Day: April 1, 2023

Rep. Abdulraheem Olawuyi (APC-Kwara) has joined the race for the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly.

Olawuyi, who is representing Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-ero Federal Constituency of Kwara, confirmed that he would officially declare his intention on April 4, in Abuja.

Olawuyi, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, said this in a statement he personally issued to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.

The lawmaker said he has consulted widely on his intention to contest the position and expressed delight at the feedback.

Olawuyi, a third termer and ranking member in the House of Reps, said he believed he possed the needed experience to make the office of the speaker better, if elected by his colleagues.

He said other lawmakers, serving and newly elected members of the House of Reps would be in attendance at his official declaration.

“I assure you that, if elected, I will strive to promote policies that will benefit all Nigerians from various backgrounds and will work with all parties to unite the country.

“I am genuinely looking forward to meet fellow lawmakers, share my vision with them, and listen to their ideas on how to improve the lots of the people, if elected as the speaker,” Olawuyi stated.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Kano State Government on Friday said Gov. Abdulhahi Ganduje is still in charge of the administration of the state.

The government also advised the Governor-elect, Abba Kabir-Yusuf, to restraint himself from issuing official pronouncements in form of public advisory in order not to cause unnecessary confusion in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, in Kano.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Yusuf on Thursday directed a Public Advisory to all individuals, groups and organisations to stop ongoing construction in public places immediately.

Reacting to the advisory, Garba urged the incoming administration to exercise patience and desist from causing confusion during the transition period.

He said the action of the governor-elect amounted to jumping the gun by issuing directive on a matter affecting government laid down policy, while the incumbent is yet to run his full term.

The commissioner also stated that as far as the division of power is concerned as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ganduje remained the governor with executive powers until May 29.

According to him, the incumbent governor reserve the right to carry out his functions in public interest even on the eve of his exit.

“Until he subscribes to the oath of office as governor on May 29, he remains what he is – a governor-elect – and does not have the powers of the governor.

“All he can do is to reverse some of the actions taken by his predecessor when he assumes office, if there is a valid reason to do so.

“No governor-elect has the constitutional or legal powers to determine the direction of a state until he is sworn-in,” the statement added.

Garba noted that state governors wielded enormous powers to allocate plots and therefore every government has undertaken such exercise, including the previous administration which the governor-elect had served.

He also stated that based on available records, the previous administration has made land allocation in some of the public places the governor-elect categorically mentioned.

The commissioner listed the City Wall with allocation of land from Kofar Nassarawa to Kofar Mata; shops at the Kofar Mata Eid Prayer Ground facing the Orion Cinema; and from Kofar Mata to ‘Yan-yashi opposite the Eid Ground, and from Kofar Kabuga to Kofar Famfo facing the old Campus of Bayero University as some of the allocations made by previous administrations.

Garba explained that the advisory issued by the governor-elect has generated a lot of tension in the state and advised him to desist from such in order to avoid causing confusion.

He also called on individuals and organisations who acquired land after following due process and procedures not to be threatened by the notice.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ooni, who spoke through his Second-in-Command, Obalufe of Ifeland, Oba Idowu Adediwura, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ile-Ife.

He said as the royal father of Christians, Muslims and traditionalists and as a leader who championed peaceful coexistence globally, there was no reason why his home should be in turmoil.

He said that as a direct descendant of Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race who also preached peaceful coexistence, he believed there was no reason why people of different faiths should not live peacefully in tolerance.

He noted that the two major faiths and traditional worshippers had coexisted peaceful in ages past and that there should not be hostilities between them now.

Four persons were reportedly injured when traditional religion worshippers attacked worshippers in a mosque in Ile-Ile on Thursday.

Traditionalists in the town had announced on Wednesday that the “Oro’’ cult would perform some rituals in some parts of Ife between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., advising residents to avoid the areas.

According to one of those in the mosque, Mr Abdulazeez Bashir, Oro adherents broke through the fence and began flogging worshippers with canes, instructing them to leave the ablution area.

“One of them even attacked the Imam, Alhaji Abdullateef Adesiyan while coming into the mosque. He was beaten with a cane and hit on the face with a rod.

“When I discovered that about five persons had been injured, apart from the Imam of the mosque, I had to call the Ife Chief Imam, Alhaji AbdulSemiu AbdulHammed to intimate him with the happenings.

“The situation could have escalated into a big crisis when other Muslims began to gather around, but the traditionalists eventually left. The victims were later taken to a hospital for treatment,’’ Bashir said.

When contacted, Osun Police Command spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation into the mosque invasion had been launched.

Oba Ogunwusi promised to renovate the mosque that was affected as well as pay the hospital bill of the Imam of the mosque.

The Chief Imam of Ifeland, Alhaji AbdulHammed, told NAN on Friday that the trouble had been settled.

He confirmed that the traditional religion worshippers assaulted the Imam of Idiomo Mosque, Ilare, Alfa Adesiyan, inside the mosque.

AbdulHammed called for maintenance of fundamental rights of religion, speech and peace among others.

“There is no family throughout Africa that practices one religion.

“There should be freedom for individuals to practice whatever religion they choose without coercion,’’ he said.

The Chief Imam appealed to indigenes to ensure that they maintained peace and orderliness during each festival in the town, stressing that there is no profit in violence.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.- Gen. Bashir Magashi, on Friday, inaugurated multiple projects at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, in a bid to enhance the training of cadets.

The projects inaugurated included roads in honour of war heroes and the NDA-NAF Base Link Road and new gate named after Magashi.

The defence minister inspected concrete fence and block fence projects and also unveiled adventure obstacle course where demonstration was carried out by the cadets.

He also witnessed river assault crossing demonstration by the cadets of the 70th Regular Course at the Nigerian Air Force dam.

Speaking to newsmen after the inauguration, Magashi said he has expectation that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are doing their best in carrying out their constitutional duties to the nation.

He said that his visit was also to see areas of improvement in the training and other aspects of soldiering in the Academy to ensure good breed of officers.

On security, Magashi said there has been much improvement as seen in the North-East and North-West, adding that gradually people would return to civilised way of doing things in the country.

He expressed gratitude for the project named after him at the NDA while also commending the commandant for his vision and innovations in the training of the cadets.

Earlier, the Commandant of the Academy, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Manu-Yusuf, said the projects would enhance the security architecture of the academy.

He said they had also open ways for additional areas of training.

He thanked the Minister; Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and other service chiefs for supporting the institution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff visited the NDA on March 30 and had inaugurated 15 troops-carrying vehicles and other projects.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Akin Olateru, Director-General, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has urged journalists to promote transportation safety network and development through proper reportage of occurrences across the country.

A statement from Mr Tunji Oketunbi, NSIM General Manager of Public Affairs on Friday in Abuja stated that Olateru gave the advice when new executive members of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, such move will help to properly educate the society to quickly understand occurrences in the transportation sector.

Olateru commended the critical role journalists played in the dissemination of accurate information derived from investigations and final reports of occurrence.

The NSIB boss stated that journalists’ reportage had greatly improved the image and the general well-being of the Bureau and the country as a whole.

He further commended the media for the critical role played in the actualisation of the establishment of the NSIB.

Olateru called for the continuous support of the media and other stakeholders in the fulfilment of the Bureau’s new mandate of investigating accident and serious incident that occurred in the air, rail, marine and other modes of transportation in Nigeria.

“Nigeria as a country should move in line with the world by separating the regulatory body from the investigating body, so as to avoid conflict of interest, and ensure objectivity in what we do.”

According to him, this is unlike in the past when there was no investigation into the cause of transportation mishaps and the authorities were more focused on punishing the offenders.

“ The new NSIB will carry out independent investigations of transportation occurrences, determine the causal factor and proffer safety recommendations to prevent reoccurrence.

“The bureau is at the critical level of the bills implementation and this is the time we need your assistance, cooperation commitment, understanding and professionalism, in pursuing the noble objective,” he said.

Speaking, the new Chairman of the ATACA, Mr Oru Leonard, expressed appreciation for the support and assistance the Bureau had shown toward ATACA members, especially in the area of training on accident investigation reportage.

The chairman said the recent training really informed the members about the processes and procedures of accident investigations.

He further said the training impacted on how to better inform the public about accidents and incident occurrences in a more professional and concise manner that would not instil fear or cause havoc.

Oru, however, called for more of such gesture and support of ATACA’s activities by the bureau.

He said a deeper collaboration and partnership between the two organisations would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bureau, in collaboration with Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI) organised a week-long training titled: “Investigation Management- Media Relations” for the Abuja correspondents.

NAN further reports that a similar training has been previously organised by the bureau for aviation correspondents in Lagos.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria