Encomium
NLC, TUC TO PROCEED ON PLANNED INDUSTRIAL ACTION
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have both agreed to embark on their proposed action today as planned. Both group disclosed this, after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday evening.
Although there had been a court injunction to stop them from embarking on the process, it seems it fell on deaf ears as it appears to have been ignored by workers. However, it was gathered that the faction of NLC led by the general secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Joe Ajaero,won’t join the strike.
PDP TO HOLD PARALLEL CONVENTION
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to hold two separate national convention on Sunday, May 21. Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff will be holding its convention in Port Harcourt (Rivers) while the other, led by Prof. Jerry Gana, the former minister of information, will hold theirs in Abuja.
The two faction met in Abuja on Tuesday, May 17, to conclude plans for their separate conventions. Pro-Sheriff convention is backed by the PDP serving governors, National Assembly members and few of the Board of Trustees (BoT), while that of Gana is supported by concerned PDP stakeholders.
FEMI FANI-KAYODE STILL UNDER DETENTION
The former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode is still under detention, after meeting an administrative bail condition granted to him. This was revealed by Jude Ndukwe, his special assistant on media. Ndukwe said he is appalled by the continued detention of his principal.
He said that the detention of the former minister and most of the vocal members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is an act the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is using as a tool by the All Progressives Congress led administration. Ndukwe condemned the prolonged detention and urged President Buhari-led administration to stop the act, for the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
ARMY GENERAL CRUSHED TO DEATH IN A FATAL ROAD ACCIDENT
An Army General identified as Major General Gabriel Kamper has died in a fatal road accident along Uchi in Tarka Local Government of Benue State.
The late Military Officer was returning from a burial he attended in his Ushongo village when he met his untimely death. It was disclosed that he allegedly slept off while on steering and ran into an oncoming truck. His body has since been evacuated and deposited in the mortuary.
REVERSE PETROL PRICE NOW OR RESIGN, REP URGES BUHARI
The Chairman, house committee on agricultural colleges and institutions in the House of Representatives , Hon. Linus Okorie, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reverse the pump price of petrol or resign his position as the president because he has neglected the integrity for which he was elected.
He lamented that Buhari has committed a fraud against the nation and should vacate his seat. He stated these at the opening ceremony of a three-day vitamin A cassava and vitamin A maize enlightenment/empowerment programme he organized for farmers in Ivo Local Government Area in Ebonyi state.
COURT NULLIFIES PDP SOUTHWEST CONGRESS
Justice Ibrahim Buba of federal high court in Lagos on Tuesday cancelled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southwest Congress held last Saturday. Although the judge had last Wednesday, restrained the PDP and its national chairman Ali Modu Sheriff, from conducting any election into the party’s southwest zonal executive committee, PDP said the order was made without the parties being heard.
The judge made the order prior to an application filed by the incumbent zonal secretary, Chief Pegba Otemolu who sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Sheriff and PDP national secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo. The plaintiff through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, in a motion on notice, sought an order nullifying the Congress held in Akure for being in violation of a court order. The Congress was therefore nullified since the respondent had refused to show cause as to why the order was not obeyed.
CSNAC URGES UBAH’S INVESTIGATION
The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) has urged the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate and prosecute the law maker representing Anambra South senatorial district, Andy Ubah, over alleged falsification of assets declaration. It was revealed that the senator owned 4,950 shares in an offshore company, Wentworth Properties Limited in the Republic of Seychelles, while holding public office.
However, it was quoted that a public office holder shall not “except where he is not employed on full-time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade” to back up its claims of constitutional violation by the lawmakers. The CSNAC has therefore ordered Ubah’s immediate investigation and prosecution for the alleged violations of the provisions of the Constitution.
ECOWAS COURT ORDERS FG TO JUSTIFY DASUKI’S DETENTION
The Economic Community of West African States court has ordered the Federal Government to justify the detention of a former national security adviser, Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd) in one day. The presiding judge gave the order in Abuja on Tuesday at a resumed hearing.
Nwoke therefore ordered Dasuki to make out his case of the abuse of fundamental rights against government on May 18, 2016 while the Federal Government must put its defence at the disposal of the court on May 19 , 2016. After which the case would be adjourned for judgement.
AISHA BUHARI DECRIES NIGERIA’S POSITION IN AFRICA
The wife of the president, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has decried the position of Nigeria as the first in Africa and fourth in the world in terms of tuberculosis, which she said is the cause of several untimely death and needed to be tackled. Mrs. Buhari who is an ambassador to the “stop TB campaign” lamented that Nigeria occupied these positions due to its lowest detection rate when compared to other nations.
Mrs. Buhari who was ably represented by the wife of the vice president, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo at the national conference organized by the stop TB partnership Nigeria (STBPN) and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTLCP), said while the government is doing its best to end the scourge, there is need for development partners to assist in stemming the tide.
FAYOSE DENIES FIRING POLITICAL AIDE
Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State Governor, has denied firing his special adviser on political matters, Alhaji Ademola Bello. The rumour in Ado-Ekiti spread like wildfire on Tuesday that Bello had been sacked by the Governor over an undisclosed allegation.
Fayose in a statement by his Chief press secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said the news which had gone wide on social media platforms was a lie, carried out by those who are interested in destabilizing his administration. Adelusi urged the people to ignore those who are disturbed by the performance and ever growing popularity of governor Ayodele Fayose.
