Politics

Nigeria must return to true federalism — Adebanjo April 17, 2020 Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on Thursday, reiterated the call for a return to true federalism. This, he said, was the panacea for the imbalance and injustice in the current political arrangement in the land. Adebanjo said this during a television programme on BCOS in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, monitored by our correspondent. The elder statesman said, “The beginning of our problem in this country was the military coup of 1966. The people who want to do mischief, particularly our brothers from the North, are cheating us under the present structure imposed on us by the military in 1966. “As long as that constitution exists, those of us in the South, who took part in the founding of this nation under our constitutional democracy, would not accept it.” “The constitution created local government councils through which they distribute resources. The North ...

Cross River feeds street children April 15, 2020 The Director General of the Cross-River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, on Tuesday, handed food items and personal protective materials to street children in Calabar, the state capital. This, she said, were some of the measures being taken by the state government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state. She led a team of government officials to various streets such as: Mary Slessor, Bogobiri, and Cultural Centre within the city where most of the homeless children commonly referred to as “skolombo” reside. Ekpenyong, who also led the officials to sensitise the children, said, “With a geometrical progression in cases recorded on a daily basis globally, the importance of sensitization cannot be over emphasized. “We are here today to ensure that everyone is being carried along. Our dear and passionate Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has mandated that everyone in the streets ...

PDP demands total lockdown in Edo April 15, 2020 Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, has called for a lockdown of the state as the only option to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The state chairman of the party, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, made the call at a media briefing in Benin, on Tuesday. He said the state currently accounts for 14 positive COVID-14 cases, making it the highest in the South-South zone just as two deaths had also been recorded. The party chairman said a total lockdown was required to secure the lives of the five million residents of the state. Aziegbemi equally said the response of the Godwin Obaseki-led administration to the COVID-19 pandemic was less than satisfactory and scary considering the state’s proximity to the worst-affected states including Lagos and Abuja. He said, “The government of Edo State has failed us all. The best options to contain COVID-19 are total lockdown and massive testing. Since the Edo State Government has ...

‘Enugu has decontaminated 35 markets’ April 15, 2020 The Enugu State Chief Fire Officer, Mr Okwudili Ohaa, on Tuesday announced that the state government had so far fumigated 35 markets and public places across the state as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. He said this while addressing journalists shortly after the decontamination of Orba Modern Market, in the Udenu Local Government Area of the state. Ohaa said, “As we are rounding up the first phase of the decontamination exercise which started on April 1, 2020, I am happy to inform you that we completed over 99.9 per cent of the areas marked out for disinfection, as we decontaminated a total of 35 markets including some public places. “I am giving kudos to the Enugu State Government under the leadership of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for providing all the logistics that enabled us to perform effectively, as you have seen we also worked on Easter holidays so as to meet our target.” The...

Ogun PDP crisis: Suspended chairman, Kashamu clash April 15, 2020 the embattled Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Bayo Dayo, has accused former senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu, of attempting to bribe him with N10m to compromise the party congresses in the state. Dayo was suspended by the party in the state for alleged anti-party activities. While reacting to his suspension by some members of the executive of the party in the state, Dayo said he remained the party chairman because he could only be punished by National Executive Committee of the party. He said, “They (Kashamu group) came to my house day before yesterday with N10m; they told me to take the money in order to sign their papers. “The paper is to withdraw the letter I wrote to the lawyer. I was also asked to write a letter to INEC telling them we have concluded the congresses of the state. “I resisted, I said I have written a lett...

Nasarawa lawmakers order arrest of SSG’s aides April 15, 2020 The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has ordered for the immediate arrest of four media aides to the embattled Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Aliyu Ahmed, for allegedly instigating the state against the lawmakers. They accused the media aides of spreading false information alleging that each lawmaker collected N11m from the state government for distribution as COVID-19 palliatives to their constituents. The resolution of the House followed a motion on a matter of urgent public importance moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Mr Mohammed Omadefu, during an emergency sitting of the assembly on Tuesday. Speaker of the House, Mr Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, while reading the resolution also urged the state government to issue a statement to clarify the issue. He explained that such reports if left unclarified were capable of creating confusion. Balarabe-Abdullahi said, “The arrest of...