Category: General News

French President, Emmanuel Macron, has urged Nigerian youths to get involved with politics to change the narrative of the nation.

Macron, while describing politics as important, said only Nigerians could change their image before the comity of nations.

The French President, who was accompanied by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, gave the challenge during a visit to the Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, on Tuesday night at an event tagged “Celebrate African Culture.”

He noted that the future of Africa and the task of making it great rested with Africans, saying that the youths have a crucial role to play.

“Africa needs a new generation of Africans to share the new narrative about Africa all over the world,” he said.

According to him, politics is important because it is a tool to change the society.

Macron described the Afrika Shrine as an iconic place of strength, music, culture and the late Fela as a politician who wanted a change for the society.

“I am very happy to be here. Let me remind you that this place — shrine is a music place as well as politics which is needed to change the society.

“So, I will say to the youths, politics is important, be involved,” he said.

Macron also announced the launch of the 2020 African cultures season in France.

He said the event would help create a unique face for African culture in Europe.

Earlier, Gov. Ambode said the President’s visit was expected to signal the dawn of a new collaboration between France and Lagos State in the quest to make the state the culture and entertainment capital of Africa.

Ambode said the event was also about celebrating African culture which was a positive step for France as it sought to rebuild its relationship with Africa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event had in attendance personalities including, Dr Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra, Chief Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun, Prof. Wole Soyinka,, Sen. Ben Bruce among others.

NAN reports that the event presented an opportunity for Macron and Ambode to interact with musicians, artists, fashion designers and film makers. (NAN)

Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, has urged state legislators to make concerted efforts to ensure level-playing field existed for all to participate in 2019 general elections.

Dogara, who said this when he received Speakers of the 36 States’ Houses of Assembly on Tuesday in Abuja, charged them to defend the electoral process in order to surpass the standard set in 2015.

He said, “I want to charge you on the added responsibility of defending our democracy at the grassroots.

“You have to stand firm, especially now that the elections are approaching, to ensure that we create an enabling environment where there will be free, fair and credible elections.

“When we talk about free and fair elections, we mean that the elections will be conducted, there will be no grounds for violence and there will be no grounds for intimidation.

“Some of us will attest to the fact that, maybe, when we contested for elections, we weren’t that strong, but others struggled to ensure that the elections were free and fair and on account of that, we won our elections.

“So, we owe that moral duty to replicate that same environment to others who are contesting and even to our opponents, so that at the end of the day, let there be credible elections in this country.

“We have the standard in 2015 elections and we shouldn’t go back. We should improve, not only sustain, we should improve.”

Dogara also spoke on the autonomy granted to state legislatures in the last constitution amendment which President Muhammadu Buhari had signed into law.

He explained to the visiting state legislators that “the essence of the law is for good governance and not to better the lives of the legislators”.

He therefore, urged the legislators to use it as a tool of vigilance for upholding democracy in the states.

“Now that you have financial autonomy, hopefully, some of the critical areas that we felt will better deepen democratic process will be dealt with,” he said.

Responding to a request by the delegation, Dogara disclosed that the National Institute of Democratic Studies would train the lawmakers when needed, on application of the new law.

Earlier, Chairman of Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, Mr Abdulmumin Kamba, had commended Dogara for his visionary leadership.

He also commended the House of Representatives and entire National Assembly for conceiving and granting autonomy to state assemblies, saying it would make them more efficient in the discharge of their duties.

Kamba, who is Speaker of Kebbi House of Assembly, urged Dogara to assist in the training of state legislators to improve their capacities. (NAN)

The Senate at the resumption of plenary session after its Sallah break on Tuesday, vowed to resist attempts to scrap constituency projects.

The decision, which was taken after a voice vote by the lawmakers, followed a motion by Sen. Barnabas Gemade (APC-Benue).

While presenting the motion, Gemade said that the move followed a protest by some people
at the National Assembly (NASS) entrance.

He said “some Nigerians are capitalising on the ignorance of others to pitch them against the National Assembly.

“This morning as I drove into the National Assembly for resumption, I saw a number of luxury buses with so many people carrying placards at the gate, condemning the National Assembly over constituency projects.

“The people were equally demanding that constituency projects be stopped.

“I feel that whoever is behind this demonstration is poorly informed about what constituency project represents to a Nigerian legislator.

“This project was introduced to give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians. The N100 million captured in the 2018 budget for constituency projects is to cover over 469 constituencies and this money translates into a paltry 0.4 per cent of the capital budget of the nation.

“I cannot see how such insignificant percentage of the total budget will affect the implementation of the budget.’’

The lawmaker said that prior to the introduction of constituency projects, many constituencies were not covered by projects being executed by the Executive.

He added that “ministers and other officials of government, including permanent secretaries and director-generals of some agencies have the privilege of implementing projects in their areas of jurisdiction and we who represent the people have nothing to show for it.

“Therefore, the introduction of constituency projects has helped our constituents to feel government’s presence.”

Many lawmakers also emphasised the need to continue to support the existence of constituency projects in view of its impact on the lives of the people.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, said protests had been merchandised, owing to unemployment and poverty.

He said “unemployment and poverty has forced some people to find a means of survival by organising protest.

“They are protest contractors. They go to government officials whom they believe are opposed to the National Assembly and collect money and pay a paltry sum of N500 to youths to protest.’’

Sen. Atai Aidoko (PDP-Kogi) said that rather than call for the scrapping of the project, Nigerians should call for more funding, given the importance of the projects to the people.

He said “this is another attempt to pitch the people against the national assembly ignorantly.

“Late President Musa Yar’adua saw the need for constituency projects and graciously captured it in the budget.”

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said it was important to continue to educate the public on the importance of constituency projects and to correct misconceptions about it.

He said lawmakers only attract projects to their constituencies to ensure federal presence and equitable representation of projects in the country.

He added that “such projects ensure equity and justice because for as long as you cannot find Federal Government presence in the constituencies, it is corruption.

“How can you justify certain constituencies not having federal projects when we spend N2 trillion every year on capital projects and there are parts that do not have any project at all.

“Some Nigerians are being used because of poverty in the country and what is worrisome is that those
who are using the others are part of government.”

He said that the current development where some people were causing misunderstanding between the Legislature and Executive would not promote harmony between the two arms of government.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the development and call those responsible to order.

He added that “there is no secret in this. If you go out there, these protesting boys will tell you who is sponsoring them.

“I really do not understand how we will promote unity with this sort of activities. It is not about us as individuals but about the institutions. If we continue to weaken the institution, it will hunt us when we need it to stand for democracy.’’

Sakari urged those with scores to settle to find other means of doing so instead of causing confusion. (NAN)

The Police Command in Enugu State says it has rescued Pa Michael Obi, father of Mikel Obi, Captain of the Super Eagles, from the kidnappers’ den in a community in the state.

The Command’s Spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday evening in Enugu.

Amaraizu said the feat was achieved by the command’s operatives from the 9^th Mile Division on Monday at about 2.30 p.m.

He said that the police operatives through a well-coordinated operation, rescued Pa Obi and his driver, one Ishaya John, unhurt in Egede axis of Udi Forest of Enugu State along Old Egede Affa road in the state.

The police spokesman said that the operatives also recovered Pa Obi’s Toyota Prado jeep.

“It was gathered that Pa Michael Obi and his driver were abducted along Makurdi-Enugu Road on June 29 in the afternoon on his way from Jos in his grey-coloured Toyota Prado jeep with registration number: MUS 604 CG and taken to an unknown destination through the thick forest part of the area.

“It was further gathered that the abductors started calling to demand a ransom of N10 million before police operatives acted on intelligence information and swooped on them.

“In the process of the rescue, a gun duel ensued between police operatives and the kidnappers which forced the hoodlums to abandon their victims inside the forest and they were promptly rescued,’’ he said.

Amaraizu said that Pa Obi extolled the efforts of the police which led to their rescue.

He said that Mikel’s father thanked the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammad Danmallam, and the operatives for their efforts, saying: “I am happy with the police operatives’ performance’’.

“I am alive and healthy. I thank the commissioner of police and the police operatives for their efforts which led to our rescue,’’ Amaraizu quoted Pa Obi as saying.

The police spokesman said that a team of doctors from the police medical unit conducted medical check-up on Pa Obi and confirmed that “he is hale and hearty’’.

“The command is appealing to members of the public, particularly hospital owners and operators, to watch out for any one with injury or wound believed to be that of bullet and report promptly to the nearest police station or personnel.

“However, investigation into the incident has already commenced,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, has lauded the efforts of the operatives as well as members of the public for their timely and useful information that led to the rescue.

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner, (INEC) on Monday said the hopes and expectations of Nigerians on the Ekiti gubernatorial election which comes up in two week time will not be dashed.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that  the commission’s top officials, on a visit to the state, gave the assurance in Ado Ekiti, saying there would be no room for failure in the poll.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Ekiti, Osun and Oyo states, Mr. Solomon Soyebi and his counterpart in charge of Election Operations and Logistics, Mrs. Amina Zakari gave the declaration at a Pre-Election Preparation workshop organised for Electoral Officers, Assistant Electoral Officers and Head of Departments .

Soyebi said the workshop was to tidy up things as every polling unit must be opened by 7am.

“There will be no room for excuses. Any Local Government where this happen, the Electoral Officet, (EO) will be responsible

“You must share responsibilities with your assistants to avoid one-man show. You must also watch your utterances so as to safeguard the integrity of the exercise,” he said.

Also speaking, Zakari debunked an allegation by Gov Ayo Fayose that she had been hired by the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to rig the election in favour of APC.

She challenged the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party to back their allegations with evidence, saying it was not possible for an individual to rig an election.

“They should prove that beyond reasonable doubt. I doubt it if an individual can rig an election when there are over 20,000 personnel to conduct the election.

“They should back their allegation with fact and figures. We (INEC) have nothing to hide. I see no reason why INEC would want to go back to bad old days. We are moving  forward  as we remained focused  to ensure a credible election that Nigeria will be proud of..”

Zakari said the workshop would review work done so far and to expose officials to new ideas, processes and approach to a successful conduct of the  election.

“The workshop is to ensure proper preparations for the election. This is the  practice over the years. It is to ensure there is no gap between policies and implementation

“It is to aid direct interaction with departments that initiate policies and to collect ideas that will help in reshaping policies and procedure

“I have no doubt that this will be well-organised and it will be adjudged as the most successful election ever conducted,” she said.

Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti, Prof. Abdul-Ganiyu Raji, said the workshop was to ensure information flow between policy formulators and the implementors towards a successful conduct of the election. (NAN)