Nation
THE STATES
Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State (left) with Catholic Archbishop of Jos Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, at the Funeral Mass in Honour of 2nd Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Bauchi, Late Bishop John Malachy at St. John Catholic Cathedral in Bauchi yesterday.
Adamawa
The Adamawa State command of the Nigeria Immi
gration Service last Wednesday, met with the leaders and representatives of ECOWAS and other African nationals in the state over Saturday’s elections.
Addressing the leaders, the Comptroller, Mr Ubi Nkanu, urged them to warn their members to steer clear of the elections.
Nkanu said any foreigner caught trying to vote or participate in the election would be dealt with, adding that some illegal aliens were recently caught with voters’ cards and had since been deported.
He said that the command had mobilised its men to ensure that no foreigner voted during the elections.
Nkanu said Nigeria’s borders would remain closed during the elections and urged everyone to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding.
Benue
The Benue State Police Command has denied ar
resting innocent citizens ahead of the March 28 and April 11 elections.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Austin Ezeani, made the denial in an interview with newsmens in Makurdi.
The spokesman, who was responding to complaints by residents over alleged arbitrary arrest by the police, said the raid was targeted at criminals and not to victimise anybody.
According to him, the raid is based on privileged information and innocent persons would be released after thorough screening.
“The operations has yielded positive results as the police have recovered arms and illicit drugs, especially cannabis sativa, charms and stolen vehicles”.
Borno
Senator Mohammed Ndume has expressed optimism
that the military will liberate Gwoza from Boko Haram insurgents very soon.
Ndume (APC-Borno South) stated this during a chat with newsmen in Maiduguri.
He said the military had demonstrated high sense of patriotism in its recent anti-terrorism war.
“In the last five weeks, the military had performed creditably by reclaiming 22 communities from the insurgents.
“I believe that the remaining communities will be reclaimed in the shortest possible time.
“Gwoza, which is the strong hold of the insurgents, will be reclaimed any moment from now, going by recent developments.
“I think that the soldiers deserve commendation for what they are doing’’, Ndume said.
Ekiti
Ahead of the elections, traditional rulers in Ekiti on
Wednesday assured NYSC members to be used as INEC ad-hoc staff of their safety.
The monarchs gave the assurance when a team of the NYSC management led by the State Coordinator, Mr Chidube Ibeh, visited some of the monarchs.
Our correspondent reports that NYSC team visited the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Arinjale of Ise-Ekiti, Oba Adetunji Ajayi, and the Elemure of Emure, Oba Adebowale Adebayo.
Other monarchs visited were the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaye, and the Regent of Ikere-Ekiti, Ayooye Adegboye.
Addressing the team in their palaces, all the monarchs visited described Ekiti people as peace-loving who would never do anything that would endanger the lives of the corps members.
FCT
Director-General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency
(NiMet), Dr Anthony Anuforom, said the agency was committed to building climate knowledge required for action through the automation of its climate observatories.
Anuforom said this while addressing newsmen during activities marking the 2015 World Meteorological Day with the theme, ‘Climate Knowledge for Climate Action’ in Abuja, recently.
He said that NiMet had embarked on the automation of its observatories around the country, to enable it to provide climate knowledge for climate action, with six locations currently on the test run.
Anuforom said the theme of the year was timely and apt, following the completion and inauguration of NiMet’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centre.
Gombe
The Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, has called
on the electorate in Gombe state to eschew violence in the upcoming elections.
Umar made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Deba, headquarters of Yamaltu/Deba local government area of the state on Wednesday night.
He advised the electorates to conduct themselves orderly to have peaceful polls.
“Well, we thank God, the elections are here on Saturday the 28th of March this year and of course, on the 11th of April of this year.
“My message to the people of Gombe state and Nigeria as a whole is that we should conduct ourselves orderly during the elections so that have peaceful conduct of the elections,” he urged.
Lagos
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, has urged
voters not to make trouble as they wait behind to defend their votes after casting their ballots.
Fashola spoke at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Somolu area of the state.
He emphasised that there was no law prohibiting the electorate from staying behind at the polling units after voting.
“Some people have said that you should not stay near the polling units after voting; that is untrue.
“Let me tell you something, election is governed by law; I am saying this because I am not just a lawyer but a leader in the legal profession.
“There is nothing in the electoral law that stops you or prohibits you from staying at the polling units to defend your votes.
Ogun
A 23-year-old taxi driver, Tosin Olayinka, has been arraigned before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing the belongings of his passenger and a tyre.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Eigbejiale told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 26 and on March 4 at 66 Majekodunmi Street, Iberekodo, Abeokuta.
He said the accused stole the handbag of one Felicia Obasa containing N58,000 when she (Obasa) boarded Olayinka’s taxi on her way to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic.
Eigbejiale said the accused also stole the front tyre of a taxi owned by one Dauda Fasasi.
He said the tyre cost N8, 000.
The prosecutor said: “the accused is a habitual criminal who disguises as a taxi driver; he is fond of carrying passengers to different destinations after assessing their belongings.
Plateau
The Pankshin local government council in Plateau said
it had executed projects worth more than N500 million since its inception last year.
The Supervisory Councilor of Works, Mr. Emmanuel Danboyi said this in an interview with newsmen in Pankshin.
“I assure the people of this area that with more funds, the council would execute more projects, “ Danboyi said.
He listed some of the projects to include: a Township Stadium; boreholes/hand Pumps and roads/culverts.
Others are: 23km Mile V-Nyelleng-Wuseli road; 10 km Llankan-Abwor Dyis road and Wuseli and Tal bridges.
Sokoto
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in
charge of Zone 10, Alhaji Bala Hassan, has said that the police are ready to provide security during Saturday’s presidential election in the zone.
The zone comprises Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Hassan told newsmen in Sokoto that an effective operational order on how to provide security at each of the polling units had since been made and issued to the commissioners of police in the area.
He said that the police commands had embarked on “operation show force” with other security agencies to show their preparedness for the elections.
The Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Niger Delta, Dr Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, has called on Nigerians, especially those in positions of authority to uphold moral standard and integrity.
Oko-Jaja said this at a thanksgiving service to mark the 90th birthday of Prof. Sylvanus Cookey at Saint Paul Anglican Church in Opobo Town, Rivers yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that Cookey was the second Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in 1982.
Oko-Jaja advised political leaders to always be self-aware and avoid actions that could damage their reputation.
“In today’s Nigeria, hardship has changed how the people behave, as lies have become more popular than the truth.
“We now live in a country where injustice is now celebrated and lowering moral and social standard have become the new normal.
“Leaders must follow the exemplary legacies set by our forebears by becoming upright and live a life that would not bring shame to their family and community,” he said.
He attributed the country’s current economic challenges and declining living standards to leaders failing to prioritise the well-being of citizens.
“The younger generation should emulate the virtues of our predecessors like Prof. Cookey, who prioritised integrity over material gain.
“Good reputation was the norm back then, and I hope that God will restore it to Nigeria, where leaders’ goal will be to have good names.
“If anyone wants to commit evil, they should remember that their actions can bring a bad name to their family and community,” he cautioned.
Addressing the celebrant, the King of Opobo Kingdom, HRM Dandason Jaja, praised Cookey for his impact on society and described him as a mentor and philanthropist.
He said that the celebrant was a distinguished academic, who had impacted numerous youths through vocational training, leading to their successful employment in different sectors.
Speaking earlier, Cookey expressed gratitude to God for attaining 90 years and acknowledged the support of his family and friends.
Reflecting on his contributions to the country, he encouraged leaders to leave behind positive legacies for future generations to celebrate.
Nineteen months after federal lawmakers movement to temporary chambers, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives would finally resume sittings in their newly remodelled main hallowed chambers tomorrow
Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jnr, and the Clerk to the Senate, Barrister Chinedu Akubueze confirmed the planned movement to the main chambers in separate written announcements made penultimate week on the change in resumption date by lawmakers from their ongoing recess.
Hon. Rotimi, who is the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in the official announcement dated April 4, 2024 to the honourable members, cited the need to resume plenary at the renovated and reconfigured main chamber, as reason for the postponement in line with the general wish of the lawmakers.
“The House of Representatives wishes to inform the public and stakeholders of the rescheduling of the resumption date from the ongoing recess, originally slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, to Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
“This adjustment is necessary to accommodate the completion of renovations to the main chamber of the House of Representatives to ensure its readiness for plenary sessions, henceforth,” he stated.
Two days after, the Clerk to the Senate also issued a statement, postponing resumption of plenary by the Senate from April 16 to 23, 2024.
Akubueze ‘s statement reads in part: “Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption of the plenary sitting of the Senate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, 16th April, 2024, has been postponed to Tuesday 23rd April, 2024”
It would be recalled that ahead of the projects delivery, the Site Engineer of Visible Construction, Tajudeen Olanipekun, had early last month informed journalists covering the Senate, that the two main chambers, would be ready for use by both the Senate and the House of Representatives in April this year.
Olanipekun’s assurance on delivery of the fully transformed and reconfigured hallowed chambers to management of the National Assembly, coincided with call by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to the Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal that both the Senate and the House of Representatives, want to move to their main chambers as soon as possible after close to two years of using temporary ones.
In carrying out the subtle marching order, the construction firm in the last five weeks has carried out the required finishings on
the upgraded and reconfigured hallowed chambers fixed with state-of-the-art chairs, parliamentary equipments, appliances and extended sitting terraces.
Physically, the entire ambience of the space in and around the hallowed chambers have been transformed, just as barricades used to restrict movements at the foyer have been removed.
The Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, had in March 2021 awarded a N30billion renovation contract to Visible Construction Limited to rehabilitate critical segments of the National Assembly complex.
The law makers had in September 2022 vacated the main chambers to enable the Contractors; handle the renovation work of both chambers
Some of the critical segments are the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the senators and honourable members, watertightness of the roof of the complex, the cooling system, replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing among others.
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
The Zone 13 of the Nige- rian Police Force, comprising Anambra and Enugu States, has announced the venue and time for both General Duty and Specialist Constable recruitment medical screening in the two States.
This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Ihunwo, yesterday in Enugu.
Ihunwo said that prospective candidates from Zone 13 should note that the exercise would take place at Police Hospital, Awka.
She said that the medical screening would commence simultaneously nationwide on Tuesday, April 16, and end on April 30, 2024.
“Candidates are advised to visit the recruitment portal: https://apply.policerecruitment.gov.ng to know their status, specific time, date and other mandatory requirements.
“So also, qualified applicants are to appear in clean white T-shirt and short with the following requirements;
“National Identity Card/Slip; Print Out of Medical Examination Slip and all necessary documents.
“The Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 13 Command, AIG Godwin Aghaulor, wishes all prospective candidates success as they embark on this exercise,” he said.
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