bigboluet:
The NWC has also issued a query to the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu over his glaring anti-party activities, which greatly affected the fortunes of our candidates in the recently-conducted Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has queried Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, over his “glaring anti-party activities, which greatly affected the fortunes of our candidates in the recently-conducted Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state”.

The party took the decision on Friday at a meeting of its NWC, presided over by Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman, at the APC national secretariat.

The ruling party stated this on Friday in a statement by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, its National Publicity Secretary.

The APC NWC also confirmed the suspension of Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State, and Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State, for anti-party activities.

Also suspended are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani and the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

THE FULL STATEMENT

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha for anti-party activities.

Also suspended by the APC NWC over anti-party activities are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani and the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

This decision was reached on Friday at a meeting of the Party's NWC, presided by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the APC National Secretariat.

The NWC has also taken a decision to recommend the expulsion of the suspended individuals to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

The NWC has also issued a query to the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu over his glaring anti-party activities, which greatly affected the fortunes of our candidates in the recently-conducted Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

Recall that the NWC had earlier written to the suspended governors on their anti-party activities, and several other steps were taken to ensure they desist from taking actions that are inimical to the interests of our party and candidates. Notably, these individuals have not shown any remorse and have actually stepped up their actions.

The party reviewed the serial anti-party activities of the concerned individuals before and during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections in their respective states and resolved to enforce party discipline in line with our constitution.

The NWC noted how the suspended members have continued to campaign openly for other parties and candidates that are unknown to our great party, even while they have constituted themselves to opposition to APC candidates in their respective states.

Importantly, the NWC is closely monitoring the activities of our members across the country, and particularly, in the states these suspended members belong to. We wish to reiterate that any member of our party who takes any action solely or in line with the directives of the suspended members to undermine our party's candidates in the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections would face disciplinary actions.

We wish to congratulate our members nationwide for the victories we recorded across the country in the last elections and particularly, the renewal of our party's mandate to pilot the affairs of this country for the next four years. This could not have happened if not for the hardwork and commitment of our members. We therefore urge all our members to unite and work ever harder to ensure victory for our candidates across the states in the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Consequently, the NWC calls on our members to disregard directives and actions of the suspended individuals as APC would continue to live by the dictate of our constitution.

http://saharareporters.com/2019/03/01/breaking-apc-queries-akeredolu-working-against-party-national-assembly-election

WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? We will come out victorious. Propaganda flying everywhere online.

One of Governor Akeredolu's major critics on Social media, Arakunrin Ajo explains why the APC lost the last Saturday's Presidential election in Ondo State ...................

He wrote :

For many years now, I have insisted I'm not a political analyst. What do I know other than write political commentaries here and there and call out those in government to sit tighter and deliver dividends of democracy?

But this last national elections held on 23rd of February, 2019, would make me a short term analyst. After all, we are the ones on the streets and have gathered enough information and intelligence about how APC, and in particular the white bearded gang leader in Alagbaka, lost the elections. While we continue to draw clubs and cudgels to hit Arakunrin Akeredolu on all sides for his failure to deliver Ondo State for President Buhari, we must also consider some factors that were responsible for the narrow defeat to the PDP presidential candidate and the other national assembly winners.

Firstly, and for those who wouldn't deny the obvious, the effect of the (in)actions of the APC National Chairman dealt a big blow on the chances of the ruling party in Ondo State. Many, and more, party members were angry and still angry about the choices of candidates and many of the decisions handed down to the party from Abuja. The highhandedness of Adams Oshiomole and other national party leaders aggrieved the leaders in Ondo State and were all waiting for the opportunity to strike back. And they got it!

More so, Pastor ‘Yele Omogunwa, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, was, and still is, regarded as a nonperforming senator who is disenchanted from the party loyalists from the South and had already struck them a deadly blow by removing Lucky Ayedatiwa, the Ondo representative on NDDC board. Ayedatiwa would have amassed more political resources and votes for the emergence of President Buhari and other APC candidates, especially from the Southern District.

Also, Senator ‘Tayo Alasoadura, representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, was no longer popular too. He's perceived to have failed his legislative duties in Abuja and also in his district and had done nothing in particular to redeem his image and that of his party, especially in Akure district, where a tsunami in Omolafe Adedayo(Expensive), the PDP House of Representatives candidate, was already knocking down all political trees. His Akure North people were battle ready to vote him out as seen from the results. You cannot decide to vote against Alasoadura, a supposed failed legislator, and still consider his presidential candidate!

We cannot also deny the fact that the Ibos, who are in all nooks and corners of Ondo State, and with huge population, have all decided to vote for their ‘son’, the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Dr. Peter Obi and nothing would change their minds even as the wife of Ondo State governor could do little to convince her kin and kiths.

With the intelligence in town, especially in Akure where I live, most of the voters said they voted for the PDP because they have realized their mistake in the last gubernatorial election which saw Arakunrin Akeredolu defeat Eyitayo Jegede, the then PDP governorship candidate, with a landslide in Akure South. Some actually were ashamed of and regretted their last electoral decisions and voted for the PDP now because of their son, Eyitayo Jegede.

Many also voted for the PDP in Akure because the news was rife in town that Eyitayo Jegede, who lived almost all his life in Yola, the capital of Adamawa state, where Abubakar Atiku hails from, have been penciled down for a ministerial position, where he would have gathered enough resources, manpower and national prominence to prosecute his governorship ambition come 2020.

Should I continue?

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has said former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar was never destined to rule Nigeria.

He made this disclosure at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to the Peoples Democratic Party candidate’s rejection of the election result.

“It borders on arrogance that our future is tied on this presidency. Atiku is destined never to be president of Nigeria,” Oshiomhole stated.

“Leadership is about character. Atiku’s desperation is so obvious, so desperate that in 2003, he challenged his own boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, not to do a second term.”

Abubakar’s fourth attempt to clinch the presidency was dashed in the just concluded presidential election when the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari was announced as winner.

He has said he will not accept the result of the election, because the process was not fair and is seeking legal redress in court.

Oshiomhole said Saturday’s election “was a referendum between a man of ‘integrity’ and a man of doubtful ‘integrity’ and Nigerians have made their choice”.

He urged the PDP flagbearer to accept his defeat, insisting that the APC’s victory was well deserved.

Oshiomhole narrated how his party men collected dollars from former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, before the 2015 presidential election, but ended up giving the party’s ticket to Muhammadu Buhari, who later won the election.

The former Edo state governor during the press conference, which came just a day after the one called by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), presidential candidate, on Wednesday, bashed Atiku for moving from party to party, since 2007.

“He joined us in Lagos, rolled out the dollars, and President Muhammadu Buhari had to say to APC people, myself inclusive: ‘I have no dollars to give. I do not have Intel or Itel [sic]; I do not have foreign account, and even if I have, I will not give. All I offer is all my heart.

“The APC guys who couldn’t resist Atiku’s dollars collected those dollars, and voted for Buhari as our candidate.”

SOURCE: https://citadelng.com/atiku-not-destined-to-be-president-oshiomhole/

Islie:
Akeredolu, Fayemi Meet With Ondo NURTW Chairman On How To Rig State Assembly Elections


It was exclusively learnt on Thursday that Akeredolu held a secret meeting with the Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Jacob Adebo, popularly known as ‘Idajo’, where the plan to rig the poll was perfected.




http://saharareporters.com/2019/02/28/exclusive-akeredolu-fayemi-meet-ondo-nurtw-chairman-how-rig-state-assembly-elections

Governor Akeredolu has been in Abuja with other governors celebrating the Buhari Victory. Gov. Fayemi has been in Abuja since Tuesday. Neither men have met in akure since before the election.

Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, in a statement in Akure said “Buhari’s victory in the keenly contested presidential election signifies the acceptability of his leadership by the majority of Nigerian citizens.

The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Segun Ajiboye, said the “victory belongs to all Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic and religious beliefs. He expressed optimism that the next level promised Nigerians by President Buhari would indeed take the country to unprecedented height.

Similarly, APC Chairman in Ondo State, Ade Adetimehin described the re-election of President Buhari, as “a robust victory for economic and infrastructural development” in Nigeria.

Adetimehin said the election of the President for a second term, against all odds, affirmed the acceptance of the APC, and acknowledgment of the performance of President Buhari.

He viewed the combination of President Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as divine arrangement for the emancipation of a country once invaded by political holocaust.

Enthusiastic crowd were excited on announcing President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the Presidential election. Jubilation songs were sang and happy people moved round the city to display their happiness.

Owo is for NEXT LEVEL!

Well deserved Victory for APC members and His Excellency

President Muhammadu Buhari and His Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday picked up the certificate of return at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja as President and Vice President elect.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) had declared President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress winner of the election and returned him as duly elected.

SOURCE: https://citadelng.com/buharis-victory-signifies-acceptability-of-his-leadership-akeredolu/

Experts in the agricultural sector have called on Ondo State Government to ensure there is restriction of movement of birds to the state to prevent the outbreak of Avian Influenza.

These experts who spoke with The Hope in Akure said the effect of the disease can be devastating since it is transmittable and has no cure for it.

A veterinary consultant, Dr Idowu Akingbade who is also a public health consultant said the most active thing to do is to mount a preventive measure so that it will not affect the poultry industry in the state through awareness of both the farmers and the general public.

“Government should mount a preventive measure so that it does not affect the poultry industry in the state. Should it affect it, that means a collapse of the industry and that can affect the economy of the state.

“In the same way, it will also affect the food value chain because the egg producers will not be able to produce and that can lead to food scarcity particularly meat from poultry.

“It should also be noted that there is no cure for the disease once it has started the expression of the symptoms and we have called on farmers not to vaccinate their bird if they notice the symptoms becuase the vaccines are not effective and can bring a different chain of the virus leading to a severe outbreak. Sensitisation is already going on particularly those farmers that are being covered by veterinary doctors.

“We have been telling them to step up there biosecurity measures, that is the upgrade of their sanitary measures, high personal hygiene practice among workers and in the farm to prevent the spread,” he advised.

Akingbade who called on the state government to resuscitate the moribund hatchery centers in both the state ministry of agriculture and ADP said there is no single hatchery center in the state which is why farmers go to neighbouring states to buy day old chicks.

“Egg sellers and chicken sellers should not go to states where there is outbreak already so that they will not import the disease to the state”.

He called on the media to sensitise the public to maintain high personal hygiene and advised that there is regular washing of hands adding that dead bird should not be eaten.

He also called on people who don’t have business in poultry farms should not go there and not touch birds and in case they do, they should follow the laid down hygiene standard.

Also, a general agriculturist and farm supervisor of Luhare Laboratory, Akure, Mr Oladapo Ewete said the normal thing to do when animals are being moved from one location to another is to quarantine them to check if the animals are diseased or not.

According to him, if they are diseased, they should be kept from other flock to prevent the spread of the disease.

Ewete also called on the state government to do public awareness through extension agents. According to him, farmers should be educated on how to identify the viral infection, how to diagnose, prevent and control it.

He advised that if the disease is noticed in any farm, such farm should be decontaminated and animals there should be burnt and buried.

He however charged farmers to insure there farms to prevent total loss in case of eventually.

SOURCE: http://ondostate.gov.ng/Home/NewsItem/%E2%80%98Restrict-birds-into-Ondo-to-checkmate-bird-flu%E2%80%99

The achievements recorded in the last two years of the Akeredolu-led administration have been described as unprecedented.

The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr Segun Ajiboye made this known during a chat with The Hope in his office in Akure yesterday.

He said Governor Akeredolu has proved that with dedication and determination, a leader can perform wonders even with little funds.

According to him “in the area of infrastructure, no government, at least, in the new dispensation has surpassed his records.

“As we speak, constructions of roads are going on in all the three senatorial zones, with more than 70 kilometers of roads completed.

“Look at workers’ welfare, and you’ll be amazed at what has been done in the last two years. The Governor met seven months salary arrears, but has cleared six, while at the same time he is up to date in payment of salary and allowances.

“lt is the same in all the other sectors, as he continues to make life easy for people of the state.

“You will recall that while taking his oath of office, he gave the people a message of hope, clear agenda of prosperity and a vision of abundant life and to a very large extent, Governor Akeredolu has delivered on these promises”, he said.

He also lauded Governor’s giant stride in Ikare Akoko, where the mythical Oke Alabojuto has been leveled and his efforts at Sabome and Ore in the south to have a first hand experience of the good works of the government in terms of various industries.

“In investment, the governor has attracted more investors to the state more than all the other administration put together. The airport, which was in a state of abandonment has come to life with daily flights to Abuja and Lagos.

“Our schools are now safer for our children to study with perimeter fence. SUBEB has either constructed or repaired more than 500 primary schools.

“The tertiary institutions are better funded. It is the same in the health sector and everybody can feel what the governor is doing. I believe it has been two years of great success and unprecedented achievements”, he said.

Also accessing the Governor’s performances in the last two years, was a University Lecturer, Dr Gbenga Abimbola who described Akeredolu’s achievements as unequalled, compared to his predecessors.

He said “In terms of worker’s welfare, he has performed far better than others. He met about seven months’ salary arrears and has cleared six remaining outstanding.

“Since he came, he never owed any worker, he has been paying on monthly basis, he made worker’s welfare his priority.

“Secondly, he has done excellently well in infrastructure development, especially in road projects.

“He completed some roads in the last two years and has awarded massive road projects across the state which are all ongoing. He has equally done well in other areas of governance”, he said.

Dr Abimbola admonished the Governor to focus more on the agricultural sector.

“In the next two years, beginning from now, he should create an enabling environment and re-orientate the people to go back to farming, not cutlass and hoe kind of farming, but mechanized farming and create more employment opportunities.

“Governor Akeredolu has also done well in terms of his education policy. He has maintained a relative peace with the labour union and other segment of the society.

“So far, so good, he has performed well and there is still room for improvement”, he said.

The Provost, Adeyemi College of Education (ACE) Ondo, Dr. Samuel Akintunde has charged the newly elected members of the institution’s Students Union to live above board in the discharge of their duties, and be good representatives of those who elected them.

Akintunde gave the charge in an address delivered at the inauguration ceremony of members of the 2018/ 2019 Student Union Executive and Members of the Central Executive Council of the body held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Auditorium in the College.

Describing the ceremony as unique and historical, the College helmsman admonished the student representatives and members of the legislative and judicial arms of the Student Union Government (SUG) to work together in harmony and refrain from acts that could bring bickering among them.

He said: “Let me first and foremost congratulate those of you that were elected into this 2018/ 2019 Student Union Government in the college. We have three levels of Government, the Executive Council, Legislative Council and the judiciary. It is hoped that you are going to work in harmony. We do not want to hear bickering among you because, you should know the differences in your roles and functions.

“You should realize that you do not have the same functions or perform the roles that do not belong to you”, he remarked.

While lauding efforts of some past leaders of the SUG executives, especially those who held sway in the last three or four years in the College, the Provost charged the incoming administration to emulate their predecessors by regarding their election as selfless and a call to service.

His words: ” I want you to borrow a leaf from former Student Union Presidents. These gentlemen came and did their best. In their own time, they managed the College carefully and did very well, that is why each time we are having this kind of inauguration, we still call on them so that you can see and learn one thing or the other from them.

The Provost emphasised the need for effective partnership between the College Management and the Student representatives in the fight against cultism, rape, and other social vices and reiterated the determination of his administration to do everything possible to curb them.

Similarly, he sought the cooperation of the new SUG with the College Management and relevant security organisations in checkmating activities of rapists and other criminals who may want to harass or molest female students in the institution saying, “I want you to take a cue from your predecessors. Do not allow other students that feel that they are big among you to molest your fellow students and do not hide or provide hiding places for them”.

Akintunde expressed satisfaction with the level of peace being enjoyed in the College and lauded members of the SUG for partnering with the Management in achieving it.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Dean, Division of Student Affairs in the College, Mr. Olaniyi Olaluwoye expressed happiness over the gathering and congratulated all the newly elected members of the SUG executive who he said would be at the helm of affairs of over 15,000 students in the next one year.

The DSA described the election that produced the new student representatives as novel ,saying that the use of the electronic voting (e-voting) for its conduct since year 2015 /2016 academic session has produced good results

In his speech after the inauguration, the newly elected President of the Student Union, Adebusoye Oluwatobi thanked his colleagues for electing him and promised not to disappoint them.

He equally assured the College Management of his resolve to support and Cooperate with them in the task of moving the institution forward.

The newly elected SUG executives were, Adebusoye Oluwatobi- President; Akindejoye Janet – Vice- President; Ogundeji Solomon-General Secretary, Alimi Azeez- Assistant General Secretary and Adeyemo Adetayo-Director of Finance among others.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State are intimidating voters at Edo Lodge and some parts of Oke Ijebu in Akure, the state capital.

The PDP in company of some hoodlums are slapping voters who wouldn't vote for their candidate (Expensive). Security agents at the Unit are not enough to check PDP activities in the area.

#OndoSituationRoom

SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/ondosituationroom/

This is the report as seen on Google this evening

SOURCE: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+much+is+1+dollar+to+naira&oq=how+much+is+1+dollar+to+naira&gs_l=heirloom-serp.3..0l3j0i30l3j0i8i30l4.6734.10572.0.11268.12.12.0.0.0.0.473.2595.4j2j3j2j1.12.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-serp..7.5.967.w0DjcL8UWJI

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said that Nigeria stands as a democracy and that no worldly hand can deter Nigerians from choosing who governs them.

President Buhari who stated this during his national broadcast assured that voting would be done in an atmosphere of openness and peace, devoid of fear from threat or intimidation.

Telling Nigerians not to be afraid to come and perform their civic responsibility, the President said that security agencies have worked diligently to ensure that adequate security measures were in place.

According to him, “Finally, we have reached the eve of the rescheduled first round of this year’s general elections. Tomorrow (today), the polls open. We affirm that Nigeria stands as a democracy and that no worldly hand can deter us from this wise and fitting path we have chosen for ourselves. “While democracy is the most beneficial way to select a nation’s leaders, it is far from the easiest thing to achieve and maintain. ” It requires a combination of patience, tolerance, compassion, diligence, wisdom and hope.

These traits exist in us the Nigerian people. Because of who we are, democracy has the chance to flourish in this land.” President Buhari commended Nigerians for their patience and peaceful conduct so far during the electoral season, especially during this intervening week following the postponement of the February 16 elections.

He noted that many were worried and thought the worst might happen, adding that such people were proved wrong through the expression of abiding love for peace, democracy and the unity of our country.

Pointing out that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had embarked on daily public briefings and had said that it was ready and fully prepared to conduct the election in a free, fair and transparent manner, he said he has the believe INEC realised the profound and weighty duty that rests upon it.

He said, “We must cast aside doubt and have faith that INEC will rise to the occasion. We must believe and encourage INEC to fulfill and honour this responsibility it owes to our country.

“As your President, I hereby ask all Nigerians with voting cards to participate in defining the future of our nation by exercising your democratic rights tomorrow. I urge you to go out and vote. “I say this because elections are the cornerstone of representative governance. And voting constitutes the highest and best expression of the sovereign will of the people to choose the government that best represents them. “It is only upon the freely expressed will of the people that government truly dedicated to the welfare, rights and interests of the people can be founded. “Do not allow anyone to discourage you from the exercise of your rights as citizens and voters tomorrow. “To vote means that you believe in Nigeria and the excellent things the future holds for this nation and its people.”

President Buhari said despite individual political leanings, “we all believe in Nigeria, in the noble principles for which it stands and in the values we strive for our beloved nation to uphold.

“All who are able, must vote so that we may better perfect this democracy and continue to build the greater nation we seek. “Do not be afraid of rumours of violence and unrest. Our security agencies have worked diligently to ensure that adequate security measures are in place.

“You will be able to vote in an atmosphere of openness and peace, devoid of fear from threat or intimidation. “International and domestic monitors and observers are assured of their safety and freedom of movement needed to perform their important functions.

“As we thank domestic monitors and observers for their contributions to our democracy, we also thank the international groups for the friendship and concern they have demonstrated to our nation. “We appreciate their efforts in encouraging us to further entrench and strengthen our democracy.

Tomorrow (today) is an encounter with history in which you, the people, shall affirm your collective belief in our national greatness and in our future. “I ask that you embrace and hold on to the importance of the moment soon to be upon us. “Honour your civic duty as voters by going to the polls tomorrow to vote for the government of your choice, for the government that will lead Nigeria toward its finest destiny.”

SOURCE: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/go-out-and-vote-buhari-challenges-electorate/

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the commission was now poised to deliver credible polls on February 23 after postponing last Saturday’s election because of logistics issues.

He allayed fears that the electoral umpire was being pressured to compromise the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.

He also disclosed that announcement of the result of the 2019 presidential election would follow the 2015 pattern, indicating that result would be announced on Tuesday, February 26.

The INEC boss, who fielded questions in Abuja on Wednesday, during INEC’s daily briefings ahead of Saturday’s election, also lauded the scathing attacks directed at it by the two leading political parties, APC and PDP, saying the accusations indicated that INEC was doing the right thing.

He said the commission would have been concerned if the attack was coming from one of the political parties, noting that accusations like the ones being spewed by the political parties were common in election.

He promised, however, to be fair to all parties in the polls, and said the votes of Nigerians would count.

“Let me repeat that now we have more presidential candidates than 2015. We have more registered voters than we had in 2015.

“The size of the result sheet is bigger than we had in 2015, but we are committed to concluding the process for the presidential roughly around the same time that we concluded the last general election.

“I understand that there is greater urgency but keenly following the extension and particularly for those who are covering the commission that they don’t extend their stay more than is expected for the outcome of the election.

“Although whatever we can to speedily conclude the election, consistent with the provisions of the law, we won’t sacrifice due process on the altar of speed.

“But, we will make sure we balance speed and what we are supposed to do under the law,” he stated.

He maintained that INEC’s ICT facilities could not be hacked since, he said, the system was offline.

“I want to assure you that much of our ICT facilities are offline. And, it is almost impossible to attack something that is offline.

“You can only attack something that is online. So much of it is actually offline. But, I have taken note of what you have said and we will continue to strengthen security around the ICT.

“But, at the moment, we have no panic about any possibility of attack on the facility or compromise our ICT facilities,” he assured.

On information making the rounds that the Rivers State APC had written INEC, insisting on its right to field candidates in the 2019 general election, the INEC chairman said the matter had been determined, and that Nigeria was a country built on laws.

He maintained that the Supreme Court, the nation’s apex court, has sealed the fate of the ruling party on the matter.

He declared that as election managers founded on law, it must abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.

“I think the Supreme Court has a number of pronouncements on that matter. And, for that reason, the commission has taken the position made by the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“Under our constitution, the Supreme Court is the last court of resort for any citizen.

“There must be an end to litigations, as lawyers say. And, once a Supreme Court makes a pronouncement, all essence of authority in the paper are bound to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“And the commission, as a law abiding institution, is bound by the judgment. That is my answer to the question, and there is nowhere else to go.

“We will go by the judgments of all the courts but once it gets to the apex court, that is the end to the litigation.”

With that explanation, the commission put paid to the fate of APC and its candidates in Rivers State.

Earlier, while giving update on preparations ahead of Saturday’s rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections, the INEC boss said it had achieved 100% reconfiguration of the smart card readers.

He also said that stakeholders in the states had commenced verification of INEC materials in the custody of the central bank in various states of the country.

He said deployment of election materials from state capitals and the 774 LGAs had commenced and would be concluded today, Thursday, in all the states.

According to him, special arrangements had been made with the navy, marine police, and other security agencies for the escort of INEC staff and election materials to the five riverine LGAs in Bayelsa as well as other riverine areas in Ondo, Delta, and Edo states.

SOURCE: https://www.today.ng/news/politics/ready-saturdays-elections-inec-chairman-197080

National Chairman of the Door-to-Door Campaign of the All Progressives Congress, Presidential Campaign, Mr. Bola Ilori yesterday pleaded with Nigerians not to go back to Egypt as they go to the polls on Saturday.

Addressing youths in Akure, the Ondo state capital, Ilori said Nigerians should instead move to the promise land by reelecting President Muhammadu Buhari.

“God used Moses to take the Israelites from Egypt, he first led them into the wilderness, not five star hotel o. Some people complained about hardships in the wilderness and made another God to lead them back to Egypt, thereby unwittingly turned a journey of 40 days to 40yrs.

“Eventually Moses led them out of the wilderness and handed them over to a Joshua that led them to the promise land.

“It is clear that Nigeria has left PDP’s Egypt through Buhari, but currently in a wilderness and the Moses is laying a solid foundation for a Joshua to get Nigerians to the promise land.

“The Next Level is not to go back to Egypt but to move to the promise land and we shall get there”.

The Ex-Osun Commissioner for Regional Integration highlighted different achievement of APC led federal government ranging from huge infrastructural development, social investment programmes and far reaching reforms in other areas of the economy.

Ilori appealed to the people to cast their ballot for the party that centered its policies towards a better tomorrow.


SOURCE: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/next-level-is-promised-land-dont-go-back-to-egypt-ilori/

The people of Ile - Oluji in Ile - Oluji / Okeigbo local government area of Ondo State have hailed the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, for the unprecedented infrastructural development in the town.

The people, who welcomed Governor Akeredolu into the town with drums and excitement, said the town has never had it this good in anal of its history.

Governor Akeredolu was in the town to inspect the ongoing construction of 5.25km Ile-Oluji township road.

One of the residents who spoke during the inspection, Chief Rufus Adefulure, disclosed that the town has never experienced such infrastructural development in its history.

Adefulure noted that one of the roads under construction is important to the people, adding that there was a time that erosion was sweeping houses around the area.

He said " We have never had this type of thing in Ile-Oluji. The Gesinde Road, there was a time that erosion was sweeping houses around that place, people have abandoned their house. But now, with the intervention of the Akeredolu’s administration, people have started taking over their houses back "

On his part, the Director General of the Technical Aide Corps, Dr. Pius Osunyikanmi who is a son of the soil said Governor Akeredolu has opened up the town to development.

He noted that the town has never had it so good in terms of infrastructural development and government interventions.

Also, the Commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa said he was particularly grateful to the Governor for embarking on massive infrastructural development in the town despite scarce resources.

Governor Akeredolu said everyone in the community must understand that his administration is keeping promises. He stressed that even though his administration has not fulfilled all, it has fulfilled most of the promises it made during the electioneering campaigns.

He said : " We have went round the town to see other projects ongoing. We are happy that the contractor here is already doing asphalt overlaying. You can see the quality of the job done here. Yes, there is no money but we understand that our people must enjoy the dividend of governance."

thenoisemakerng:
The National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress rose from its emergency meeting on Monday with a directive to all party members to resume nationwide campaigns ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday.

The party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, disclosed this while briefing journalists of the meeting’s outcome in Abuja.

Oshiomhole said the National Caucus “disagrees completely with illegal pronouncement of INEC” that campaigns had ended last Thursday.

He said the party would prefer to obey the provision of the Electoral Act that stipulates that campaign can hold till 24 hours to the date of the election.

He argued that low turn out during election encourages rigging, hence the decision of the party to encourage its members to go out again and mobilise votes for the election.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/apc-caucus-directs-members-to-continue-campaigns-till-thursday/

Something that APC Has won already

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he does not have to rig before winning his re-election because he campaigned in all parts of the country and he can boast of enough support from Nigerians.

Speaking at the All Progressives Congress national caucus meeting in Abuja on Monday, the President said, “I’m not afraid. I went round the 36 states and the FCT and I think I have enough support across the country to vote for me.”

The President also warned Nigerians against causing any form of “disturbance” during the elections, saying that security agents are aware of likely “hot spots.”

“I do not expect anybody to cause any disturbance. The security agencies have identified hot spots and flash points and should be prepared to move.

“We have made as much arrangement as possible for them as much as the country can afford.

“Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb the process, may be that will be the last unlawful action you will take.

“We have directed the military and other security agents to be ruthless. We are not going to be blamed that we want to rig elections.

“I want Nigerians to be respected and let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I am not afraid of that. I went round the 36 states and the FCT and I think I have enough support across the country to vote for me.”

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/i-dont-have-to-rig-before-winning-a-re-election-buhari/

The Director- General of the Ondo State Pension Commission (OSPEC), Mr. Jaiyeola Olowosuko has said that the state has not defaulted since it commenced the Contributory Pension Scheme, (CPS), 2014.

Olowosuko stated this in an interview with The Hope in his office while reacting to a report relating to the deductions of the CPS in the state .

The OSPEC DG who maintained that the Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration of Ondo State is committed to ensuring full implementation of the scheme, said it has remitted all the pension funds consistently since it came on board.

His words: “For all the newly recruited workers in the state since we commenced the CPS, the state is not owing any deductions.

“You would recall that when we commence the scheme, we made an administrative decision to start deducting from those who are newly employed into the state service.

“Why we did this was to prevent them from having past service which is affecting the old workers”, he explained.

He recalled that: “The reason we didn’t start full blown was that Nigeria as an economy was facing challenges, salaries were not being paid and we couldn’t deduct the pension fund because the CPS is hinged on salary, that is, 7.5percent from worker and 7.5percent from government

“Are we going to deduct pension from what we didn’t get? That was why we didn’t start for everyone. It was intentional because we don’t want to default like some other states that are owing. What you can’t finish, don’t start”, he stated.

He noted that almost all the backlog of salaries has been cleared by the present Akeredolu government in the state which according to him would make possible full implementation of the CPS.

“So right now, full implementation of CPS is under the front burner of this administration”, saying not too long from now, deductions would be made from every worker’s salary for the scheme as and when due.

“The full blown implementation of the CPS would involve Actuarial Valuation, Group Life Insurance as well as provision of Redemption Bond that will take care of the workers’ past services”, he added.

On the awareness by workers, the OSPEC boss said though workers had earlier been well sensitized on the scheme, officials of the National Pension Commission, (PENCOM), will soon be in the state to meet with the stakeholders.

“We are expecting officials from PENCOM soon, to come and meet with various top MDAs, some of which are autonomous or self governing such as OSOPADEC, LGSC, tertiary institutions in the state and others.

SOURCE: https://citadelng.com/weve-paid-up-pension-fund-odsg/

The Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, will today commence the enumeration of houses in Owo Local Government as a prelude to metering all unmetered houses in the area. The Hope has reliably gathered.

This is coming on the heels of the agreement reached with the Owo Youths General Assembly(OYGA), who had earlier threatened to stage a protest against the electricity distribution outfit over what they called ‘crazy bills’ being given to power consumers in the area.

According to one Idowu Adebayo, the President of Owo Unity Group who spoke on behalf of OYGA, the exercise will commence in Udashen area of the local government headquarters.

Adebayo therefore called on all households in the town to cooperate with the staff of BEDC and their ad-hoc personnel who will be involved in the enumeration.

It will be recalled that Owo youths under the umbrella of OYGA had in January threatened to embark on a protest against the outrageous power charges and bills being issued to electricity consumers in Owo.

However, the security agencies in the town intervened and BEDC agreed to carry out an enumeration of all houses in the area to ascertain the number of houses that will need to be metered sequel to the metering proper.

Owo youths have however given the distribution outfit an ultimatum of a month after the enumeration to supply prepaid meters to all electricity consumers in the area or the protest would go on as planned.

SOURCE: https://citadelng.com/bedc-begins-metering-in-owo/

Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has called on the people of the state to remain calm and get prepared to exercise their civic responsibility on February 23.

Speaking at his countryhome, Owo, Akeredolu said the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC was painful.

The governor, however, said the postponement must be taken with calmness and renewed determination to turnout better for the elections on the new dates.

He said: “We have suffered a lot of inconveniences, let us turn it to weekend of rest particularly with our family.”

While regretting that citizens were already set to have the elections held on the earlier dates, Akeredolu said the electoral body must have been overwhelmed by unforeseen circumstances, such as its inability to deliver electoral materials to all the needed places and replacement of damaged essentials materials and equipment in its offices burnt in parts of the country.

“It is not an election that can be staggered, It is a national election, it has to be held on one day. If there are areas where all needed election materials are not available, INEC has no option than to postpone until it is sure the materials are there”, he said.

Akeredolu said he had no reason to doubt the electoral body on its reasons for shifting forward the dates of the elections which it announced after it had carefully reviewed the implementation of its logistics and operational plans for the elections but urged the people to get prepared to troop out en-masse next week to exercise their franchise.

SOURCE: https://http://ondostate.gov.ng/Home/NewsItem/Akeredolu-appeals-for-calm-over-polls-shift

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the weekend urged lawyers, traditional rulers and the church to step up mechanism capable of curbing corruption and illegally acquired wealth as the nation prepared for elections.

Osinbajo, who lamented that corruption which had been the country’s biggest problem, causing multitude of child deaths yearly, warned that Christians and members of wig and gown profession would fail to positively influence the country unless they committed themselves to living like the biblical salt of the earth. Osinbajo was the guest minister at a special service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)’s The Open Door Parish, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The Vice President’s longtime friend, Aina Ololade Salami, is the Pastor-in-charge of the parish. Speaking on “The church and the destiny of the nation”, Osinbajo berated Church leaders who, through their teachings “sometimes give the impression that there is no need for hard work.” Osinbajo said: “I do not hear very often that the church criticizes corruption and corrupt people. I don’t hear very often that there is condemnation, because when you look at it, the greatest problem that our country has is corruption. “People stealing directly from the treasury is what exposed in so many cases that there is so much poverty in the land, the leadership stealing directly from the treasury.

“The greatest cause of death is corruption, because when you look at the number of children who die between the ages of zero and five, who should have been provided with medical care and the money has been stolen, some people say oh there are many kidnappings, many this and that, but the greatest cause of death in our country is corruption. “If you look at poverty from 2012, almost 110,000 children die of diarrhoea-related illness yearly.

Why? The resources that should be used for medical care is stolen. So, if the church does not stand up and condemn corruption, if the church doesn’t say, ‘if we suspect that you this man, you are a public officer but you have money that you shouldn’t have we’ll ostracise you’, then it’ll be difficult for us to play our role.”

He advised Christians worried by the idea of an Islamist agenda not to be afraid but to dutifully obey the great commission found in Matthew 28:16-20, where Jesus instructed his disciples to spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. Osinbajo said: “I was saying to a group of Christian leaders the other day that I as a pastor, long before I was appointed Vice President, I attended the (RCCG) Holy Ghost Service regularly, as a matter of fact, before I became Vice President I never missed the Holy Ghost Service once in 15 years, not once.

I’ve missed the Holy Ghost Service now maybe once or twice. “As Vice President I attend, even in Abuja, all of the (Christian) gatherings, and these are big gatherings at the Abuja National Stadium. Even look at the Holy Ghost Night, it’s televised all over the world, I as Vice President am standing there everybody sees me all over the world. I said to the leaders, can you imagine a situation where President Muhammadu Buhari every month, gathers in Sokoto, with hundreds of thousands of Mullahs, what would we say? What would the leaders say? They would be panicking.”

SOURCE: https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2019/02/polls-osinbajo-urges-lawyers-church-monarchs-to-shun-corruption-moneybags/

The former commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ondo state and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Idanre /Ifedore Federal constituency in tomorrow's elections, Kayode Akinmade has unleashed mayhem on the residents of Omiliyan in Idanre local government area of the state.

Residents of the village recounted that Akinmade's thugs led by one Ayo Adeyefa, popularly known as SR stormed the village and started beating the people. The residents said the thugs were flogging both the old and the young out of the village.

Other hoodlums on the attack are Ojo alias Old Skool, a notorious thug called Gbajesun and Ojo Akintimehin popularly known as SOJ.

The people are currently roaming outside the village as they are calling on security agencies to come to their aid and help them flush out the hoodlums currently occupying their homes.

#OndoSituationRoom

SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/ODSGSituationRoom/

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said yesterday it would not shift date for the presidential election, despite recent fire incidents that destroyed several Smart Card Reader Machines it originally configured for the 2019 polls.

The electoral body expressed its readiness to conduct the most credible elections in the history of the country, during the unveiling of a central election monitoring hub for Civil Society Organisations, CSOs.

The monitoring centre which is situated at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, will be manned by the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and foreign election observation groups.

Speaking at the event, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, who was represented by one of his National Commissioners, Mr. Festus Okoye, noted that fire outbreaks that gutted election materials in three of its offices across the federation, constituted a set-back to its earlier arrangements for a smooth conduct of the 2019 polls.

However, he insisted that the set-back was not such that could significantly affect the election process, saying the commission had since made alternative plans to replace over 4, 695 Card Readers that were destroyed on Tuesday at INEC’s warehouse in Anambra State.

He said the commission would not postpone the impending elections for any reason.

According to him, “INEC will be open and transparent through out the entire election process. We are going to be upfront with information relating to our processes and our procedures.

Were ever we have challenges, we are going to be honest with the Nigerian people relating to our challenges.

“In relation to this particular elections, we had some challenges yesterday (Tuesday), but we were able to recover, and as I speak, we are moving all the Smart Card Readers required for the conduct of elections in Anambra State and we are not going to postpone the election in any part of Nigeria on grounds of some of these challenges “

As some of you are aware, this election will be conducted in over 120,000 polling units, and we also have over 50, 000 voting points. The voting points were created to ease the process of voting, especially for the Nigerian people. “

We have over 91 political parties that are registered in Nigeria and 73 of these political parties sponsored candidates for the presidential election. “

The process of collating the results manually will be issued out and INEC had decided that one collation officer per registration area cannot do the job and do it effectively and do it in such a way that the anxiety of the Nigerian people relating to who will be their next president will be addressed on time.

“Based on that, INEC has recruited two collation officers for each registration area and two collation officers for the 774 Local Government Areas. “

So, the collation officer for the presidential election is different. The collation officer will collate and proceed and since the presidential election will move from the registration area to the local governments and then to the state before it gets to the Federal Capital Territory to the national collation center.

“While the collation officer for the Senatorial and the House of Representative elections will move and stop at a certain point where declaration will be made. In order for us not to keep the Nigerian people waiting for too long, we are going to have two collation officers in the 8,809 registration areas and two collation officers for the 774 LGAs in the country for the purposes of the first election.

“Secondly, we are going to conduct elections in all the IDP camps. During the continuous voter’s exercise, we asked all the Resident Electoral Commissioners in all the States with IDP problems, to document all eligible voters in the IDP camps. “Those who lost their PVCs on account of misplacement, we replaced all their voters card, having satisfied ourselves that they were registered voters. We also registered new voters in the various IDP camps. “So we have made robust arrangement for them to vote because we don’t want to get any Nigerian disenfranchised.

“Thirdly, in relation to the role of the military in this election, the Electoral Act was amended in 2015 to give INEC specific functions in relation to deployment of the Nigerian Police Force and the military in elections. “For this election, we are utilizing the services of the Nigerian Air Force in lifting sensitive materials like ballot papers and result sheets to the various states and to the various Central Banks and they are also lifting sensitive materials to difficult terrains. “Likewise, for the riverine areas, INEC will hire gun boats that will escort both the sensitive materials and the election personnel. The gunboats will be in the front and back to protect some of the young people that are going to be engaged in this elections. “That will be the extent to which we are going to use the Nigerian military for the purpose of this election.

“Having said that, let me also reiterate the fact that the Nigerian military is also involved in internal security operations in almost 32 states of the federation and they are going to remain and do their internal security operations which has absolutely nothing to do with the conduct of these elections. “On behalf of INEC we want to thank the CSOs and international observers, and we pledge that we are going to corporate with everybody to give Nigerians an election they will be proud of”, Okoye added. He however enjoined observers to give accurate report of the elections. Meanwhile, in her speech, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, said the United Kingdom would not hesitate to take stern actions against anyone found to have instigated violence in any part of the country during the elections. She noted that the UK government had earlier issued a statement to remind all the political actors about its visa policies.

“Anyone who is found to incite violence or encourage violence could be subject to visa ban or have their assets seized, and in the worst case scenario, face prosecution”, Laing added. She expressed concern about what she termed as “horrible cases of hate speech” during presidential rallies of the leading political parties in the country. In attendance at the occasion included the Ambassador of the United States of America, Mr. Stuart Symington, and representative of the United Nations, Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

Earlier in his remarks, convener of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Center, PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, stressed the need for security agencies to adopt a non partisan stance throughout the elections. He further urged the foreign election observers to disregard the “body bags” comment of the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, even as he knocked FG over its failure to denounce and distance itself from El-Rufai’s position.


SOURCE: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/we-wont-postpone-presidential-poll-for-any-reason-inec/

The re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari got a boost on Monday when Mr Olujonwo Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, stormed the United States to galvanise Nigerians to support Buhari for the Feb. 16 presidential election.

Obasanjo, who is the President, The Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO), said he was in the United States to solicit support for Buhari’s re-election among Nigerian in the diaspora and other members of the international community.

He explained that his support for the re-election of the president was due to his focus on youth empowerment and securing the future of the country for the Nigerian youth.

Obasanjo said while in the United States, he participated in several activities aimed to project the positive image of the administration and Nigeria to the international community.

“I participated at the United Nations International Day for Education, promoted by the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the Nigerian Government.

“Education is one of the tenets of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, focusing on youth empowerment, youth participation and securing a better future for our generation and the generations to come.

“I also participated at the Nigerian American Business Forum where I met with many Nigerian professionals and their American counterparts. I went to Atlanta to visit our sister organisations there and to inaugurate many of our organisations.

“I also went to Detroit where we inaugurated some of the organisations. We also have many Buhari support organisations in New York as well. “We have Buharists in the United States and all over the world. So I am here to encourage them and to support them in every way we can,” he said. He said his support for Buhari was because he stood out among other presidential candidates because of his determination to bequeath a secured future for the youth of Nigeria.

“President Buhari has opened up the space for the youth of the country to participate politically, economically, and all other areas of the economy. “Recently, there was the women and youth campaign wing that was inaugurated by the president, which showed that he wants to ensure that the youth and the women have a strong voice in his re-election campaign.

“We believe that by doing that, Mr president wants us to be part of his administration going forward. Mr President is one who has made us believe again in our country, who has made us proud of our country.

“At the international stage, we are not being looked upon like a pariah nation. So I believe for Nigerians at home and Nigerians in the diaspora, they have seen that Mr president is the best candidate.’’

Mr Haruna Madisca, Organising Secretary of The Buhari Youth Organisation, also said Buhari was a man of integrity and the fear of God, which Nigeria needed at this time. He said Nigerians could not trust Atiku, saying his plan to sell the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) if elected was questionable. He added that Buhari had provided enabling environment for small businesses to thrive.

Madisca, who is President, Goron Oil and Gas Limited, said through the NNPC Renewable Energy Department, there is a $25 million investment in cassava in Kogi that would be producing 40,000 litres of bio-ethanol per day.

“The investment start-up on a turnkey basis is $25 million. The plant will employ over 2,500 people on a full time basis,” he said, saying such investment was at risk should NNPC be sold to private investors.


SOURCE: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/obasanjo-campaigns-for-muhammadu-buhari-in-u-s/

The Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Council has allayed fears about the health of the president, saying he remained fit and even stronger than many Nigerian men. President Buhari flags Off The Spud-In of Kolmani River II Well Drilling in Bauchi State on 2nd Feb 2019 Deputy

Director General of the Council, Arch Waziri Bulama disclosed this at the weekend while speaking with journalists in Abuja. “I think the President from the way he works in this campaign has shown that he is stronger than many average men in this country.

This is a man at that age, flying from city to city and at least two cities every day of the week, commissioning projects, meeting traditional rulers, stakeholders and still returning to attend to other state functions and other groups in the Aso Villa. He again flies out the following morning, showing no sign of stress, no sign of weakness.

President Buhari is healthy, very strong and alive to the task and proudly giving the kind of leadership and presence we need in this campaign”, he stated. Tinubu not sidelined from Campaigns “The presidential campaign council is organised and structured in such a manner that all our leaders are part of the campaign organisation.

For you understand the role assigned to Asiwaju Tinubu, the campaign is structured to suit every member. “You can recall that the reason Mr President said that Tinubu should co-chair the campaign is because he would not want to allow the state duty to suffers during the campaign. Therefore, on issues that require his attention but will not available because of state duties, we should reach out and refer to Tinubu.

Organising the campaign has many issues around it and we must know that organising a campaign is an ad-hoc exercise and a temporary arrangement with the main of mobilising and sensitising to bring out as many Nigerians as possible to participate in this election.

“We have issues of campaign message, issues of logistics and many other activities involved in carrying out the campaign. So, it is because of these that the president said that where we don’t have access to him or is not available to take certain decisions in respect of the campaign, we should get across to Asiwaju.

“We have so far done that successfully, we have carried out a very seamless exercise and Asiwaju has appeared in many cities and made interventions as the leader of our party and as statesman. If there are issues that require his message to Nigerians, he appears and made those states. He was in Maiduguri two weeks ago where he made a long appearance addressing the crowd. He also appears wherever necessary.

He was in most other outings across the country. I want to say that our campaign is cohesive, focused and united. Our leaders are one and committed to the success of President Buhari, success our party and the success of all the candidates contesting on the platform of our party”, Bulama added.

SOURCE: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/health-buhari-stronger-than-many-nigerian-men-campaign-council/

Some supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari in Bayelsa State have embarked on door-to-door campaigns ahead of the February 16 presidential election.

The supporters, under the aegis of the state chapter of the Buhari Support Organisation, boasted that Buhari, who is the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, would win the election by over 80 per cent in the state.

The BSO is led by a former acting governor of the state, Chief Nestor Binabo, and others, including Mr Preye Aganaba and Chief Diekivie Ikeogha.

In a statement on Sunday, Binabo stressed the need for members to keep their eyes on the prize, which he said was the President’s re-election.

He said, “A vote for President Buhari is a vote for progress and rapid development. This is the message you should pass on to the electorate when canvassing for votes”

Ondo state government on Friday said in the next two years, it would be on the world map for bitumen exploitation as arrangements have been concluded to begin processing of the natural resources in the state.

The Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Prof Bayonile Ademodi dropped the hints in Akure at a meeting with Licencee Bitumen Companies Operating in the state.

Ademodi, who said some companies had been licensed to begin production in the state, noted that the essence of the meeting was to receive presentations from licencee bitumen companies on the level of work done in line with their workplan for bitumen exploitation development.

He reiterated that the present administration under the leadership of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was committed to providing bitumen investors, the necessary conducive atmosphere to thrive in the state.

Ademodi said, “Since the beginning of the present administration in Ondo state, bitumen exploitation project have been put in the frontline.

“This is the first time the ministry would be established for the purpose of overseeing the development of bitumen project in Ondo state.

“The major task of this ministry is to prepare grounds for the successful operation of these bitumen companies and the host community. But the ministry has taken it upon itself as a major task to develop a conducive operational environment for the bitumen licencee companies. So we are fully engaged with the community.

“I can assure the whole world that in two years time, Ondo state would be on the world map in terms of bitumen exploitation”.

In his welcome address,the acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry,E.O Ogunsanmi,an engineer,said the programme was borne out of the ministry’s avowed commitment to ensure that bitumen exploitation in state was devoid of crisis which is usually associated with mining, particularly, crude oil as we have it in the Niger Delta Region.

Ogunsanmi who also reiterated that the state governor was committed to the industrialization of the state and bitumen development was considered as a veritable means to transform the state from purely a civil service state to an industrial hub in Nigeria.

According to him, “The present administration has improved the road infrastructure, and this again will aid the movement of your products to the market”.

The Director, Project Manager of Kabara Mining Nigeria Limited, one of the companies that bid for the exploitation, Anit Wiener, expressed the readiness of his firm to begin work in the area.

Wiener, however, charged the state government to prepare a ground with the host community for the commencement of the project saying that the company could not do it alone without the support of the state government and the community.



He said, “We have bitumen licence that we have intent to establish, plant for separation and to finally take the bitumen from ground for the prosperity of the country, and the first exploitation would commence this year”.

SOURCE: http://thenationonlineng.net/ondo-bitumen-first-exploitation-begins-year/

ATIKULOOTED Cannot win

We go Vote o!!!! SAI BABA

The re-election bids of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State received a major boost on Wednesday with their respective endorsement by traditional rulers in the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari was in Ebonyi State on Wednesday in continuation of his campaign tour of the 36 states of the federation and it was pomp and splendour at the Abakaliki Township Stadium venue of the rally as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and the supporters of the President trooped out to receive him. But, before Buhari proceeded to the stadium, he paid a courtesy call on Governor Dave Umahi at the Exco chambers of government house Abakaliki, to inform him of his campaign visit to the state.

On hand to welcome the President were all the 140 traditional rulers in the state, led by their chairman, Eze Charles Mkpuma and major stakeholders in the state. A major highlight of the reception was the endorsement of the President Buhari and Governor Umahi for the forthcoming presidential and governorship elections by the monarchs.



Mkpuma, who disclosed that their endorsement of Buhari for a second term was borne out of the robust relationship he has with the Umahi, commended Buhari’s determination to tackle the security situation in the country and fight against corruption. According to him, Buhari deserves their votes irrespective of party differences.

His words: “We appreciate your dogged determination to maintain utmost security of the country, especially your effort in eliminating Boko Haram and fight against corruption, which has brought respect and integrity to the country in the comity of nations. We believe that your robust relationship with our son the governor and your love for him and the state will surely earn you and only you, votes in Ebonyi State irrespective of party differences.”

The monarch further stated the traditional rulers are happy with the leadership of Governor Umahi, who has virtually touched every facet of life in the state. “We, the traditional rulers, like other residents of the state have been rejuvenated and revived by the governor,” he said. He told the President that Umahi deserves a second term for the sake of equity as the two former governors before him from other zones also had two terms each. “Since the inception of the present democratic dispensation, Ebonyi State has operated rotation of the governorship position among the three senatorial zones. Thus the north had eight years with the same man, central had two terms with same man and south is entitled to eight years with the same man. “It is right and proper that tradition should continue.

This is why we have endorsed incumbent Governor David Umahi, whose performance has been historic and superlative as the sole candidate for the 2019 gubernatorial election in Ebonyi State. We are happy with the governor. He has touched every facet of human and infrastructural development of the state,” Mpkuma said. The monarchs later presented 1,000 tubers of yam and 1,000 bags of rice for Buhari’s breakfast and lunch respectively.

Responding, the President Buhari expressed satisfaction that the impact of federal government projects are being felt in Ebonyi State and commended the governor for his feat infrastructural development in the state. He assured that monies spent on the completion of the federal projects will be refunded after the review committee would have audited the projects.

Buhari revealed that Umahi told him during their short drive to the government house that he had not received up to 40 per cent of the funds spent on federal projects in the state, but assured him the monies would be refunded once the audit committee headed by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, concludes its work. He also told the traditional rulers that his administration’s plan to invest in agriculture was deliberate. He recalled that agriculture was the mainstay of the nation’s economy in the First Republic because land was abundant and grazing routes developed, but noted that “subsequently, we got drunk with oil money and abandoned what kept us intact.

But, we are going back to that.” Buhari commended Umahi’s administration generosity in sending Ebonyi rice to Abuja, which members of his extended family have been beneficiaries of. He assured the monarchs that the South-East will benefit from the Second Niger Bridge, when completed as it will facilitate movement of goods and services.

Umahi, in his remarks, said that irrespective of some perceptions, the South -East has benefited from Federal Government projects. He particularly noted that the Federal Government’s agricultural programme has benefited the state immensely and has led to the rice revolution in Ebonyi.

Umahi also used the opportunity to thank the President for approving the commencement of Ebonyi salt production. Umahi’s endorsement by the traditional rulers came after former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, assuerd him that his re-election is guaranteed.

Anyim, who spoke during a PDP rally in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of the state, said: “I want to say that when you go to other places, they will receive you with a rally, but when you come to your home, Ivo they will only celebrate you. I want to say and say it very clearly that the event of today is not necessarily preparatory to 2019 because for us, your 2019 is guaranteed. Anyim added: “You Excellency, you know how we do it. When we lead, others follow. So, we want to assure you today that for 2019, Ivo will lead and we are sure others will follow. So, for us, that is really not an issue. Today, we are pleased to have you at home to celebrate you, to celebrate your achievements and celebrate your government. Your becoming governor of Ebonyi State is remarkable in many areas.

The most important is that you are the first governor Ebonyi State to come from Afikpo zone. “So, certainly you are our own and I want to say that I have always said that the people who governed before you, they governed for eight years. Ebonyi North governed for eight years, Ebonyi central eight years, Ebonyi south where you come from will govern for eight years. We have something to show for your four years and because we have something to show for your four years, we can proudly say that your next four years is a matter of life.” Also, a former governor of the state and senator representing Ebonyi North in the National Assembly, Dr. Sam Egwu, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in the last party primaries, Senator Emmanuel Agboti; former Minister of State for Power and Steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga and other notable personalities in the state have endorsed the governor.

Umahi had on January 17, flagged off his re-election campaign with the launching of N1.4 billion projects across the 140 autonomous communities of the state. Speaking during the flag-off in Ikwo, he said: “I didn’t come for campaigns; I came to share more democracy of dividends. The only campaign I am doing is projects.” Inaugurating the N1.4 billion community development projects for the 140 communities, the governor aid each community will get N10 million to carry out a project of its choice.

He also said the money for the community projects has already been set aside, adding that leaders of all the 140 communities have submitted projects their communities would like to execute. Umahi noted that he will continue to develop the state, even as he called on the people to continue to support his administration.


“We are beginning N10 million projects in each of the 140 communities. The money is already available; we believe in action not in promises that would not be fulfilled. We said every community should give us project of their choice and they have done that. So, we will need to flag it off,” he said. Chairmen of town unions from the local government areas were present to receive the cheques from the governor. In their separate speeches, the Director- General of Umahi Campaign Organisation, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo; the state Chairman of PDP, Barr. Onyekachi Nwebonyi and the PDP National Vice-Chairman (South-East), Chief Austin Umahi, urged the people to re-elect the governor and other PDP candidates as reward for good work is more work.

SOURCE: https://www.newtelegraphng.com/2019/02/polls-monarchs-endorsement-boosts-buhari-umahis-chances/