Politics
Lawmaker Wants Life Imprisonment For Rapists
A lawmaker representing Ipokia-Idiroko Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs Sikiratu Ajibola, has prescribed life imprisonment for rapists in the country.
Ajibola made the suggestion in an interview with our source in Abeokuta, yesterday.
Ajibola, who is also the House committee chairman on Women Affairs and Social Development, expressed sadness over the recent development, especially as it concerned minors in the society.
She said that time was ripe to enact a law to punish anyone caught in the unlawful act with life imprisonment.
Life jail, she said will serve as deterrent to others who have the intention of perpetrating the same evil act.
“Enough is enough, we can no longer fold our arms as women; rapists must be taught lessons in a very hard way.
“This devilish act, most times, results into psychological trauma to the victims.
“Some of them even attempt suicide.
“We must put a stop to this by giving immediate punishment to offenders,’’ she said.
The legislator also called on parents to always teach their children, especially girls, on why they should always dress decently without exposing sensitive parts of their body.
She said that parents have a major role to play by giving their children appropriate sex education at the early stage of their lives, especially the girl-child.
Ajibola said that exposure to sex education would assist youths in developing life skills such as decision-making, confidence, assertiveness and responsibility.
Politics
LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction
Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.
“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”
The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.
“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.
“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.
“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”
Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.
He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”
He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.
“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”
Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.
“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.
