Politics Archives - Page 192 of 203

I won this election – President Trump insists as Joe Biden is declared winner of US Presidential election.

November 7, 2020 No Comments

President Donald Trump has insisted that he won the 2020 presidential election in the United States of America.

The US President shared series of tweets on Saturday November 7, in which he made unsubstantiated allegations of illegality in the voting process – all of which were labelled as disputed and potentially misleading by Twitter. He also insisted he had won the election “by a lot”.

CNN also reported that sources in the White House have disclosed that the President said he won’t be accepting the election result. They also disclosed that he will be challenging the election result in court from Monday November 9.

LIB reported that Joe Biden has been elected the 46th president of the United States, achieving a decades-long political ambition and denying Donald Trump a second term after a deeply divisive presidency defined by a once-in-a-century pandemic, economic turmoil and social unrest.

Trump tweeted;

Biden won the presidency by clinching Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes, after several days of painstaking vote counting following record turnout across the country. The win in Pennsylvania, which the Associated Press called at 11:25am EST on Saturday with 99% of the votes counted, took Biden’s electoral college vote to 284, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House.

Politics, World News

President-elect Joe Biden (D) will address the nation on Saturday night.

November 7, 2020 No Comments

President-elect Joe Biden (D) will address the nation on Saturday night, his first formal remarks since clinching the White House.

Biden is slated to deliver remarks from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del., at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, his campaign said. He will be joined by his wife Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.

Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election on Saturday morning by the major networks and the Associated Press after clinching Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes. With his victory in the Keystone State, Biden was able to overtake the 270 electoral-vote threshold needed to win the White House.

President Trump has not yet conceded the race to Biden, and his campaign has said that it plans to contest the results in several states through recounts and legal action. Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina remain uncalled, though Biden leads in both Arizona and Georgia. Trump has no viable path to a second term.

Politics, World News

Biden defeats Trump in presidential election.

November 7, 2020 No Comments

(CNN)America has chosen Democrat Joe Biden as its 46th president, CNN projects, turning at a time of national crisis to a man whose character was forged by aching personal tragedy and who is pledging to restore calm and truth after Donald Trump’s, exhausting and manic single term.

In a written statement Saturday, Biden, who is expected to address the American people later in the day, said he was “honored and humbled” by the trust the American people have placed in him.

“In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America,” Biden said. “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.”

Politics

Donald Trump’s chief of staff contracts coronavirus.

November 7, 2020 No Comments

President Donald Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows has tested positive for Covid-19, US media reported late Friday.

Meadows, 61, told people he had coronavirus after the election, CNN reported. He first tested positive on Wednesday, a day after the poll, according to the New York Times.

Meadows was part of a crowd in a room at the White House early on Wednesday when Trump spoke to around 150 of his top aides and supporters, the Washington Post reported.

Several senior Trump administration officials have contracted the virus in recent weeks, including the president and his wife Melania.

Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and policy advisers Stephen Miller and Hope Hicks are among more than a dozen other senior White House figures to be infected with since the start of October.

The United States has been hit harder than any other country by the Covid-19 pandemic since it swept the world at the start of this year.

More than 9.7 million people have contracted the virus nationwide, with more than 236,000 dead.

Politics

EndSARS leaders give Oyetola seven-day ultimatum to increase workers ‘ salaries.

November 7, 2020 No Comments

Some coordinators of the #EndSARS movement in Osun State have given the state government a seven-working day ultimatum to increase the salaries and allowances of its workers.

The movement, on Friday, in a statement co-signed by its Spokesperson, Olawale Bakare and Mobilisation Secretary, Olushayo Ogunleye, rejected the recent increase in salaries announced by the government and demanded a review.

The group said only five per cent increase was effected on the basic salaries of workers.

The statement read in part, “This height of hypocrisy owing to the recent fraudulent five per cent increase in the basic salary of workers from level 7 and beyond (sic). By implication, the workers being paid the paltry sum of N15,000 will now have just N750 added to their basic salary. This is sadly what Mr Governor wants to be worshipped for.

“We hereby reject this fraudulent and enslaving mode of payment, and demand an increased review of the salaries and allowances of Osun State workers, within the next seven working days.”

They also called on Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to give each of the families of the two people killed during the #EndSARS protest in the state a sum of N10 Million.

“Failure to address the aforementioned demands within seven working days, Mr Governor Gboyega Oyetola should resign and allow a more competent and humane leader to govern the state,” the statement read.

Politics

Gunmen attack Adamawa Speaker’s residence, kill vigilante, abduct two persons.

November 7, 2020 No Comments

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed the residence of the Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Iya Abbas, killed a vigilante and abducted two persons.

The attack occurred on Thursday, November 5, at the Speaker’s residence located at Mbamba, an outskirts of Yola. It was gathered that the Speaker was not around during the attack.

Spokesperson of the Adawama State Police Command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the incident on Saturday November 7.

“A certain house was attacked by unknown gunmen who killed a vigilante and went away with two persons,” he said.

He added Police Commissioner Olugbenga Adeyanju had since ordered police operatives to get after the gunmen and ensure release of the abducted persons.

Meanwhile, the Speaker Abass said he would address the media on the incident.

Politics

We Have Fallen Below Your Expectations – President Buhari Begs Nigerians

November 6, 2020 No Comments

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to continue to understand and bear with them as they strive to fulfill promises made to them.

The appeal was made in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Friday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed who represented the President.

He spoke at a town hall meeting with traditional rulers, youths, market men and women as well as other stakeholders where the fall out of the #EndSARS protest was discussed.

In his explanation, Mohammed noted that the Buhari administration is dealing with the challenge of scarce resources hence may not have impacted Nigerians as planned or would have loved to do.

He also added that the global COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected resources available to the government and therefore appealed for perseverance, understanding, and patience from Nigerians.

In his words “If we have not done enough or we have not touched everybody, we appeal that you please bear with us. In the first instance, what we have is less than 60 per cent of the revenue that was available to other governments that came before us.

We all know what we suffered during COVID-19, and as we are just trying to recover from this we also face another crisis.We appeal that you should please assist the government and be patient.

This government is dedicated to serving the people and we will continue to try our best to do so.

“I thank you all for your perseverance, understanding and patience,” he said.

Politics

#EndSars :Sanwo-Olu presents report of protest aftermath to Buhari.

November 6, 2020 No Comments

President Buhari receives Lagos State Governor, H.E Babajide Sanwo-Olu this afternoon, at the State House, Abuja. The Governor during the meeting presented a reports of the aftermath of the recent #EndSARS Protest in his State.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said Sanwo-Olu told him the state would need N1trn for reconstruction in the aftermath of the destruction caused by hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protests.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce said, in a statement, that estimated economic losses during the #EndSARS protests were at N700 billion.

The Governor had established the Lagos State Rebuilding Trust Fund and set up an eight-man Board to coordinate efforts to restore lost assets.

Politics

ASUU accuses federal government of coating its members to enroll on IPPIS.

November 6, 2020 No Comments

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the federal government of using the instrument of hunger to coarse its members to accept the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Nsukka Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Dr. Igbana Ajir, who stated this during a press conference held in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Friday disclosed that some members of the Union have not been paid their salaries for between five to nine months now.

He noted that the IPPIS which compels all staff in federal universities in Nigeria to enroll and be paid centrally both violates the autonomy of universities and contradicts the superiority of the Governing Councils in the control and management of university funds, employment, discipline and promotion of staff.

The Coordinator wondered why the federal government is refusing to adopt the University Accountability Solution (UTAS) which the union developed
as a replacement for IPPIS.

While noting that ASUU spent over N30 million to develop UTAS at no cost to the federal government, Igbana maintained that the excuse that the UTAS platform must be presented to National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) before certification for adoption and usage without a timeline is a ploy to delay and frustrate the efforts of the union.

He pointed out what he described as the apparent deficiencies inherent in, and the widely reported fraud being perpetrated by operators of IPPIS within and outside the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF).

“ASUU has pointed out apparent deficiencies inherent in and the widely reported fraud being perpetrated by operators of IPPIS within and outside the Auditor General of the Federation’s (AGF) office.

“The National Assembly has equally acknowledged the monumental fraud in IPPIS when the AGF appeared before its Public Accounts Committee and could not defend the auditors’ query. However, government, through it’s agents, remains adamant on compelling ASUU members to enroll on IPPIS.”

Igbana observed that the current industrial dispute in the educational system was potentially preventable and had become unnecessarily prolonged.

“We therefore call on all well meaning Nigerians including the Press, labour leaders, civil society organizations, parents and students to prevail on Government to shelve the obnoxious and non functional programmes.

“In its stead, UTAS should be certified and domesticated for the Nigerian University System. Our Union believes that government should fulfil the items in the MoA that they willingly entered into with us in 2019 in order to restore the future of our students and protect the future of Nigeria,” ASUU concluded.

Politics

Governor Seyi Makinde Inaugurates Steering Committee on 20-year World-class Developmental Plan for Oyo State.

November 6, 2020 No Comments

The Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Friday, inaugurated a 27-man steering committee for the state 20 years development plan.

The brief event which took place at the executive council chamber, Secretariat, Ibadan, had in attendance top government officials, commissioners, Lawmakers, and members of various pressure groups as well as religious leaders.

Members of the steering committee for the state development plan include the deputy governor of Oyo state, engineer Rauf Olaniyan; Secretary to the state government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; the head of service, Mrs. Ololade Agboola; the director general, DAWN Commission, Mr. Seye Oyeleye; UNICEF field officer, Mr. Tuscar Rani; CAN chairman, Apostle Joshua Akinyemi; the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, amongst others.

Governor Makinde, while inaugurating the steering committee for the state development plan, said the Pace Setter state needs a homegrown long-term plan to transform its social-economic development.

He added that his administration envisioned a 20-year world-class developmental plan for the state with effect from 2021 to 2040.

In his remark, the state commissioner for budget and planning, barrister Adeniyi Farinto, stated that the just inaugurated steering committee for the state development plan will provide a sense of direction in government’s expenditure across the length and breadth of the state without marginalization.

In his analysis, the lead consultant to the state’s steering committee for 20 years development plan, Professor Olu Ajakaye, hinted that the development plan would be executed in tranches and the first tranche will begin from 2021 to 2025.

Politics

FG, Transcorp Sign Deal on Afam Power Plant

November 6, 2020 No Comments

The federal government and the Transcorp Power Consortium have signed a share sale and purchase agreement in relation to Afam Power Plc and Afam III Fast Power Limited, which is expected to add 966 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.

The deal was signed yesterday by the Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh and the Chairman of the Transcorp Group, Mr. Tony Elumelu, at brief ceremony in the State House, witnessed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is the Chairman of the National Council on Privatization (NCP).

The NCP had approved the privatization of the Afam Power Plant at its meeting held on the August 22 and 23, 2017.

Following the approval, a competitive bidding for the plant, involving 12 prospective investors, was held with Transcorp Power Consortium emerging the preferred bidder with a combined offer of N105billion.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Osinbajo said the event was a milestone in the Nigerian government’s continued effort to accelerate reforms in the power sector.

He said the acquisition of Afam Power Plc and Afam III Fast Power Limited by the Transcorp Power Consortium was the first of many new investments in the sector across the value chain from generation to distribution.

Osinbajo said: “The Buhari administration’s goal is to eliminate the challenges in the power sector by improving liquidity in the market through a host of measures, including the recently announced national mass metering programme and the transition to a service-based tariff.

“We need a power sector that can provide quality service to Nigerian consumers and sustain itself. The Afam Power Plc and the Afam III Fast Power Ltd have a combined capacity of almost 1,000MW.

“The current usable and operational capacity of 240megawatts from Afam III and about 100megawatts from Afam Power PLC speaks of the opportunity that the transfer acquisition can bring.”

He charged Transcorp Power Consortium to take the opportunity of its ownership of the Afam Power Plant to raise the operations of the facility to its full capacity.

The vice president said government would expect the consortium to bring its experience and expertise in the Ughelli Power Plant, which it acquired in 2013, to bear on Afam energy hub.

Describing the Afam Power plant as an energy hub for Nigeria, Osinbajo said that it is cluster that houses multiple power plants, including those owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and Sahara Energy.

“We have no doubt that the addition of Transcorp to the community will come with the forward thinking Corporate Social Responsibility initiative that the chairman of Transcorp, Mr. Tony Elumelu and his team are known for,” Osinbajo said.

He said the Buhari administration would continue to work on its ease of doing business reforms to drive foreign investment, noting that local investors “are always the great litmus test for the investment environment.”

Speaking at the event, Director-General of the BPE, Okoh, said that Transcorp Power Consortium has committed to investing the sum of $350million in the combined power assets.

According to Okoh, in addition to the new Afam III Fast Power Plant, with an installed capacity of 240megawatts, the consortium has committed to ramp up power generation of the plant to its rated capacity of 726megawatts within a period of five years, thereby adding an aggregate of 966 megawatts to the national grid.

He said: “The reform and privatization programme of this administration is not about simply divesting public enterprises to the private sector.

“Government, through the BPE, is also concerned about entrusting these assets to credible investors who possess the requisite technical and financial capacity to ensure that these enterprises and assets perform optimally and deliver quality services to the Nigerian people.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of Transcorp Group, Elumelu, said access to electricity was pivotal in lifting Nigerians out of poverty and in creating jobs.

He said the acquisition of the Afam Power Plant would be an opportunity for the Transcorp Group to contribute to government’s effort at improving on the lives of the people and in growing the economy.

Politics

Bauchi speaker emerges new chairman of speakers conference

November 6, 2020 No Comments

The Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Suleiman has been elected as the new chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria.

Suleiman takes over from the speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa who has served out his tenure.

The constitution of the conference stipulates a two-year term of office for its elected leadership which rotates between the north and the southern part of Nigeria.

At a meeting held at Reiz Continental Hotel in Abuja late Thursday, Obasa, who, in 2018, took over from the Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Ismail Kamba, formally handed over to Suleiman, who is now saddled with leading the conference for the next two years.

Other members of the committee include:

1. Deputy Chairman (Speaker Delta), Hon Sheriff Oborevwori

2. Treasurer (Speaker Kogi) Hon Matthew Kolawole

3. Financial Secretary (Speaker Enugu) Hon Edward Ubosi

4. Vice-Chair, North West (Speaker Katsina) Hon Tasiu Musa Maigari

5. Vice Chair, North East (Speaker Gombe) Hon Sadiq Ibrahim Abubakar

6. Vice-Chair, North Central (Speaker Plateau) Hon Abok Nuhu Ayuba

7. Vice-Chair, South West (Speaker Ogun) Hon Olakunle Oluomo

8. Vice-Chair, South East (Speaker Ebonyi) Hon Nwifuru Francis

9. Vice-Chair, South-South (Speaker Akwa Ibom) Hon Aniekan Bassey

Obasa’s tenure saw the push for financial autonomy for state legislatures and the judiciary as well as cooperation with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve this.

Recall that President Buhari, on May 22, 2020, signed Executive Order 10 for the implementation of the financial autonomy after a committee report concerning the issue was handed over to him.

Politics

#Endsars :Lagos state police command warns against protest.

November 6, 2020 No Comments

The Lagos State Police Command has warned residents against any form of planned protest, procession, or gathering under any guise in the state.

Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, gave the warning on Thursday in a statement on behalf of the police authorities in Lagos.

He stated that the police would resist any protest as the government and people of Lagos still nurture the wounds of the recent violence that wreaked havoc across the state, following the #EndSARS protest.

“The command wishes to inform the general public that based on intelligence gathering from relevant intelligence agencies, some unpatriotic elements or group of people have concluded plans to orchestrate another set of violence in the state, in furtherance to the recent violence, which has been analysed as dangerous and counterproductive,” the statement said.

It added, “Premised on this, the command, therefore, wishes to warn any individuals, group of students or any groups who might want to stage any form of protest, either peaceful or violent, or gathering whatsoever, to desist as the police and other security agencies will collectively and tactically resist any security threats or threats to public peace which might be triggered by protest or protesters in Lagos State.”

According to Adejobi, the police command warns parents and guardians to discourage their children or wards from embarking on any protest in the state.

He explained that the possibility of armed hoodlums hijacking such protests to cause grieve and pains like the recent past was evident.

The command’s spokesman, therefore, asked law-abiding residents to ignore any call for protest and go about their lawful businesses.

He insisted that measures have been put in place to maintain law and order, as well as public safety across the length and breadth of the state.

Politics, World News

Defense Secretary Mark Esper prepares letter of resignation.

November 5, 2020 No Comments

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Mark Esper has prepared a letter of resignation, according to three current defense officials.

It’s not uncommon for Cabinet secretaries to prepare undated letters of resignation during a presidential transition, giving the commander in chief the chance to replace them for a second term. The president decides whether to accept the resignation letters, and the process usually occurs after the election results are clear.

But defense officials say Esper prepared his letter because he is one of the Cabinet officials long expected to be pushed out after the election.

As his tenure may be coming to an end, Esper is helping members of Congress draft legislation that will strip names of Confederate leaders from military bases in a move that could put him further at odds with President Donald Trump.

While Esper considered issuing a directive that would order the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force to change the names in their respective services — an order that could be overturned by Trump, who has strongly opposed renaming bases — he now plans to work with Congress to put language in the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) so the name changes will be written into law.

This week Esper provided a written framework to Pentagon leaders for renaming installations, and possibly even ships and street names on bases, that honor Confederate generals or leaders, the officials said. For example, the framework suggests that the NDAA could say that military installations cannot be named after someone who has betrayed the U.S. or committed a felony, and instead must be named after people who have met certain criteria, like having earned a Medal of Honor or Silver Star, Est or achieving the rank of general.

The speculation about potential resignations of Cabinet officials is a well-worn, D.C.-insider, post-election parlor game,” said Jonathan Hoffman, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, in a statement. “[Secretary Esper] continues to serve the nation as the secretary of defense at the pleasure of the president and is at the Pentagon today working on the irreversible implementation of the National Defense Strategy.”

“As is normal and expected, the department works with Congress to provide the administration’s concerns and views regarding proposed defense-related legislation — particularly when House and Senate versions of defense bills are being reconciled and finalized. This does not indicate support for previously proposed legislative language. Out of respect for the members of Congress who havnue sought technical assistance in good faith, we generally do not discuss these efforts.”

The NDAA, which outlines the military’s budget and policies, is expected to be passed during the lame duck session of Congress in coming weeks, and Trump would have to sign it for it to become law.

Two current defense officials said Esper believes that if he announces the renaming it could lead Trump to fire him. But Esper is not pushing the renaming because he wants to get fired, according to two other defense officials, who insist he believes this issue is important.

Esper is also thinking about his legacy, said the two officials. He earned the nickname “Yesper” from lawmakers and White House officials for, in their view, his willingness to implement Trump’s agenda without pushing back. “He cares about his legacy and prefers to be remembered as someone who was fired because he stood up to the president, rather than being remembered as ‘Yesper,'” one defense official said.

Trump has denounced the idea of stripping Confederate names from bases several times. In June, he tweeted, “The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.”

Politics

Ladoja impeached for sidelining Adedibu – Obasanjo

November 5, 2020 No Comments

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed ex-Oyo Governor Rashidi Ladoja was impeached because he was ungrateful to his late political leader, Chief Lamidi Adedibu as well as Chief Yekinni Adeojo.

He spoke at the launch of Ex-Oyo Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s autobiography titled Amazing Grace in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Thursday.

Obasanjo, who was President from 1999 to 2007 during the incident, said Ladoja deliberately failed to accommodate the two political leaders in his administration despite being in the same Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He explained all his attempts to reconcile Ladoja with the duo were unsuccessful as Ladoja turned deaf ears to his entreaties.

He said it was the reason he paid heavily for it.

Reacting to page 140 of the book, Obasanjo said: “You pointed out on page 140 that Ladoja picked up a quarrel with me for reason of a non-existent third term.

“I didn’t know that Ladoja picked up a quarrel that his becoming governor was due to the grace of God and major contributions of two people- Yekinni Adeojo from whom the party structure was snatched and Chief Adedibu who spearheaded the whole programme.

“I pleaded with him to make accommodation for them both. He told me that they were all Ibadan people and they knew how to deal with themselves.

“He subsequently proved himself right as they dealt with themselves and he, Ladoja, came out the worse for it.

Alao-Akala, who succeeded Ladoja in 2007 after serving as Deputy Governor and Acting Governor when Ladoja was impeached, noted he was a product of grace penciled in the hands of the creator who drew the picture of whom he became.

He added that God brought him from junctures where many who had great and greater hope of tomorrow fell.

He pointed out the title of his autobiography was not a happenstance but an audacity of providence to bring him out of the dungeon of a hopeless tomorrow into the fulfillment of a destiny.

Alao-Akala said: “I call this history-making, not strictly for any other reason but for the fulfillment of my long anticipated desire to codify how the tragic death of my father in a road accident in 1952 single-handedly threatened to swamp my dream of getting to the cusp of my life aspirations but how providence miraculously found for me a path to the top.

“How I became governor of Oyo State is also documented which serves as a reminder to those who may be prone to being quickly swept off by the amnesia of history that God used me and my team of dependable colleagues at that period in time to change the lives of the people in the state.”

Politics

Governors set to sign World Bank fiscal transparency subsidiary grant agreement

November 5, 2020 No Comments

The 36 State Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) unanimously resolved to sign the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme’s subsidiary grant agreements.

The NGF’s resolution was contained in a communiqué signed by its chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi after the 21st teleconference meeting sequel to the adoption of the update report presented by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, on the SFTAS programme.

According to the NGF, each of the 36 state governments is expected to capture at least 50 per cent of the properties that have electricity connections in urban areas to unlock $2 million performance grant under the World Bank-funded States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Program for results before June 30, 2021.

The governors during the meeting affirmed that the assessment of states’ amended budgets published at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has been completed while the verification exercise for the implementation of tax relief programmes in all states is underway.

To this end, the governor enjoined all state governments to immediately direct their commissioners for finance to sign the SFTAS Subsidiary Grant Agreements with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to give effect to the principles and objectives of the programme in their states.

In the same vein, the governors during the review of various issues affecting the country, particularly on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fallouts of the EndSARS protests, unanimously resolved to: “engage with traditional, religious and civil society organizations to drive a common agenda and generate the required support for security personnel who play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of all Nigerians.”

The Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, chairman of the NGF Sub-Committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, raised concerns about the current low testing numbers in the country, especially in the light of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases globally. State governors were enjoined to increase their testing capacity in all local governments to help prevent the start of a second wave of the pandemic in the country flowing from imported cases from abroad.

Also at the meeting, the chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong gave an update on steps taken by the governors of the 19 Northern states to address the fallouts of the EndSARS protests.

While acknowledging that security situation in the country remains a priority agenda for Forum members across board, the governors resolved to: “adapt at both the state and regional levels guidelines to be developed and issued by the NEC Sub-Committee on Engagement to reduce restiveness among young people as it is clear that these agitations are attributable to social and economic inequality in the country.”

They also commended the private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) for presenting the true situation of what transpired in the light of the unfortunate misperception that attended the distribution of palliatives at the state level resolving that the NGF chair should work with the CACOVID chairperson to address the media in addition to members speaking up in their local settings.

The NGF is also expected to educate the citizenry about the various palliatives provided by the states including cash transfers, food items, medical supplies, and tax incentives given to individual taxpayers and businesses.

They also reiterated commitment to the partnership with Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGF) to organize a virtual event on the 17th November 2020 with the support of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) and other strategic partners in the country’s infrastructure financing space, noting that the event will discuss the entryway for privatization in the development and performance of State economies.

Similarly, the vice chairman of the Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal provided an update on the work of the National Economic Council Sub-Committee mandated to engage with youths, civil society organizations, religious, political and traditional leaders with the objective of framing a new security and stability architecture for the country.

Politics

Senate wants State House Clinic upgraded

November 5, 2020 No Comments

The Senate, on Thursday, called for the upgrade of the State House Clinic to check medical tourism.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs, Sen. Danjuma La’ah, made the call when the State House Permanent Secretary, Tijani Umar, appeared before the panel to defend the 2021 budget.

La’ah said that the committee would consider the budget for the State House Clinic; adding that the clinic needed to be more active in its operations.

“We must ensure our hospitals are fully equipped to world-class standards.

“So that no matter the issue of an emergency our hospitals should be endowed with that capacity to attend to them before flying out if the need arises,” he said.

He said that the proposal for the State House Clinic of N1.3 billion had already been approved.

“I want this thing done and the credit goes to the entire members of the committee.

“We want to leave a legacy that the clinic we requested is built in the State House within the shortest time frame. That is our primary concern and we must do it at all costs,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, in an interview after the meeting with the lawmakers, said that “I took over in the State House in April this year and in the last six months; we have made giant strides in almost every aspect of our work.

“We have outlined a lot of things trying to put it on the right pedestal, so it is not correct to say that it is comatose, it is not.

“We have realigned so many things. One of the fundamental challenges we have dealt with is the sustainable supply of drugs and consumables.

“Don’t forget that this derives from the budget. You have a budget and you have a sustainable supply, if the budget is not sufficient it affects everything.

“What we have on the ground now is something we can use to stabilize the State House Clinic and this is what we have achieved, stability in the supply of consumables, stability in the supply of electricity.

“Stability in motivating our doctors and all our medical professionals, stability in infrastructure renovation, upgrade and maintenance of the facility, and our equipment.

“What we can do with the resources right now is all that, just to maintain and to try to hold on to what we have until the new budget comes on stream,” he said.

Politics

Agbakoba writes Senate, demands devolution of Powers to States

November 5, 2020 No Comments

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has called for the devolution of powers to states in order to make them independent and stronger.

He made this known in a letter written to the Senate and addressed to the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday.

Agbakoba noted that the country must also be immediately restructured in order to solve the various challenges facing the country. The Senior Advocate added that the country must choose its own model of federalism considering its peculiarities.

The lawyer, however, demanded a review of the exclusive and concurrent lists, so as to give more powers to the states. He also asked the federal government to rename both lists as the federal legislative list and state legislative list.

He said: “The constitution has two legislative lists namely, exclusive and concurrent. These lists have 98 items of power. The federal government exercises exclusive power over 68 items on the exclusive list. The states in concurrence with the federal government, exercise power over 30 items on the concurrent list.

“But the states may only exercise power on the concurrent list, only if the federal government has not already ‘covered the field’ on any of the 30 items. In effect, state governments really have no power.”

Agbakoba disclosed that a committee should be set up to review the 98 items on the exclusive list and assign what is best to the federal government and what is best to the states.

He noted that the simple process of devolved powers can be by virtue of an enactment styled, and constitution alteration (devolution of powers) bill.

Politics

BENUE State Government has again declared Fridays as work-free days for civil servants in the state.

November 5, 2020 No Comments

The work-free day, according to the state government, begins on November 6 till January 29, 2021, while normal weekly work schedule will resume on February 5, 2021.

The development, it was gathered, was to allow civil servants the opportunity to harvest their farm produce.

According to the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Ngunan Addingi, “the declaration of Fridays as work-free days is to improve food security in the state.”

The governor always declared Fridays for the state workers during plant and harvest seasons.

Politics, World News