Encomium
- BUHARI CALLS AREGBESOLA OVER MOTHER’S DEATH
The Presidency on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari called the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on telephone to commiserate with him over the death of his mother, Alhaja Saratu. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.
Shehu said Buhari expressed sympathy with the governor, describing his mother “as a great woman who was a pillar of discipline to her children.’’
He further quoted the President as saying that the matriarch of the Aregbesola family deserved great honour for “the sacrifices she made to
bring up her children on the path of sound moral character and commitment to good reputation.’’
Buhari said the governor’s mother contributed immeasurably to the building of a respectable pedigree for her family by raising disciplined and humble children like the governor.
He prayed that Allah would bless her soul, reward all her good deeds with paradise and comfort the family she left behind.
- FG APPOINTS 13 GENERAL MANAGERS FOR FAAN
Federal government has approved the promotion of Senior Management Staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). In the recent report released by Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the list of promoted officials, 13 Deputy General Managers were elevated to the rank of General Managers.
A statement by the Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu said the senior officials were promoted having gone through the promotion process and emerged successful. Although, Yakubu did not give names of the new appointees, he said the list of GMs would be posted immediately.
- FG GRANTS TAX BREAK TO MUSIC, MOVIE PRODUCERS, OTHERS IN CREATIVE INDUSTRY
The federal government has granted ‘Pioneer Status’ to the creative industry, in a landmark move aimed at transforming the industry to a creative economy and creating jobs. In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the decision to grant the industry ‘Pioneer Status’ is in fulfilment of the promise made by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.
The ‘Pioneer Status’ is granted to companies making investments in qualifying industries and products as tax holiday from the payment of corporate income tax and withholding tax on dividend from pioneer profits
for an initial period of three years, extendable for one or two additional years. He said the need to grant ‘Pioneer Status’ to the creative industry as well as tackle the piracy of creative works were among the key issues raised by participants at the Creative Industry Financing Conference.
- AREWA YOUTHS MODIFY QUIT NOTICE
The coalition of youth groups in the north who issued an ultimatum to Igbos to leave northern Nigeria by October 1st is not backing down from their directive. This ensued when the Chairman of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Shettima Yerima on Thursday maintained that Igbos who were willing to remain in the north were welcome but that the order was sacrosanct.
According to him, “We stand by our notice to Igbo but those who are interested in Nigeria can stay. But for those who are not interested, you can go.
“Our mission is for peace; the unity of Nigeria is being threatened by the current agitation from the Igbo and we want to make sure that those who are interested in Nigeria stay but those who are not interested should go.”
He called on the Igbos to maintain peace in their respective domains.
- AISHA BUHARI AND WOMEN SEND PUBLIC MESSAGE TO NNAMDI KANU
Leader of the Independent People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has been indirectly communicated on the unity of Nigeria which he is trying to break with the exit of the Igbo nation. Aisha Buhari who arrived Imo for an August women meeting on Thursday said the unity of the country was non negotiable.
This is even as the women resolved to mobilise themselves to counter hate speeches and tribal sentiments and promote the oneness of the country.
Speaking at the 2017 Imo Women Annual August Meeting in Owerri, Mrs. Buhari charged women to work towards conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence in various communities.
The wife of Imo State governor, Nkechi Rochas Okorocha, said that from time immemorial, women had been agents of positive changes, growth and development, adding that no society would do better without the contributions of women. The state governor, Rochas Okorocha, acknowledged that the country was on trial at the moment, but expressed optimism that the future of the country would be better than it is at the present.
- PDP PUSHES FOR ATIKU AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
It seems the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is gunning for former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for the 2017 Presidential election in the country.
Atiku, the APC chieftain, recently said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) lacked internal democracy, which is one of the key tenets of democratic governance. According to Atiku, APC is more a bullying party now than a democratic party, where the voices of the people count.
He made references to the issues of lack of statutory meetings in the party and the recent congresses of the party.
It was disclosed that the Peoples Democratic Party is quietly settling for Atiku as its Presidential candidate and governor Ayodele Fayose as the Vice, a statement which the Ekiti govenor switfly denied. Although Atiku Abubakar is yet to make a statement on it, yesterday, the former new media aide to former President, Goodluck Jonathan also called the opposition party to build the party and beg Atiku to return to party which he helped to build.
- GOVERNOR FAYOSE APPOINTS NEW COMMISSIONERS
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Friday appointed new members of the State Executive Council.
Fayose had about a month ago dissolved the Ekiti State Executive Council.
The appointment of the new commissioners was contained in a statement by Fayose’s Special Adviser on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
Those appointed and their designations are Barr. Kola Kolade (Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice); Hon. Ayo Alabi (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs); Hon Lanre Ogunsuyi (Information, Youths and Sports); and Hon Taye Otitoju (Lands).
Others are Hon. Gbenga Olajide (Budget and Planning); Hon Jide Egunjobi (Education, Science and Technology); Chief Tunde Ogunleye (Water Resources); and Olayinka Ogundayomi (Women Affairs).
- SARAKI RAISES ‘RED SIGNAL’ ON OYEGUN’S APC LEADERSHIP
Senate President Bukola Saraki on Thursday raised ‘red alert’ on John Oyegun’s All Progressives Congress’ leadership, urging the party to wake up and start managing the party’s affairs right. Saraki, who spoke in Abuja, said APC leadership headed by its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, lacked focus.
He said: “My own point is that the executive of the party just needs to wake up and start managing the party.
“There is no day when I see the party chairman that I don’t tell him, ‘Mr. Chairman, we must put the party in focus’.
“The rules of the party also give you room by which you can call a meeting, but I think we have not got to that point yet.”
He said he was still a member of APC and remained a party member “body and spirit”, contrary to insinuations.
- EXPLOSIONS ROCK MAIDUGURI AS SUICIDE BOMBERS ATTACK HOSPITAL
Two suicide bombers on Thursday reportedly attacked General Hospital at Molai on the outskirts of Maiduguri. It was confirmed that the loud explosion was heard in Maiduguri midnight and another two this morning and that suicide bombers, a male and female, had attempted to gain entry into the General Hospital at Molai around 5:30 am.
In the process, they blew themselves, with the loud explosion being heard in parts of Maiduguri. Although the details are still sketchy, Boko haram terrorists have been terrorizing Maiduguri, Borno state with the latest been an attack on oil workers in the state.
- LABARAN MAKU DISOWNS BIAFRA ZIONIST OVER ‘CABINET APPOINTMENT’
A former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has disowned a pro-Biafra group, the Biafra Zionist federation, which named him as its minister of aviation, following it so-called self-declaration of a ‘republic of Biafra’ on August 1, 2017. Maku, stated this in Abuja on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists that he remained a patriotic professional politician who is committed to the unity of Nigeria.
He attributed the calls for division and separation to the failure of leadership and the refusal to give equal opportunities to all Nigerians.
When asked if he was named a minister for being the chief scribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maku said, “I don’t know them. I’m national secretary of APGA. I come from Nasarawa State. No party will be registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) unless its composition has national character.”
