpable in the case of the 12-year-old boy’s missing intestines.

 

Recall that the boy’s mother, Deborah Abiodun, had told journalists that her son’s small intestines were missing.

 

In a message to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, she begged him to, as a matter of urgency, probe the mysterious disappearance of her 12-year-old son, Adebola Akin-Bright’s small intestines, which she claimed occurred while he was receiving treatment at the LASUTH.

 

According to her, she was thrown into confusion when surgeons at LASUTH informed her that her son’s small intestines were missing after a corrective surgery was performed on him on July 14, 2023.

 

She added that her son was referred to LASUTH from a private hospital, Obitoks Medical Centre, located at Ile-epo in the Alimosho local government area of Lagos State on June 17, after complications from surgery to correct intestinal obstruction.

 

But management of LASUTH, subsequently, came out to affirm that they did not wilfully remove any organ or structure from Abiodun’s body while performing the corrective surgery.

The management stressed that the hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, and highly knowledgeable, skilled and professional medical consultants who would never make such medical errors.

The statement reads; “Once again, the hospital management needs to clarify issues on the insinuations being made by a mother in a viral video that the alleged loss of her son’s intestines after surgery is a matter between a private hospital and LASUTH. Our hospital is an excellent tertiary institution with highly knowledgeable and skilled medical consultants.

 

“We are also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The patient in question was referred to our hospital after having two surgeries carried out in a private hospital.”

 

The management also noted that besides the surgery being carried out by an experienced paediatric surgeon and supported by her team of professionals, video clips of the surgery were available for further clarification and avoidance of doubts.

 

“He required extensive optimisation in our facility before a corrective surgery could be carried out. At the surgery, which was carried out by an experienced pediatric surgeon and her team certain strange findings were discovered. There is a video clip of these intraoperative findings. The mother was informed about these findings but she appeared to be in denial.

 

The hospital is in possession of a comprehensive report of the findings by a high-powered panel that it quickly set up to look into all ramifications of this case.

 

“Clearly, our hospital carried out a corrective surgery and did not wilfully remove any organ or structure. We empathise with the family of the patient. We believe that financial assistance from any quarters will be in order but we do not think that a blackmail of the state government via social media is the best approach.

 

“The hospital management is cooperating with the state agency which is already investigating this rather unfortunate case