The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate for Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has promised to empower the local government system to deliver service for the people of the state. (more…)
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Primary: Aggrieved aspirants lied about rigging accusation, says Ekiti APC
The Ekiti State Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC), on Monday exonerated the committee sent by the national body of the party to conduct the National Assembly primaries in the state of rigging and brazen display of impunity during the election. (more…)
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OPC, Fasehun hail Atiku’s emergence, praise PDP’s internal democracy
TUNJI OLANIYI
The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has hailed the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). (more…)
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Mimiko emerges ZLP presidential candidate, promises to restructure Nigeria
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) on Sunday elected former Gvernor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, as its presidential candidate for the 2019 election.
Mimiko was elected as a consensus candidate by members of the party in Abuja at its national convention.
The presidential hopeful said that he would leverage on the party’s social democratic ideological orientation to convince Nigerians to work with him.
He said that with the party’s pedigree and those of its leading lights, he would not have trouble convincing Nigerians why the party is the preferred option for them in the 2019 elections.
“As a social democratic party committed to the enduring principles of good governance, utilitarianism and a restructured federal system for Nigeria, ZLP is set to capture the imagination of Nigerians.
“The party will lead the process of renewing the Republic.
“I am resolutely committed to a programme of restructuring the Nigerian federation.
“This is with a view to affording every segment of the country the opportunity and privilege of development at its own pace.
“This will be done in such a manner that the age long beauty in competitive development will be fully tapped.”
Mimiko said that he was persuaded beyond any doubt, that such restructuring would give vent to the spirit of Nigerians.
He added that the spirit of accomplishment, which had made stars of individual Nigerians all over the world, would be ignited again.
Mimiko urged members of the party not to be intimidated by the big parties, but concentrate on the size and weight of ZLP ideas.
The former governor also urged the party to focus on the purity of its ideological commitment.
“We must focus on our compassion for the weak and the poor in society.
“We must focus on the clarity of vision and thought that we bring to the fore for Nigerians as we go into the elections.”
Mimiko said that it was with the confidence in the ability of Nigerians to make existential decision in the 2019 elections that he made a decision to serve.
He stressed that he was out to disrupt settled assumptions, by focusing on new ideological narratives that affected the people directly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mimiko governed Ondo State between 2009 and 2016 under the platforms of Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), respectively.
Mimiko had earlier declared his presidential ambition under the Labour Party but later defected to the ZLP.
The Chief Returning Officer and Chairman of the party, Dan Nwanyanwu, said that Mimiko fulfilled all the party’s requirements and obeyed the constitution of the party.
Nwanyanwu reiterated the party’s support for Mimiko, adding that the ZLP would go all out to ensure victory for its presidential candidate. (NAN)
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Flights, business activities resume at MMA2
Flight operations and business activities on Friday resumed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2), Lagos following the suspension of the industrial action against the terminal owners by aviation unions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unions had on Thursday night called off their two-day industrial action against Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) following the signing of an agreement by the union leaders and BASL.
The agreement was brokered by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and airport security agencies who intervened in the dispute between the two parties.
A copy of the agreement which was signed by Mr Ola Azeez, Group Head, Human Resources and Mr Rodger Whittle, Group Executive Director, on behalf of BASL, showed that the company acceded to the demands of the unions.
“Staff of BASL are free (as they have always been) to exercise their right at association by indicating their willingness to join any of the aviation unions.
“The management shall deduct and remit check-off dues as required by law.
“The 27 members of the union who were laid off shall be recalled without loss of pay or service and deployed to where their services are required within the Resort Group.
“Thereafter the company intends to declare them redundant and is willing to discuss their redundancy benefits with the unions in accordance with Section 20 of the Labour Act.
“We hope that the union shall appreciate the olive leaf being offered by BASL and accept same with a view to ending this imbroglio,” BASL said in the document obtained by NAN.
NAN observed that staffers of airlines, banks, food court as well as travelers were seen carrying out their businesses without any harassment from union members.
Mr Kingsley Ezenwa, Media and Communications Manager, Dana Air, also confirmed the airline’s resumption of flights at the MMA2, which is Nigeria’s only privately owned terminal.
Ezenwa said: “We have resumed flights from MMA2 following the agreement reached by MMA2 and the aviation unions.
”We thank the management of BASL, operators of MMA2 for considering the economic implications and for putting national interest first in resolving the industrial action.
”We also wish to thank our teeming guests for their total understanding and cooperation in the course of our temporary relocation to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and we hope to continue offering the best of our services which we have come to be known for.”
NAN reports the unions had since the early hours of Wednesday embarked on the protest over the alleged sack of 27 employees who indicated interest to unionise by BASL.
The unions were: The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).
Despite a subsisting court order issued by Justice I. N Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos restraining them from the action, the unions had shutdown flights and business activities at the MMA2.
Airlines affected by the action included Arik Air, Medview Airline, Azman Air, Max Air, Dana Air and Aero Contractors who operate flights from the terminal.
The airlines were forced to temporarily move their passenger boarding and processing to the GAT, operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) during the 2-day protest by union. (NAN)
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Flood: NEMA declares 5 more states as ‘national disasters’
The National Emergency Management (NEMA), has declared five more states: Adamawa, Taraba, Kebbi, Bayelsa and Rivers as ‘National Disaster’ following the recent flooding that has ravaged the states.
Mr Sani Datti, Head of Media and Public Relations, NEMA made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
According to Datti, Mr Mustapha Maihaja, Director General, NEMA made the declaration following the ongoing efforts of the agency to tackle and assist flood victims across the country.
He said that the declaration of the five new states now puts the numbers of flood affected states under flood emergencies to nine.
“It would be recalled that on Sept. 17, a National Disaster was declared in Kogi, Niger, Delta, Anambra States.
“In consideration of the data and information being received, in particular the Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) and guided by relevant NEMA Policy documents, additional 5 states are observed to have been impacted severely by the disaster.
“On the consultation, subsequent endorsement of all the stakeholders here present, and the delegation of Authority conferred on me by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“ I, Mustapha Yunusa Maihaj, the Director General, NEMA hereby declared National Disaster in the five (5) states of Adamawa, Bayelsa, Kebbi, Rivers and Taraba,” Maihaja said.
Maihaja commended the efforts and commitments of all stakeholders, and the International Partners for their contribution so far to the success of the operation.
He explained that the addition of the five states recently declared expands the scope and the need for response and call for more support accordingly. (NAN)
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BRISIN’s operations will take governance closer to Nigerians
The Basic Registry and Information System in Nigeria (BRISIN), says its provision of with credible data to the Federal Government and its agencies will take governance closer to Nigerians.
Co-ordinator of the scheme Dr Anthony Uwa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja that the implementation of BRISIN would ensure daily collection and storage of credible data from the various wards to be used by government agencies for the betterment of the lives of the people.
Uwa gave assurance that BRISIN was not in conflict with any government agency responsible for collecting data for the country.
“Brisin is just like an umbrella tree, it starts from the grass root, to the local government, to the states and to the federal, so the (BRISIN) data centre is built at the ward level.
“That BRISIN centre gives us a clear picture of what exist in that ward; this gives us the opportunity for rural development of that ward.
“This gives us the opportunity of knowing if that ward requires some additional funding from both governments, from the BRISIN system, if that ward actually has been lacking.’’
.According to Uwa, when the data is collected and stored in the data bank, any MDA that requires data will be assured of real time data to run its affairs for the good of Nigerians.
He said with the data, there would also be no need for lobbying for projects at the National Assembly as the system would provide clear and true picture of what was needed in the various wards.
“There will be no room for misplaced projects, there will be no room for lobbying, it will make governance very easy; with just a click on the BRISIN data bank all information will be made bare.
“The good thing about BRISIN is that they collect report every day; it is not like that which you will report and it will be static for ten years, every day there must be new information.
“And it is a very big project; it is a project that is going to solve the high-headed Nigeria problem that has been lingering,’’ he said.
According to Uwa, BRISIN will also settle the issue of unemployment in the country because it will provide information on the number of people that are employed, unemployed, and those qualified to be employed.
He said BRISIN would create a medium where artisans from different sectors would be identified and properly trained by the government to contribute to the growth of the nation’s GDP.
On the on-going recruitment, Uwa said the 5,000 personnel to be recruited were just for the FCT pilot phase, adding that more Nigerians would be employed subsequently.
He said: “When you consider the six Area Councils, 62 wards, and the central city, you will realise that it requires a lot of personnel.
“So we are going to employ more; this is just the pilot phase.
“We could have up to 10 million people employed within the number of years that BRISIN will run.”
NAN reports that BRISIN is an integrated system that collects, stores and distributes information to support management of the country’s economy. (NAN)
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Baba Sala family announces burial date
Family of the Late (Baba Sala), has announced Dec. 6 and 7 as dates for the burial ceremony of the icon, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
His son, a Performing Officer at the National Troupe of Nigeria, Emmanuel Adejumo popularly called “Boisala’’ told NAN that the family was decided on the date for the burial.
NAN reports that the late Adejumo, a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), comedian, dramatist and actor died on Oct. 7 at 81 in Ilesa, Osun State.
His body has since been deposited at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex Annex, (Wesley Guild Hospital) in Ilesa. (NAN
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Obasanjo, Sachs, Afreximbank to launch education fund for Africa
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs and the African Export Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) have committed to launch the Education Fund for Africa to ensure free education for children on the continent.
They made the pledge on Saturday at the second Babacar Ndiaye Lecture in Bali, Indonesia.
The lecture was organised by AFREXIMBANK as a side event at the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG) Annual Meetings which began on Monday.
Obasanjo and Sachs delivered lectures on “Global Power Disequilibrium, Trade Wars and Implications for Africa”, in honour of Ndiaye, former President, African Development Bank, who died on July 31, 2017.
Obasanjo said that investing in education by Africans for Africans was important for the continent’s development.
He added that Africa has to develop itself as no one else would do it for her.
According to him, the absence of education is the main cause of insurgency in Nigeria.
“When you talk to some of our people they will say it is the fault of governors and leaders in the community, but it is the fault of all of us Nigerians.
“We have to make sure we get it right and where a particular community is not moving right we have to appeal, cajole, enforce and make sure that every child in that community has education up to secondary school level.
“I believe that education is the starting point for development in Africa. There is no earthly reason why any African child should not have education up to secondary school free.
“We are the architects of our own fortune or misfortune and so we cannot blame anyone. Education is very basic to everything- life expectancy, maternal mortality, infant mortality, employment generation and all.”
Obasanjo said that once the issue of education was solved, the people would live better lives and make contributions to their own communities, states and indeed the world.
On the issue of the existing trade war between the U.S. and China, he said Africa should ensure it got up to 50 per cent intra-African trade to serve as a buffer.
Sachs, a development economist, said that Africa should take advantage of the trade wars to make bold breakthroughs, adding that it was the time to make bold initiatives for 2030.
He said that Africa, India and China were similar in population and should take advantage of the present global issues to develop themselves to become future world economic hubs.
“There is a very dramatic technological revolution on the way and that is to the benefit of Africa.
“Information revolution is the basis for Africa to make revolutionary advances in healthcare, education and the private sector economy.
“You need infrastructure and training for the people on the new technology, so you need to build digital capacity and ensure the universities are creating engineers to handle these new technologies.”
On the issue of education for all, Sachs said that if Africa would pledge to fund the vision, he and many others would work to fulfil the pledge.
“You provide the funds and we make it happen,” he said.
Prof. Benedict Oramah, the President, AFREXIMBANK, said that although education was not part of the bank’s mandate, the bank would do everything possible to ensure that the fund emerges.
“You ask about where the money will come from but the money is in Africa and we have to start raising the money from within and when we do, others will follow.
“Africa has to get it right for it to get to where it should be,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that guests at the lecture included leaders of African and global banks, development finance institutions, the business community and political leaders attending the IMF/WBG meetings. (NAN)