SANUSI DECRIES HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA, SAYS ‘THIS IS UNBEARABLE’
SANUSI DECRIES SEVERE HARDSHIP IN NIGERIA, SAYS ‘THIS IS UNBEARABLE’ The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed deep concern over Nigerians’ severe economic hardships. His comments came during a ceremony for the distribution of free fertiliser to 52,800 smallholder farmers across Kano State’s 44 local government areas on Thursday. Addressing the gathering at the Government House, alongside the newly appointed second-class Emirs of Gaya and Karaye, Sanusi highlighted the dire situation many Nigerians find themselves in. “People are in a dire situation. I’m aware that people now resort to buying half pepper because of the high cost of food items. This is unbearable. But I think with efforts like this, people can get some relief,” he stated. The initiative, which aims to alleviate economic hardship and promote food security, will see each farmer, including women and persons living with disabilities, receive 25kg of fertiliser. The Emir praised the Kano State Government for the initiative but urged further action to mitigate the ongoing economic challenges. On his part, Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, said, “We are determined to support our farmers and ensure that food is available and affordable for all.” The Emirs of Gaya and Karaye also voiced their support for the programme. Emir of Gaya, Ali Ibrahim, said, “This distribution of fertiliser will significantly contribute to food security in our state.” Similarly, the Emir of Karaye, Mahammad Mahraz, expressed optimism that the initiative would benefit the farming community.Representatives of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) were also present, expressing their gratitude for the government’s gesture. “This initiative will help bring down the cost of food items in the state and provide much-needed support to our farmers,” remarked AFAN official Ibrahim Inuwa.
Dons Eze
- Entertainment
- July 20, 2024
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NOLLYWOOD ACTOR, CHINEDU IKEDIEZE (AKI), WIFE SEPARATE
NOLLYWOOD ACTOR, CHINEDU IKEDIEZE (AKI), WIFE SEPARATE Renowned Nollywood actor Chinedu Ikedieze, popularly known as Aki, has subtly confirmed his separation from his wife, Nneoma Nwaijah, whom he married in 2011. The announcement came on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 through an Instagram post where the 46-year-old actor introduced his new wife, Stephanie Promise, and revealed the couple recently welcomed a child. Aki and Nneoma’s traditional marriage took place on November 26, 2011, in Obolo, Isiala Mbano, Imo State, followed by their white wedding on December 9, 2011, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God – Abundant Grace parish in Ogba, Lagos. The couple welcomed their first child in 2012. The star-studded event was attended by notable Nollywood personalities such as Osita Iheme, Uche Jombo, Rita Dominic, Mercy Johnson, Genevieve Nnaji, Monalisa Chinda, and Susan Peters. The couple met on a movie set in Lagos, where Nneoma worked as a costumier, and Aki was the lead actor. Their union seemed strong, but recent developments have shown otherwise. On Instagram, Aki celebrated Promise’s birthday, revealing their new life together and the addition of their son. “My world, my love. On this particular day, I want to celebrate not only your birthday but the incredible journey we’ve been on together. You have blessed our lives with two beautiful girls who light up our world, and now, we have been gifted with a precious baby boy,” Aki shared. “Watching you embrace motherhood with grace and strength fills me with awe. You are the heart of our family, the rock we all lean on. Your love and dedication to me and our children are unparalleled, and I am endlessly grateful for the life we are building together,” he added. Despite his heartfelt message, Aki did not disclose when his first marriage ended or when his second marriage began. Chinedu Ikedieze, also known as Aki, is a celebrated Nigerian actor, entrepreneur, and investor. Born on December 12, 1977, he has been active in the film industry for over 22 years and has appeared in over 150 films. His breakout role in the 2002 film “Aki na Ukwa” alongside Osita Iheme catapulted him to fame. Due to his physical stature and appearance, he often played child roles early in his career.Ikedieze’s illustrious career has earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
IPAC DISAGREES WITH SENATE OVER CREATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION
IPAC DISAGREES WITH SENATE OVER CREATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has strongly condemned the proposed bill by the Senate to create the Local Government Independent Electoral Commission. The bill was sponsored by Senator Sani Musa and IPAC says the move is unacceptable and unnecessary, adding that it will lead to duplication of functions and waste of public funds. “Creating another commission will not address the challenges faced in conducting local government elections,” the council said in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chinyere Ogekalu. “Instead, it will lead to unnecessary duplication of efforts and resources. The proposed commission will still rely on INEC’s voter register, IREV, BVAS, ballot boxes, and other resources to conduct a successful election. “Rather than creating another commission, we should focus on building the capacity of INEC to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections at the local level. This is especially crucial at a time when the government is grappling with limited resources to cater to the welfare of citizens.“We urge the Senate to reconsider this proposed bill and prioritize the strengthening of INEC to deliver credible elections at all levels.”
BENUE CAN PAY N70,000 MINIMUM WAGE – GOV ALIA
BENUE CAN PAY N70,000 MINIMUM WAGE – GOV ALIA The Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has declared that his administration is ready to pay N70,000 minimum wage to state workers. The governor disclosed this in a chat with journalists in Makurdi, saying that his administration has blocked all the leakages. The governor said that his administration is focused and had put up measures to make things function. He said, “Though with harsh economy things have been stagnated but with all the plans and measures that are in place for things to function, things are moving, even our internally generated Revenue has increased “It’s now left for us to close all loopholes to see how much we can cash in to do other things even to pay salary. He added, “We can pay (minimum wage) with our focus. With all our purpose and intent, what is agreed by the Federal Government, we the sub nationals should be able to queue in today.“Without the workforce, any government will not have any centeredness of governance. So, we need to pay our civil servants with what is approved by the Federal Government and organised labour.”
COURT STOPS INEC FROM RELEASING VOTERS REGISTER FOR RIVERS LG POLLS
COURT STOPS INEC FROM RELEASING VOTERS REGISTER FOR RIVERS LG POLLS A Federal High court in Abuja on Friday stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the purpose of conducting the forthcoming local government elections in the state. Justice Peter Lifu issued an order of interim injunction against INEC, while delivering ruling in a motion ex-parte brought before him by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The motion ex-parte was filed on behalf of the APC by a team of senior lawyers comprising Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon and Ogwu James Onoja, all SANs. It was brought pursuant to Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act, Order 26 Rules 1 and 3, order 28 rules 1 and 2, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court as enshrined in Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution. The judges also ordered the Rivers Electoral Commission and Rivers Attorney-General from receiving from INEC or using part of the National Voter’s Register relating to Rivers State to conduct local government elections in the state. Similarly, Justice Lifu restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Service (DSS) from participating or providing security protection for Rivers State Electoral Commission to conduct local government elections in the state. Also, the judge issued another order directing INEC, Rivers State Electoral Commission, AG Rivers State, IGP and DSS to maintain status quo ante bellum and not to do any act or take any further steps in furtherance of the conduct of local government elections in Rivers State. The interim orders are to remain in force pending the determination of the substantive suit in which the APC is challenging the propriety of the conduct of elections in Rivers local governments. In granting the interim restraining orders, Justice Lifu directed the APC to undertake to pay damages to the five defendants in case its suit was found to be frivolous and that the restraining orders ought not to have been granted in the first instance. Justice Lifu also granted substituted service of the orders and other court processes on the five defendants through publications in two major national dailies before the adjourned date to attract the attention of the defendants. Meanwhile the judge fixed August 2 for all the defendants to appear before him for hearing of the substantive matter. In a 13-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Tony Okocha, the acting chairman of Rivers APC, he averred that originating summons were taken out against the defendants due to failure of INEC to comply strictly with the provisions of the Electoral Act in respect of the management of the register of voters which it intends to release to Rivers electoral body for local government elections in breach and violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act. The deponent averred that it is only the voter register compiled, maintained, updated and kept in the custody of INEC that Rivers Electoral Commission can obtain and use to conduct local government polls as Rivers SIEC is not entitled to compile, maintain, update and keep in its custody any separate voters register. The APC acting chairman further stated that its originating summons and motion on notice are pending before the court for hearing and that it has become necessary to take proactive steps to preserve the substance of the case by restraining the defendants from tampering with or dissipating the main case pending the hearing and determination of the motion. He also averred that APC in Rivers State brought the instant application in the interest of justice for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum and preservation of the main matter. Besides, the deponent undertook to pay…
NEPOTISM PRO-MAX: SIX OF TINUBU’S TEN LAST APPOINTMENTS ARE FROM SOUTH-WEST
NEPOTISM PRO-MAX: SIX OF TINUBU’S LAST TEN APPOINTEES ARE FROM SOUTH-WEST Nigerians have come down hard on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the lopsidedness in his political appointments. He is being accused of continuing from the nepotism of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after making 10 new appointments, six of which favoured his South West region. The trend of his lopsided appointments to favour the Yoruba ethnic nationality has been obvious since he became President on 29th May, 2023, but it has become more pronounced. Those who spoke to People&Politics on the issue describe it as act of ‘extreme nepotism’. According to Mr. Silas Ezebuenyi, the act not only favours the President’s region, it is specially targeted against the South-East region of the country which has received the least number of appointments under Tinubu. Rukevwe Joyce, a banker who spoke on the recent appointments, calls it ‘nepotism pro-max’ considering that the nation has six geopolitical zones. She added that the President’s attitude is unacceptable as it is in breach of the federal character principle. “And you know what?”, she enthused, “the South-West has systematically taken all the juicy appointments in the country and the appointees are likely driving that same nepotism down the ladder in the various offices they are sent to head”. Among the new appointees are; Mr Silas Agara (Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment), Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, (Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency), Mr Baffa Dan Agundi, (Director-General of the National Productivity Centre), Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo, (Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority), Mr Saleh Abubakar, (Director-General National Agency for the Great Green Wall), Dr. Olufemi Adekanmbi, (Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project), Mr. Tosin Adeyanju, (Executive Secretary, National Lottery Trust Fund), Oluwaseun Faleye, (Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund), Mrs. Mojisolaoluwa Kehinde Alli-Macaulay, (Executive Director (Operations), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund), Ms Omolola Bridget Oloworaran, (Director-General, National Pension Commission) and Mr Jobson Ewalefoh, (Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission). Some of the appointments have also been criticized because of the characters involved. The appointment of the former representative of Amuwo Odofin 1 Constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Kehinde Alli-Macaulay, as the Executive Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), is one of such. She was accused of repackaging COVID-19 palliatives as birthday souvenirs in 2020. Mrs. Alli-MacaulayOn social media, Nigerians have queried the lopsidedness of the appointments. @HAHayatu said: “70% of appointments are now Yoruba and even in that 70% are Lagosians. Nepotism pro max. Buhari sef dey learn now.” @EmmyPromise71 said: “What did President Tinubu want to achieve with nepotism in his government, for crying out loud? How can you make about 10 appointments in your government as the President of Nigeria and No Igbo men or women made the list? What kind of nepotism is this?” @nonsook96346206: “10 appointments – 3 from the North and 7 from Yoruba. No single person from SS and SE that has over 95% of oil reserves and gas reserves. Tinubu should continue his yorubanization nepotism – history will remind him of it.” @captainsterling said: “Na wa ooo for this administration’s defenders and supporters. I rise.”@adeyanjudeji said: “Tinubu just appointing Yoruba people all over the place. I miss Buhari. Tinubu is the worst president ever.”
ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST: TINUBUMUSTGO HASHTAG TRENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST: TINUBUMUSTGO HASHTAG TRENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Ahead of the planned nationwide protests over hardship, netizens have threatened to demand President Bola Tinubu’s resignation. A cross-section of Nigerians on their X microblogging handles are using the hashtag #TinubuMustGo to campaign for the protest. They are alleging that the president lacks the ability to tackle the economic crisis bedevilling the nation. Nigerians, particularly youths who are frustrated by the economic reality, have vowed to stage mass protests nationwide. According to the flyers making the rounds, the protest has been scheduled for August 1 to 10. Some X users who were campaigning for the protest threatened that if the protest is disrupted by security operatives, they would demand Tinubu’s immediate resignation. Below are some of the posts on X: @j_samdavid wrote: “As we mount the barricade in August to rage, the APC urchins, the police, the army and all the trigger-happy state apparatus of the elite ruling class should know that if any one of the masses protesting should be wounded or killed, we will come for Tinubu #TinubuMustGo.” @PhCity_Oracle wrote: “Built a N21 B mansion for Shettima but asked Nigerians to be patient. Bought a N5B presidential yacht for Tinubu – approved 70000 naira for the NLC and TUC. Bought N150 B presidential jet but shared rice with Nigerians. #RevolutionNow #TinubuMUSTGo #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.” @Jrnaib2 wrote: “Do you know that majority of Nigerians are committed to the One Term President, OTP Project? Join the patriotic movement now! #TinubuMUSTGo.”@Verydarkman wrote: “Dear Nigeria Youth. Make sure you come out for the protest and never give up. As you can see, they are already developing cold feet. NIGERIA BELONGS TO ALL OF US. #TinubuMUSTGo.”
RIVERS CRISIS: APPEAL COURT DISMISSES SUIT AGAINST TINUBU, FUBARA
RIVERS CRISIS: APPEAL COURT DISMISSES SUIT AGAINST TINUBU, FUBARA The Appeal Court in Port Harcourt has upheld a lower court’s decision thereby dismissing an appeal filed by His Highness Anabs Sara-Igbe and nine others. The appeal challenged a previous ruling by Justice Chinwendu Nworgu of the Rivers State High Court, which had dismissed a suit against President Bola Tinubu, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Martins Amaewhule, and 24 others due to lack of jurisdiction. The three-man panel of the Appeal Court, led by Justice Elfreda Oluwayamisi-Dawodu, upheld the lower court’s decision, stating that the state High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter. The court described the plaintiffs’ actions as “merely academic exercises.”The claimants had approached the High Court seeking interpretation of the Nigerian Constitution regarding President Tinubu’s directive to Governor Fubara to re-present the 2024 budget to 24 lawmakers led by Amaewhule, despite their seats being declared vacant.
NDUME REJECTS SENATE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT
NDUME REJECTS SENATE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT Two days after his removal as Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume has declined the Senate Committee on Tourism chairmanship, citing a lack of experience and exposure necessary for such a position. Speaking from his home in Maiduguri, he mentioned he never aspired to be the Senate Chief Whip, having already served as the Senate leader during the eighth Senate. Ndume stated that he was offered the opportunity to choose a committee to serve as vice-chairman due to his role in securing Godwill Akpabio’s election as Senate President. On the calls for him to resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ndume reaffirmed his status as a founding party member. He recounted his involvement in the formation of the APC, being one of the twenty-two senators who left the PDP to establish the new party back when Abdullahi Ganduje was the deputy governor of Kano State. Ndume noted that he consulted his constituents before publicly joining the APC at the request of former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to his people.The senator explained his delayed response to his removal, citing the mourning of a family member’s death.
MY SPIRIT HAS LEFT PDP – SHAIBU, APPOINTS AIDES
MY SPIRIT HAS LEFT PDP – SHAIBU, APPOINTS AIDES The reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu has declared that his spirit has left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He made this disclosure when he appeared on Arise TV on Friday morning. Shaibu, who was reinstated as the Deputy Governor by the Federal High Court days ago, stated that he has shifted camp to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. He, however, disclosed that he is only still a member of PDP because he has not official resigned, dropped the party’s card and announced his membership of the APC. The Deputy Governor made these disclosures when the presenters queried him for backing the APC Governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, instead of the PDP’s candidate, Asug Ighodalo, accusing his of anti-party activities. Shaibu initially stated that he learned what he was doing from his mentor and Boss, Governor Godwin Obaseki, who had backed the Labour Party, LP, during the 2023 elections on the pretext that he had the right to support whoever he wanted. Speaking further, Shaibu then revealed that he would not belong to one party and support the candidate of another party, adding that his spirit had left the PDP and joined APC and what was left was to make it official. Meanwhile, Philip Shaibu has approved the appointments of eight persons to assist in the dischage of his duties as the state’s number two citizen. In a statement on Friday, signed by Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Comrade Musa Ebomhiana, nine officials have been appointed as Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants respectively. They include Hon. Kingsley Ehigiamusor as Chief of Staff, Comrade Musa Ebomhiana as Chief Press Secretary, Hon. Emmanuel Akhaba as Senior Special Assistant, Mustapha Lawal as Senior Special Assistant and Mr. Charles Olubayo as Senior Special Assistant. Others are Mathias Akhanemhe as Special Assistant, Comrade Robinson Akhenoba as Special Assistant, Robert Ojele as Special Assistant, and Isioma Ogochukwu as Special Assistant. This appointments, according to the release, takes immediate effect. Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, reinstated Shaibu as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, months after he was unlawfully impeached by the state assembly in April 2024.