Former lawmaker, Daniel Bwala, says he feels vindicated after the Senate announced the removal of Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume representing Borno South as Chief Whip on Wednesday.
Ndume has since been replaced by Senator Tahir Mungono, who represents Borno North.
Ndume’s removal comes after his recent criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.
He had, in an interview with journalists last week said, “Mr President is not in the picture of what is happening outside the Villa. He has been fenced off and caged. So many of us won’t go through the backdoor to engage him.
“The government is not doing anything about the food scarcity and it needs to do something urgently. We don’t have a food reserve. There is an unavailability of food. Food crisis is the worst crisis that any nation can encounter. If we add that to the security crisis, it will be severe.”
The submissions triggered a series of reactions from the pro-Tinubu camp, who described his statement as derogatory.
However, the Senate took the unanimous resolution to replace Ndume after a letter of complaint against his utterances by the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Headquarters, was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
But Bwala, who until recently became a supporter of Tinubu, in a terse post on his X handle, said: “Feeling vindicated” while sharing a newspaper report of Ndume’s removal.
I feel vindicated – Bwala on Ndume’s removal as Senate’s Chief Whip
I feel vindicated – Bwala on Ndume’s removal as Senate’s Chief Whip
Two Commissioners resign from Governor Otti’s cabinet
Two Commissioners in the cabinet of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, have resigned their appointments.
They are Professor Monica Ironkwe, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Chima Oriaku, the Commissioner for Science and Technology.
No statement has been publicly issued by the immediate past Commissioners on why they left their former offices.
Also, no official press release was issued by the Abia State government confirming the news, or the rumours concerning the exit of the two former top appointees and why they left.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha in a short reaction to enquiries on Wednesday morning, said that the two former Commissioners resigned their appointments from the cabinet and were not sacked, as being rumoured by some persons.
“The 2 Commissioners resigned from the cabinet. No one was sacked. Disregard the trending rumours”, the CPS, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha reacted.
Two Commissioners resign from Governor Otti’s cabinet
Edo Assembly appeals judgment reinstating Shaibu as deputy gov
The Edo State House of Assembly has appealed the judgement by Justice J. K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which set aside the impeachment of the state’s ex-deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.
The State Assembly has also filed a stay of execution on the judgment pending appeal.
Earlier today, Justice Omotosho voided Shuaibu’s impeachment as the deputy governor of the state.
Omotosho, while delivering judgment in the suit, ordered that Shaibu be reinstated to office because the state House of Assembly failed to comply with due process in impeaching him.
He also set aside the appointment of the new deputy governor who replaced Shaibu.
Shaibu fell out with Governor Godwin Obaseki over his ambition to succeed his boss. Despite Obaseki having his preferred candidate, Asue Ighodalo, Shaibu and nine others contested against Ighodalo, who eventually picked the ticket.
After that, the Edo State House of Assembly, had on Monday, April 8, 2024, impeached Shaibu following the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the State Chief Judge to probe allegations of misconduct against the former deputy governor.
The investigative panel set up the EDHA was headed by Justice S.A. Omonua (retd.) and probed Shaibu on allegations of perjury and leaking of government secrets, ending its sittings with the former deputy governor refusing to appear before it.
Shaibu was impeached by the vote of 18 out of 19 members of the Assembly present at plenary, while one abstained from the headcount and voting process.
Recall that the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had upon the impeachment of Shaibu picked Marvellous Omobayo as his deputy to complete his second tenure in office, which ends on November 11, 2024.
Israel ready for govt, private sector partnerships in Nigeria- Envoy
The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said on Wednesday that Israel is open to partnering with the Federal Government and the private sector in areas that benefit both countries.
He said this was part of his country’s efforts to eradicate poverty and insecurity in the world.
Freeman, who was represented by the Consul of Israel in Nigeria, Inbar Lipman Garden, spoke at the Nigeria-Israel Business Forum’s Annual General meeting in Abuja.
He said, “Having gone through the agenda for the day, I can attest to the fact that you have eloquent professionals and great speakers to address the issues of the day. Israel is proud to be partnering development of the Nigerian economic and business sector. We are ready to partner with the government and the private sectors in areas of mutual benefit to our countries.
“I implore you to take advantage of today’s presentations and join us in a quest to eradicate poverty and insecurity in the world. We look forward to receiving the dividends of this gathering, hoping it will improve the trade business between our countries.”
Speaking virtually, the Nigerian Ambassador in Tel-Aviv, Agatha Afokelu, urged Nigerians to take advantage of the partnership offered by the Israeli government.
Afokelu also said Nigerians should start thinking of what to export to Israel.
He said, “For me, again, it is a great opportunity this time. I urge Nigerians to use this advantage to think of products to export to Israel.
“Now that the door is open for us, I heard the speech of the representative of Ambassador Freeman, and she said that they are open to receive us, they are open for business. So I encourage all members to be ready. We are also ready to receive you, to make you feel at home, to make you happy.”
The president of the forum, PatGrace Owusi said the forum had helped to improve the economy of the two countries.
He said, “Over the years, by the grace of God, we have done so much. The forum has helped to improve the economic standards of the two countries. We are glad that Nigeria can fly to Israel today without heading because the Basra agreement was signed.
“We are glad that today, Nigerian people can go to Israel and do business because of the economic agreement that was signed. This was piloted by this organization.
“And today, we want to look into some vital issues. Israel needs Nigeria, and Nigeria needs Israel. Fish needs water and water needs fish. Without water, fish do not exist. And without fish, water does not exist. It exists with nothing.”
Eight arrested for cultism, drug peddling in Kogi poly
The joint security team of Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, arrested three students of the institution and five others suspected to be members of a secret society and hard drug peddlers. The arrests were made during the ongoing second-semester examination for the 2023/2024 academic session. A statement issued on Wednesday by
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Schools shut in Bangladesh after deadly riots
Universities and other educational institutions were shut down across Bangladesh Wednesday after riots earlier on Tuesday claimed six lives.
Violent protests had broken out in the country’s capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday, July 16, over the allocation of government jobs.
The Dhaka University which was at the centre of the violence, suspended classes immediately and the government later asked that all other universities shut down by Wednesday.
The University Grants Commission said the measure was necessary to protect students.
Authorities have confirmed that no fewer than six people were killed in the violent demonstrations on Tuesday when student protesters clashed with pro-government student activists and with police.
The violence was reported around Dhaka, the southeastern city of Chattogram and the northern city of Rangpur.
The Police establishment in Dhaka raided the headquarters of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on suspicion that the party played a part in the violence.
The police arrested seven members of the party’s student wing in connection with two buses that were torched in the course of the riot on Tuesday.
Protests had started late last month over a quota system that reserves 30 percent of government jobs for relatives of veterans of Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
At present, 56% of government jobs in Bangladesh are reserved under various quotas, including 10% for women, 10% for people from underdeveloped districts, 5% for Indigenous communities, and 1% for people with disabilities; but it is the 30 percent for families of veterans that irritate students.
The demonstration demanding an end to quota was peaceful until it turned violent on Tuesday when protesters at Dhaka University clashed with police and counter-protests organized by the student wing of the governing Awami League party.
Apart from the six who died, about 100 other people were injured when the violence spread overnight from Dhaka first to Jahangir Nagar University in Savar, outside Dhaka, and then to other parts of the country.
The complaints of the protesters include the argument that the veterans’ families quota is too discriminatory and benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the country’s independence movement.
Most people in Bangladesh prefer government jobs because they are considered more stable and with higher pay than private sector jobs.
The quota system was temporarily halted in 2018 after a court order which was itself a result of earlier mass student protests that year, but last month, Bangladesh’s High Court nullified that earlier court decision, annoying students who face high youth unemployment rates.
Schools shut in Bangladesh after deadly riots
Oyo fixes July 22 for teachers recruitment exam
The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board has said the computer-based test for the recruitment of teachers into primary schools in the state, will begin on Monday, July 22 through Friday, July 26, 2024.
The Chairman, OyoSUBEB, Nureni Adeniran, made this known in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Adeniran said 50,097 applicants scaled the application exercise to take part in the computer-based tests for the available positions.
He said the specific date and time for individual applicant had already been communicated to them through their emails and or phone numbers.
He, therefore, advised applicants to check their emails and phones for confirmation regularly.
He added that the venue for the exam is the University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre, Computer Based Testing Centre, Ajibode, Ibadan.
He said, “The Board has approved that the University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre, Computer Based testing centre, should conduct the computer-based tests for the applicants because of its long-standing pedigree in such examinations.”
Adeniran instructed all applicants to print copies of their CBT examination schedule and their application print-out, bearing their passports from the job portal.
The OYOSUBEB boss said the two print-outs would admit applicants into the CBT examination hall.
He also said applicants must adhere strictly to the time and date sent to them by the Board, as loitering around the centre would not be condoned.
The Chairman maintained that successful candidates from the computer-based tests would be required to appear for oral interviews.
Adeniran reiterated the Board’s commitment to a credible exercise, saying, “No applicant should rely on hear-says. The Board will always give you updates on each step of the exercise, so please beware of scammers.”
Meanwhile, Adeniran said the Board is making efforts to conclude the exercise on time so that successful candidates could be quickly injected into the system, to join in the ongoing reforms of the basic education system in the state.
Plateau School Collapse: Preliminary investigation out
The preliminary investigation into the Saint Academy building collapse, where 22 students died in Jos, Plateau State, last week, has been revealed, the Director General, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Professor Samson Duna, has disclosed.
According to the preliminary investigation, the physical observation of the building looked distressed while weak materials were used for the building.
Professor Duna then advised the government and other professional bodies in the construction industry to insist on carrying out integrity tests on all distressed buildings, especially those around the collapsed building site.
Briefing newsmen in Jos, the Director General explained that the investigative committee on the collapsed building, headed by Professor O.F. Job of the Building Department at the University of Jos, depicted that the quantity of concrete in the two-story building was in doubt, explaining that there was no boundary between the concrete and the steel reinforcement, while the slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate.
He stressed, “The Institute has so far intervened in more than 60 cases of building collapses in Nigeria, Nigeria is experiencing an average of 20 building collapses annually, especially during the rainy season, there is a need to fight the menace of building collapse.”
The Director General advocated for a multifaceted framework to prevent future occurrences, pointing out that all organs of government and professional bodies responsible for building construction must enforce strict compliance with building codes, regulations, and standards.
He lamented that the country has continued to experience building collapse, with no regular inspections and penalties for non-compliance, saying that from the available records, no one has been sanctioned for negligence or found wanting in relation to building collapse.
He stressed that there should be professionalism by ensuring that only qualified professionals like registered architects, engineers, and builders are involved in building projects, saying that in a situation where a contractor borrows a certificate from a professional to execute a job, both the contractor and the owner of the certificate should be sanctioned.
He added that public awareness should be reinforced by educating the public on the importance of building safety and the risk of illegal construction, believing that it is necessary because many are not aware of what they need to do before they embark on building projects.
The Director General of NBRRI also suggested collaboration among stakeholders, including government agencies, professionals, and the public, for the purpose of sharing knowledge and global best practices and called for refresher training among the professionals.
Plateau School Collapse: Preliminary investigation out
UK to axe 100 hereditary lawmakers from parliament
The United Kingdom’s new Labour government vowed Wednesday to axe nearly 100 hereditary lawmakers from the House of Lords, in what it called a first step ahead of wider reforms of parliament’s unelected upper chamber.
“Measures to modernise the constitution will be introduced including House of Lords reform to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the Lords,” King Charles III said as he unveiled the government’s plans during the King’s Speech, a centuries-old tradition full of pomp and ceremony that details the laws the government proposes to make over the next 12 months.
Despite its name, the address, which marks the official start of the new parliamentary session, is not written by the monarch as head of state but by the government. It was centre-left Labour’s first such speech since it was last in power in 2010.
Labour returned to government following a landslide win against the Tories earlier this month.
Wearing the diamond-studded Imperial State Crown, a Royal Navy outfit and long robe, Charles delivered Labour’s proposals from a golden throne in the House of Lords upper chamber after travelling from Buckingham Palace in a carriage procession.
The speech included more than 35 bills, including measures to enforce public spending rules and an independent assessment of future budgets to prevent a repeat of former prime minister Liz Truss’s disastrous 2022 mini-budget that tanked the economy.
The legislation fleshed out several announcements already made, such as the launching of a wealth fund to draw investment into the UK and of a publicly owned body tasked with boosting clean energy by 2030.
Details later..
AFP
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18-floor Towers: I wonder if Akwa Ibom is cursed with bad, irresponsible leadership – Effiong knocks Gov Eno
A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has attacked Governor Umo Eno over his government proposal to start building an “18-floor Ibom Towers” in Lagos State, south-west Nigeria.
Effiong said that such action as this makes him sometimes to wonder whether Akwa Ibom State is cursed with bad and irresponsible leadership.
It was reported that Eno had disclosed on Monday in Uyo, while performing the foundation laying ceremony for Ewet Luxury Gardens, that his government was about to start building an “18-floor Ibom Towers” in Lagos.
But in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, the legal expert issued a stern warning to the Governor, as he asked people in the state to get prepared for a massive protest.
Effiong lamented that while people are hungry, schools are dilapidated all over the State, and civil servants earning ridiculous amount as minimum wage, the governor was coming with a white elephant project.
He said: “I read a disturbing report on @PremiumTimesng that the Governor of Akwa Ibom State is planning to build 18-floor towers in Lagos State.
“Things like this make me wonder whether our State is cursed with bad and irresponsible leadership. Who sold this crazy idea to the governor? How is this a priority at this time? What’s wrong with politicians in Akwa Ibom?
“People are hungry, schools are dilapidated all over the State, civil servants are earning ridiculous amount as minimum wage. Yet, the governor is thinking about another white elephant project that will not address the immediate challenges and needs of the state.
“Akwa Ibom people should get prepared for another massive protest just like we did during the senseless new governor’s lodge in Lagos under the reckless Udom Emmanuel. The date will be made public in due course if this project goes ahead.”
18-floor Towers: I wonder if Akwa Ibom is cursed with bad, irresponsible leadership – Effiong knocks Gov Eno