Edo Govt. Begins Investigation Into State-Owned Polytechnic

The Edo State government has constituted a seven-man committee to be headed by professor Rose Egonmwan which will investigate the financial management of the Edo State Polytechnic, in Ovia southwest Local Government Area.

According to a statement signed by the secretary to the state government, Osarodion Ogie, the terms of reference of the committee includes; to examine the administrative structure of the institution in line with the law establishing the institution; to establish the actual students’ population against the accredited schools and department; to investigate the quality of the training programmes in the institute especially in relation to standards; to examine the finances of the institute in the area of revenue generation, expenditure, transparency, accountability and observance of due process.

Other terms of reference include; to critically look at the mode of employment and promotion at the Institute with a view to determining whether due process was observed in the recruitment and promotion and whether the staff strength vis-à-vis the carrying capacity of students’ population of the institution is balanced and reasonable; to look into any matter which in the opinion of the committee is incidental to its assignment and make recommendation that will assist the state government to reposition the Institute for quality service delivery and global competitiveness.

According to the statement, the Secretary of the Committee is Mrs. Sede E. I (office of the SSG) while other members of the committee include Prof. Victor Igbinedion of the University of Benin; Sir Steve Omoijuanfo (MD Nigerian Dynamic LTD); K.I.K Iyamu (NLC); Daisy Osunde (NLC) and Adams Akhogiemi of EDSIEC.

We’ll send Nnamdi Kanu back to prison – Anambra community

The Nri community in Anambra State, believed to be the ancestral home of the Igbo, has threatened to jail the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, for allegedly invading the area and desecrating sacred places.

The community said it had concluded arrangements to drag the pro-Biafran agitator to court in that respect.

The traditional of Nri, Igwe Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso, said this on Thursday while chatting with newsmen in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Speaking through his personal assistant, Chief Ifeanyi Onyeso, the monarch said Kanu and his IPOB’s  ‘army of occupation’ invaded his community on July 18 with impunity, without recourse to obeisance to the palace.

The monarch said, “My people are highly angry about this misconduct of these intruders.  Nri as an ancient kingdom and the cradle of Igbo people and her culture and tradition is highly revered among  the Igbo.

He added, “On July18, 2017, a day before Kanu came to Nri, 12 youths came to the palace of Eze Nri requesting an appointment with the traditional ruler for Kanu.

“They were received and told  to go and come back with a written letter so that they will get official reply from the palace since the delegation looked unusual, in that there was no titled person among them.

“At this point, they all left and what we saw the next day was Kanu invading Nri community with a huge crowd of his supporters; he  went straight to the house of one  subject to the traditional ruler of Nri.

“The feelers we later got, was that the subject claimed he had handed over the `Offo Nri’, (symbol of royalty) to Kanu, and even allowed Kanu to visit the historic “Ohianwehi forest” revered as “forest of life” by the Igbo tradition.

“This forest is believed to be the place the first burnt offering was offered by the Jewish Igbo ancestors when they migrated from Israel more than 2,000 years ago.

Onyeso noted that Nri people perceived Kanu’s conduct as a taboo because no  visitor enters the community without first visiting the traditional ruler let alone going to a sacred place without the knowledge of the traditional ruler himself.

He regretted that Kanu and his supporters after visiting one Mbanefo returned to the palace entrance gate of HRM Eze Ugochukwu Onyeso,  where they were banging at the gate trying to force the gate open.

“It was this unruly conduct that made the traditional ruler to telephone the security agents who responded promptly and dispersed Kanu and his supporters.

This act is an affront on the tradition and culture of Nri people and as such we resolved not to sweep the matter under the carpet.

“It is a taboo in Nri and equally against the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council Law.

“The people of Nri and their traditional ruler are not against Nnamdi Kanu and his agitation, but what we cannot take is for Kanu to come and mess up the Nri culture and tradition under whatever motive.

“The community will drag him to court  and make sure we jail him to serve as a deterrent to others,”  Onyeso stated.

Okowa streamlines Trans Warri-Ode-Itsekiri road project, approves N7.6bn

ASABA—DELTA State Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, yesterday, said that the state government will resume work on the N40 billion Trans Warri-Ode-Itsekiri road project awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited in 2006 by former Governor James Ibori and continued by the immediate past governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.

The road which connects several communities in Warri South and other local government areas, has 19 bridges with 10 already completed by the Chief Ibori and Dr Uduaghan administrations, adding that N16 billion had been paid by the previous administrations.

Noting that the state government had approved  the construction of the bridges and access roads (completion of 12.8 km main alignment), he said that the project has been reviewed to N7.6 billion due to the economic crunch.

He said that the state government will commence work on the project after the rains, adding that the state government has also awarded contract for the  construction of Idheze by–pass to Okpe–Isoko,  the rehabilitation of Aviara/Okpame Road and construction of Okpare/Okpawa Road in Isoko South LGA.

Also approved, according to the commissioner, who was accompanied to the media briefing by his Works counterpart, Chief James Augoye, are the repudiation of contract for the construction of 132 KV DC and Delta State Grid Transmission line from Afiesere to Ozoro.

Ukah added that the state government has sacked Chief Ikpahwo Uroroke as Regent of Okpolo Enwhe in Isoko South LGA and appointed Chief Ayeghemese Otidi as Regent-Elect (Oba), of the Kingdom.

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Working for Restructuring

By Femi Fani-Kayode
For those commentators in this forum who have never participated in or understand Nigerian politics but who tend to speak and act as if they are the only ones that are sincere about restructuring I have the following to say.
I hope you have learnt a lesson or two from the fact that during the constitutional review exercise that took place in the last few days the Senate has refused to devolve power from the centre and initiate the process for genuine restructuring in our country.
These are the hard facts, hidden obstacles and bitter realities about the struggle that some of us that are in the field have been facing and complaining about for the last 25 years!
From henceforth let it be clearly understood by all, including those that desire restructuring but who gave never participated in Nigerian politics, that we can never achieve it through the existing constitutional structure or the National Assembly.
This is because the system is rigged and designed to protect and preserve itself and because the core north effectively has a power of veto in the National Assembly which it will always exercise in order to block any form of restructuring. It is this point that people like Nnamdi Kanu and other ethnic nationalist leaders came to appreciate long ago and it explains their "hardline" posture on these issues.
The bottom line is as follows: restructuring will not be given to us freely or on a platter of gold.
It must be taken and if necessary it must be taken by force.
Finally mark this: if it does not eventually come then I say let us cease to be one nation.
I would rather live as a free man in an independent Oduduwa Republic than continue to live and die as a slave in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Working for Restructuring

By Femi Fani-Kayode
For those commentators in this forum who have never participated in or understand Nigerian politics but who tend to speak and act as if they are the only ones that are sincere about restructuring I have the following to say.
I hope you have learnt a lesson or two from the fact that during the constitutional review exercise that took place in the last few days the Senate has refused to devolve power from the centre and initiate the process for genuine restructuring in our country.
These are the hard facts, hidden obstacles and bitter realities about the struggle that some of us that are in the field have been facing and complaining about for the last 25 years!
From henceforth let it be clearly understood by all, including those that desire restructuring but who gave never participated in Nigerian politics, that we can never achieve it through the existing constitutional structure or the National Assembly.
This is because the system is rigged and designed to protect and preserve itself and because the core north effectively has a power of veto in the National Assembly which it will always exercise in order to block any form of restructuring. It is this point that people like Nnamdi Kanu and other ethnic nationalist leaders came to appreciate long ago and it explains their "hardline" posture on these issues.
The bottom line is as follows: restructuring will not be given to us freely or on a platter of gold.
It must be taken and if necessary it must be taken by force.
Finally mark this: if it does not eventually come then I say let us cease to be one nation.
I would rather live as a free man in an independent Oduduwa Republic than continue to live and die as a slave in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Oseloka H. Obaze: Amidst The Possibles And The Probable

Anambra people will go to the polls on 18 November 2017 to elect the next governor. It will be a crowded field, of political notables and recurring candidates, including the incumbent, Gov. Willie Obiano. But it is clear that the fight won’t be so much about the choice parties, APC, PDP, APGA and the rest, but about the candidates.
All the aspirants are supposedly qualified. Most meet the nomination litmus test. But as regards Anambra’s needs and development, only a few stand out and ought to be seriously considered.
Usually, incumbency is a critical plus in elections. This may not be so in Anambra 2017. The polarization of the electorate is vast. Despite the claim that the Obiano government is doing well, many observers no longer believe so. There are accusations of governance by advertisement.
The fissures within the ruling APGA continue to expand, as Martin Agbaso and Victor Oye wrestle for leadership. The expanding crisis may rob the incumbent of a ticket. The APC does not have a foothold in Anambra and it seems most improbable that it will gain any.
At the same time, UPP will seek to exploit the crisis in APGA and make inroad as the new Igbo bastion for Igbo politics. PDP, which for long remained factionalized, seems to have overcome that challenge with the Supreme Court ruling of 12 July.
What this says, is that parties or party loyalty will be important but not be paramount. Aspirants and candidates will most likely, drive the choice and outcome, more so with the vagaries of Anambra politics.
The legion of candidates include the possibles and the probables. The known and lesser known. The qualified and the not so qualified. The recurring and incumbent. The race may be open, but as usual, those with deep pocket will try to dominate.
Interestingly, the 2017 election may not be the usual money-driven and war-chest influenced campaign. Several variables will be key. There’s a silent but solid groundswell resistance to APC; the crisis-prone PDP will be seeking a new and lifesaving political mandates after losing in Edo and Ondo. A loss in Anambra may be a death knell.
Anambra can boast of an eclectic crop of politicians. Many aspirants have emerged, each claiming a prim bona fides. Of the lot of candidates from the three senatorial zones, one individual seems to stand out as being capable of meeting Anambra governance needs; that is Oseloka H. Obaze of the PDP.
Obaze, seems to some observers a dark horse on account of not being a money bag. But many acknowledge that he is an issues, policy and good governance man. His vast experience in the federal, international and state government counts massively in his favour. He is also hands-on, pragmatic and a known problem solver.
Obaze, has spoken and written passionately about good governance and about Anambra’s challenges and needs. As he said, “We can’t only think, speak and act on present challenges confronting Anambra; we must think, speak and act for Anambra’s future. That’s an imperative of good governance.”
On moving Anambra state forward, Obaze has observed that, “We lack elite consensus. Some elites insist things are working optimally, since their interests are being served. We will be better off, when the elites agree on what really makes Anambra work for all.” In this context, Obaze has always insisted that he will only undertake a task or project, where he is certain his involvement will add value. Such a disposition tally with his mantra, “Anambra Deserves Better.”
Obaze has focused on youth issues more than any other aspirant. His unalloyed support for theNot Too Young to Run bill has been profound. It’s evident that his long diplomatic and United Nations experience, predisposes him to global perspective of critical issues including youth welfare and empowerment.

NEWS BREAKING: Osinbajo orders Army Chief Buratai to relocate to Maiduguri

Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff and Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff to relocate to Maiduguri with immediate effect.

This directive came after an emergency meeting he had with all service chiefs on Thursday on the deteriorating security challenges in some parts of Borno.

Press Release

Dissolution of Anambra State Parallel Executive Committees
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee (NCC) under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi, CON, today, met with the leaders and stakeholders of the PDP in Anambra State. After careful deliberations, the Meeting resolved as follows:
1. The NCC in exercise of its Powers under Section 31, (2)(E) today dissolved all the existing factional Executive Committees of the Party in Anambra State.
2. The NCC will in due course, appoint a Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the PDP in the State pending when it will be auspicious to elect executive committees at all levels.
To this end, all Party Stakeholders (Leaders and other Members) are hereby enjoined to bury all their differences and join hands together in unity towards the Victory of the Party in the forthcoming Gubernatorial Election in Anambra State.
Long live Anambra State! Long live PDP!! Long live Nigeria!!!
Signed:
Prince Dayo Adeyeye
National Publicity Secretary, PDP