States
Group wants more women in governance
The Women Political Participation Technical Working Group (WPP-TWG) has called for the review of the 1999 Constitution to accommodate more women in government. The position by the group was presented during the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Amendment organised by the National Assembly in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital. Making the disclosure was Mrs. Glory Ekaso, Director, National Issues/Welfare, WPP-TWG, who briefed newsmen in Uyo on Thursday to intimate the public on the women’s position as presented during the just-concluded Constitution amendment committee meetings. Ekaso said the WPP-TWG comprised 26 women’s groups across the country with a common mission to ensure equitable representation in government. She said that women political representation in the 2019 e...
Constitution Review: Sultan canvasses unrestricted usage of hijab
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, has advocated the use of Hijab by Muslim women, without restrictions and in total observance of the freedom of religion in the country. The Sultan, who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), stated this in Birnin Kebbi, on Tuesday, at the North West Zonal Public Hearing on the Constitution Review organised by the House of Representatives for Stakeholders from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara. Abubakar wondered why the wearing of the Hijab would be a problem for others who were not using it, stressing that the other religions could also be encouraged to adopt what their religions ordered them to do. “The most important issue is the issue of religion. Almighty God created us to worship Him and you m...
Sultan: Scrapping NYSC scheme not interest of Nigeria’s unity
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, says agitation for the scrapping of the National Youth Service (NYSC) scheme is not in the interest of Nigeria’s unity. Abubakar spoke when he hosted some selected members of NYSC Batch A stream 2 corps members posted to Sokoto state in his palace on Monday in Sokoto. The Sultan said that those agitating for the scrapping of the scheme did not mean well for the country. The emir explained that the NYSC scheme was established to foster the nation’s unity and strengthen ties among Nigerians. “I heard there are efforts for the scrapping of the NYSC scheme, I assure you that those behind that struggle do not mean well for this country, ” Abubakar said. According to him, the NYSC scheme is the most needed programme in view of the present situation wh...
Amotekun operatives to patrol South-west borders
Chairman of Council of Amotekun Commanders in the South-west region, Chief Adetunji Adeyeye, has said operatives of the Amotekun corps will engage in inter-state border patrol in the South-west to ensure synergy in crime fighting. Adeyeye, who is the Corps Commander of Ondo Amotekun, said the synergy expected among the South-west states would be enhanced so that a criminal that escaped from Ondo to Ekiti State could be easily apprehended Adeyeye, who spoke in Akure, said the destruction of farmlands by herders in Ondo State has greatly reduced owing to enforcement of the ban on open grazing. He said herders now offer money to farmers whose crops were destroyed unlike previously when they would walk away. His words: “Being Chairman of the Council of Amotekun Commanders is a greater call to ...
Presidency: One million Nigerians benefitting from survival fund
The Presidency yesterday said that over one million Nigerians have so far benefitted from the Survival Fund scheme under the Federal Government’s Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP). The Presidency said there are 500,000 beneficiaries from the MSMEs Payroll support track, 44,500 under the one-off General MSME Grant, and another 265,425 under the artisan support track, among others. Recall that payment to new beneficiaries of the Payroll Support track and the one-time General MSME Grant had commenced at the end of April. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, in Abuja last night explained that so far, under the ESP there are currently over one million beneficiaries nationwide from the various schemes...
PDP optimistic ahead Lagos council polls
File Photo The Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State on Sunday said that its fortune remained bright in the forthcoming July 24 local government election in the aquatic state. The PDP Chairman in Lagos, Adedeji Doherty, expressed this optimism in an interview with newsmen. He, however, said that there was the need for a constitutional review that would take away the conduct of grassroots election from state apparatuses. According to him, the step has become imperative to bring democracy to grassroots elections, being the most important election that is closest to the people. “The fortune of PDP is bright, but the main thing is that the party in power usually takes control of all the apparatus to win grassroots elections. “There should be a constitutional amendment to make sure that the c...
Resident doctors extend strike ultimatum by two weeks for federal government, states to act
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has extended its strike ultimatum by two weeks to let the Federal and State governments to address the issues of welfare of their members across the country. The extension is contained in a communiqué at the end of the association’s 41st Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) which held in Nnewi/Awka, Anambra, between May 25 and May 29. The communiqué was release by Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, National President of NARD, in the company of other members of the executive. It said that the association would resume a total strike action if its demands remained unattended to at the end of the period. It said that the strike was suspended following government’s promises as entailed in the Memorandum of Actions, signed at the instance of Minister of Labour...
Anambra election: PDP aspirant urges delegates to shun monetary inducement
Dr Godwin Maduka, a major contender for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Nov. 6 election in Anambra has urged party delegates to shun financial inducement. Maduka, America-based medical practitioner-cum politician, made the call while addressing journalists on Sunday in Awka on the need for party delegates to cast their votes without fear or coercion. He advised delegates to shun monetary inducement and develop boldness to vote for a candidate who has the capacity to develop the state.a He said though he has enough money to buy delegates at any cost but saw an act as undemocratic and should be discouraged for the people to get a sound polity. “Our delegates should be political active and not be passive any more in affairs that concerns their generation ...
Nigeria records 63 new coronavirus cases
Nigeria on Friday recorded 63 new coronavirus infections in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The new figure raised the total number of infections in the country to 166,254, an update published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Friday night indicates. According to the update, no new death was recorded from the virus, which has already claimed 2,071 lives in the country. The data shows that the new COVID-19 cases were reported in seven states and Abuja. Lagos recorded 25 cases, closely followed by Ondo with 22. Rivers State reported six while Akwa Ibom and Kaduna reported three each. Also, Kwara State reported two while Ebonyi and FCT reported one each. A breakdown of the data shows that 11 people were discharged on Friday after testing negative for the vi...
APC group: Six years of President Buhari better than PDP’s 16 years
The group operating under the auspices of All Progressives Congress (APC) Legacy Awareness & Campaign, made this remark on Friday in Abuja while reeling out some of the achievements of the APC-led government led by President Buhari. Addressing journalists, group’s national coordinator, Barr. Ismail Ahmed, said the group has commenced a national campaign to promote some of the initiatives of APC-led government. Ahmed said: “As committed members of the APC, we are convinced that since May 29, 2015, when the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated, landmark initiatives have been; and are being implemented. “In comparative terms, President Buhari’s government has recorded more achievements within six years than all the previous governments under the PDP between 1999 and 20...
Constitution review: States creation tops list of submissions at North East public hearing
YouTube States creation topped list of demands by groups from Adamawa and Taraba States at Thursday’s public hearing on the review of 1999 Constitutional in Gombe. Newsmen report that the groups wanted creation of Amana and Gongola out of present Adamawa State and Mambilla out of the present Taraba State. Ahmad Sajoh, the leader of the movement for Amana State, said the struggle for the creation of the state had been on for years. Sajoh said since 1961 when the area was moved into Nigeria from Cameroon, it had been an independent entity and it was the wish of the people to have a state of their own. He said: “The then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, convinced us to be part of Nigeria on the condition that the area shall be an autonomous province with ...
‘Patriots rule Hong Kong’ as sweeping pro-Beijing electoral rules passed
Hong Kong’s legislature approved the biggest overhaul of its political system in the quarter century since British rule on Thursday, in a decisive step to assert Beijing’s authority over the autonomous city. The changes will reduce the proportion of seats in the legislature that are filled by direct elections from half to less than a quarter. A new body will be empowered to vet candidates and bar those deemed insufficiently patriotic towards China from standing. “These 600-or-so pages of the legislation come down to just a few words: patriots ruling Hong Kong,” said Peter Shiu, a pro-Beijing lawmaker. Most of the changes were announced by China in March, though Hong Kong authorities later contributed further details, such as redrawing constituency boundaries and criminalising calls for bal...
