Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday met the duo of ex-military rulers, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar in their country homes in Niger State.
Although issues discussed at the meetings were not made public, Atiku’s visit to the former Nigerian leaders was to prepare the ground for his involvement in the 2027 presidential election.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 election in May declared that he would continue to vie for the country’s highest political officer if his health permits him.
He confirmed the meetings in a post on his X handle.
“Today, I paid Sallah homage to former Heads of State Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd) and Gen. Abdusalami at their residences in Minna, Niger State,” the ex-Vice President wrote.
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Atiku meets Babangida, Abubakar in Niger
Otti sacks CPS, approves school fees of Abia students in India, law schools
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Wednesday, announced the removal of his Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, while approving the payment of school fees for Abia students studying in India who were abandoned by the previous administration, as well as approved the payment of school fees of those in Nigeria Law Schools in the country.
Briefing newsmen after the State Executive Council Meeting chaired by the governor himself, the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, said the gesture over the Abia students in India is to enable them to continue their studies, having been abandoned by the previous administration in the state.
The Commissioner said, “Following Governor Alex Otti’s interest and the high premium he placed on students, the governor has graciously approved the payment of school fees of Abia students in India. He also approved the payment of school fees of 271 Abia students in Nigeria Law Schools,”
Kanu also disclosed that the state governor has also secured the accreditation of 19 programmes for the Abia State University Uturu, ABSU, stating also that the governor has directed the state Commissioner for Lands to quickly, within 48 hours process a Certificate of Occupancy, C-of-O for an Abian international footballer who is from Isuikwuato LGA, Frank Onyeka who has concluded plans to establish a football academy in the state.
Onyeka and his wife had visited the state governor with Daati Baba Ahmed who was on hand to support the academy and pledged so, with the governor stating the willingness of his administration to support the academy that will be sited between Umuahia and Aba.
Prince Kanu noted that the state governor has replaced his CPS, Kazie Uko with another person, Njoku Ukoha Njoku.
Answering questions from newsmen on the cholera outbreak, the commissioner said, “There is no cholera outbreak in the state, even the suspected cases whose samples were taken to NCDC, Abuja were negative.”
Tincan Port receives 4,500 vehicles after tugboat incident
Two vessels carrying a total of 4,500 vehicles berthed at Five Star Logistics Terminal last week after a tugboat sank at the terminal.
The Customs Care Manager of the terminal, Mr Chuks Okereafor, revealed this recently.
Okereafor stated that a tugboat sank between berths 10 and 11 at the terminal last week while trying to pilot a barge loaded with containers had been rescued.
The tug boat, estimated to be worth $40, 000, went under the waters at Tincan port last week, though the pilot of the boat was said to have escaped death by the whiskers.
According Online learnt that the berth where the incident happened is operated by Five Star Logistics Nigeria Limited while the tugboat belongs to Medlog, a logistics arm of one of the multinational shipping lines.
Okereafor confirmed that the tugboat had been moved out, adding that the incident did not stop operations at the terminal.
“It is a Medlog tugboat. When they were loading import containers I think the boat took in waters and then sank.
“That did not stop the operations at the terminal. It did not stop the ship from berthing. The ship completed and left. The case was reported to the NPA and for you to do such a thing, there is what we call salvaging. We have to do that and the NPA would approve it.
“So, it was between Medlog and NPA. However, it did not stop vessels from berthing. We had two vessels that discharged over 4,500 vessels after the incident. It happened between berths 10 and 11. It did not disrupt vessel operations, and it did not stop them from berthing,” he said.
According to Okereafor, the terminal was able to pull out the affected boat on Sunday.
“Finally, they were able to force salvage and almost succeeding one of the sling wires pulled off and the tugboat went down again. So, it was yesterday (Sunday) that they finally pulled it off. It was removed on Sunday,” Okereafor explained.
How I cheated death in Ebonyi building collapse
A menial labourer, Nkwegu Shadrach has narrated how he escaped death following a building collapse that occurred on Tuesday evening in the Abakaliki metropolis in Ebonyi State.
The three-storey building located within the premises of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki I, Ebonyi State, collapsed when some construction workers were working inside it.
The building, which collapsed to the foundation level, is owned by the member representing Afikpo North/East State Constituency in the Ebonyi House of Assembly, Ukie Ezeali.
The construction workers who were inside the building when the disaster occurred included a mason man, Celestine Arua and a deaf and dumb labourer, Egwu Ogbonnia.
The two workers were trapped inside the building but were rescued after some hours through a rescue operation led by officials of the state Ministry of Capital Territory, Ministry of Works and security agencies.
According Metro reports they are currently hospitalised at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the AE-FUTHA II and were responding to treatment when our Correspondent visited them, on Wednesday afternoon.
The menial labourer, Nkwegu who supplied mixed concrete to the two workers inside the building thanked God for saving him and the two workers.
He said, “I was there when the thing happened. It was the last bucket of mixed concrete that I was trying to carry and turned back and saw the building collapsed.
“I was not affected but two persons were affected, the mason man and another worker who is deaf and dumb.
“It was only the mason man and the deaf and dumb worker that were inside the building when it collapsed. I was outside the building trying to carry mixed concrete to meet the mason man when the building collapsed.”
Meanwhile, the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria has described the incident as a huge disaster.
The Council alleged that the materials used for the building were substandard, wondering why people erecting structures should not comply with building guidelines.
Zonal Coordinator of the council, Nwekete Chinasa-Jonathan while speaking to Journalists at the scene, also alleged that mixtures of materials for the building were not good in addition to the poor workmanship.
“We have experienced poor workmanship here and some of the materials were not standard, substandard materials were used and the mixture was not too wonderful,” he said.
The Commissioner for Capital Territory, Development Authority, Sunday Inyima, corroborated the council, adding two persons have been arrested over the incident.
Inyima observed, “Two arrests have been made, people who are directly or indirectly attached to the building and that is the truth. We have actually told the owner of the building to please make himself available for an explanation.
“The police are already investigating the matter while professional bodies are also investigating the incident.”
APC’s plan to forcefully take over Rivers has failed -PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party has stated that the alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress to take over Rivers State has failed, emphasising that the state will remain a stronghold of the PDP.
On Wednesday, the leadership of the APC in Rivers State urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state, citing the presence of a full-blown war.
This call was made by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, during a media briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He said, “Rivers State is at war and the dramatis personae who are responsible for the mayhem that has claimed lives are known.
“The governor is helpless, the police bias helpless. Therefore the APC in Rivers State is calling for a state of emergency in Rivers State as a way of taming the mayhem, and the upsurge that is going on in the state.
“I call on the federal government to act fast in this regard.”
In his response, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said on Wednesday that Okocha’s statement exposes APC’s intention to provoke a crisis in Rivers State.
He called on the Federal Government and the APC national leadership to immediately intervene and advise Okocha to cease his actions as they posed a threat to democracy and stability in Nigeria.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to yet another hallucinating press conference by the Rivers State Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Tony Okocha, wherein he again fantasized that the will of the people of Rivers State as expressed in the governorship election which produced Governor Siminalayi Fubara can be upturned by the imagination of the APC.
“This reckless outburst by Tony Okocha further exposes the sinister plot by the APC in Rivers State which has been seeking ways to instigate crisis, forcefully overthrow a democratic Order and impose an anti-democratic regime in Rivers State in clear violation of Section 1 sub-section 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“The use of the word ‘war’ by Mr Okocha in his thoughtless statement clearly shows an evil intention which has been firmly resisted and will continue to be resisted by the people of Rivers State.
“The APC in Rivers State should note that its malevolent scheme to instigate crisis and forcefully take over the State has failed. Rivers State is a stronghold of the PDP and the people are solidly behind the Government of the PDP in the State.”
The PDP spokesperson reiterated their warning to the APC, advising them to abandon any plans of forcefully seizing control of Rivers State.
He emphasised that the APC’s alleged efforts to undermine the people’s will would consistently fail.
It continued, “The PDP calls on the Federal Government and indeed the national leadership of the APC to, as a matter of urgency, rein in and caution Mr Tony Okocha to stop being an agent of destabilization and a threat to democracy in Nigeria.
“Our party demands that the Inspector-General of Police immediately invite the Rivers State APC Caretaker Chairman and hold him personally liable for his utterances which constitute a clear and present danger to the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria and to peace and tranquillity in Rivers State.
“The international community should also take note of the reckless outburst of this individual whose actions and utterances are capable of negatively affecting the overall security of the country.
“The PDP for the umpteenth time warns the APC to perish the thought of forcefully taking over Rivers State as its attempts to undermine the will of the people will always come to naught.”
The major opposition party urged the residents of Rivers State to stay calm and continue collaborating in solidarity with the PDP government to achieve developmental benefits under democracy in the state.
Obi visits Bukola Saraki over mother’s passing
A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, visited ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki’s residence on Wednesday to offer condolences on the passing of his mother, Mrs. Florence Saraki.
Obi disclosed this in photos from his visit shared on X.com on Wednesday.
His caption read, “Today in Lagos, I paid a condolence visit to my dear brother, former Senate President, and former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Abubakar #bukolasaraki, over the death of his beloved mother, Mrs. Florence Morenike Saraki.”
On behalf of his family, Obi expressed sympathy over the loss, describing Mrs. Saraki’s passing as a significant and irreplaceable loss to the Saraki family.
He added, “On behalf of my family, I sincerely commiserate with him and the entire Saraki family over their sad, irreplaceable loss.
“May God Almighty, who called her home, forgive her sins, grant her eternal rest, and grant the Saraki family the fortitude to bear the loss.”
According Online reports that Florence died on Tuesday at the age of 89.
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Ogun puts school heads on red alert
The Ogun State Government on Wednesday, directed school heads to ensure good health and safety of all learners and staff to prevent the spread of cholera within the school communities.
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abayomi Arigbabu, in a statement on Wednesday, said preventive measures have been put in place to control the spread of the disease in schools in the state.
Arigbabu said these measures take effect from Wednesday as schools resumed from the mid-term break and the Eid-el-Kabir holiday.
Arigbabu said that some of the measures include comprehensive health talks on cholera prevention among learners and staff, including information on symptoms, transmission routes, proper hand hygiene, and safe drinking water practices;
The commissioner said, “Schools must ensure availability of clean water and soap for hand washing on school premises, encourage regular handwashing, especially before eating and after using the restroom while also promoting the use of hand sanitisers with at least 60% alcohol content as a support to hand washing;
“Others are to regularly inspect and maintain water sources within school premises to ensure that they are safe for drinking; instruct learners and staff to consume only boiled or chlorinated water and avoid consuming raw or unwashed fruits and vegetables; Maintain clean and hygienic school environments, including proper disposal of waste and regular cleaning of toilets and common areas;
“Collaborate closely with local health authorities and follow their guidelines for cholera prevention and control measures; Ensure safe food preparation by making sure that they are properly cooked and covered when not consumed immediately; Monitor the food vendors closely and ensure that they collect letters from health facilities certifying their fitness for the job;
“Designate health officers within the school to monitor learners and staff for any symptoms of cholera (like frequent watery stooling, etc) and report any suspected cases immediately to the nearest Health Care Centre and or the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.”
He added, “By adhering strictly to these preventive measures and maintaining a high level of vigilance, we can collectively safeguard our health and well-being during this critical period.”
The state Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, on Monday confirmed three reported cases of Cholera in the state.
Coker said while two cases were reported in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government which borders neighbouring Lagos State which has recorded 17 cases and 15 deaths, the third case was reported in Abeokuta South Local Government area of the state.
Sanwo-Olu vows crackdown on kidnappers of Fouani brothers
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Wednesday vowed to ensure the arrest of those behind the recent kidnapping of three Lebanese nationals, including the Managing Director of Fouani Nigeria Limited, Muhammed Fouani.
This was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile.
According to Sanwo-Olu, his administration would not condone people of evil intentions in the state.
He assured residents, particularly business owners and religious tourists, of adequate security in the state, saying his administration is committed to making the state peaceful, attractive and homely.
“The security of life and property is paramount, and we do not leave anything to chance on that. The very recent incident that happened in Lagos was about the kidnapping of three members of our Lebanese community. We are happy that they have been released, and this morning (Wednesday), I met with them, and we have useful information to ensure that the perpetrators of the act are not going to be spared.
“We know we have an idea of how far they have gone, and we will do everything to ensure that we do not give them a space in our city and state. I want to assure all our citizens and businesses, both national and international, that Lagos will continue to remain safe and peaceful. People thought the incident happened around the Five Cowry, Falomo. No, it actually happened on the big water on the way to Ikorodu. So they were not even around Falomo.
“We want to assure you that we are on top of it. The security operatives are combing all the necessary areas. This is a strong signal that Lagos will not condone such people with evil intentions.
“They do not deserve any sort of recognition. So, we will continue to make Lagos peaceful. We will continue to make it attractive and homely. We will continue to ensure that businesses thrive. We will ensure people live and work in a conducive environment”, the governor said.
Recall that the Managing Director of Fouani Company, which represents LG and Hisense, along with three Lebanese, were kidnapped on Friday while travelling by boat in Lagos State.
However, they regained their freedom on Monday.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this via a text message to our correspondent on Tuesday.
According to him, the brothers identified as Abbas Fouani, Youssef Fouani, and Amtal Fouani, who were abducted on June 14 around 6 pm in Lagos were rescued on Monday night in Orugbo Iddo.
Atiku meets IBB, Abdulsalami Abubakar [PHOTOS]
![Atiku meets IBB, Abdulsalami Abubakar [PHOTOS]](https://tvn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/atiku-ibb-768x471.jpeg "Atiku meets IBB, Abdulsalami Abubakar [PHOTOS]")
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday visited ex-military Head of State Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
Atiku also visited another former military Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The former Vice President met both former Nigerian rulers at their respective residence in Minna, Niger State.
Posting on X, Atiku wrote: “Today, I paid Sallah homage to former Heads of State Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) and Gen. Abdusalami at their residences in Minna, Niger State.”
The meeting is coming amid claims of Atiku preparing to set the grounds for the 2027 presidential election.
In May, Atiku had vowed to continue contesting for the presidency as long as he’s healthy.
He made the comment amid his move to form a coalition with Peter Obi, his counterpart from the Labour Party, LP, and other political parties.
Atiku meets IBB, Abdulsalami Abubakar [PHOTOS]
$80,000 prize for grabs as Omotayo, Edem lead Nigeria’s charge at WTT Contender
In the absence of Quadri Aruna, Olajide Omotayo and Offiong Edem will take centre stage as Nigeria’s flag bearers in the singles event of the 2024 WTT Contender.
The prestigious tournament unfolds at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos State.
In Men’s Singles, Omotayo, the 2019 African Games champion, will lead a contingent of seven Nigerian players vying for spots in the second round.
His opening challenge awaits in the form of India’s Manav Thakkar.
Junior sensation Matthew Kuti faces off against Frenchman Thibault Poret, while other Nigerian talents like Azeez Solanke, Mustapha Mustapha, and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai brace themselves for formidable opponents from China and India.
Read Also: Table tennis federation confirms Aruna, others for Paris Olympic Games
In an intriguing clash of brothers, Amadi Omeh and Muiz Adegoke will battle each other in the first round.
Edem enters the women’s singles fray, pitted against her compatriot Fatimo Bello in the opening round.
Reigning women’s singles champion Shin Yubin begins her title defense against Indian player Archana Kamath.
Meanwhile, 2024 Africa Cup champion Dina Meshref of Egypt faces off against Chinese teenager Xu Huiyao.
Day 2 of the inaugural WTT Series in Sub-Saharan Africa promises excitement, with star players eyeing the $80,000 prize pool and coveted star points.
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