Julius Agwu sets to declare ambition

The popular comedian, Julius Agwu is set to declare his readiness to run for the office of of governor in River state next month in Abuja.
the comedian recently said in an interview that the people of the state including those in diaspora urged him to run for governorship election in order to bring about change in the governance of River state.

  

Akiolu insists on Ambode as next governor

Since Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos openly endorsed Akinwunmi Ambode  four months ago as the anointed governorship candidate there have been misgivings about the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state as the monarch does not seem perturbed about public outcry against his political partisanship and favoritism.

As if coming out unrestrained to present and endorse one candidate out of many qualified candidates in a public gathering is not enough insult on the sensibility of the people, the campaign has been stepped up as posters and banners are conspicuously displayed in Lagos Island to echo and affirm Oba Akiolu’s strong interest in seeing Ambode become the next Lagos state governor regardless of the people’s democratic power.

It is however surprising that despite Lagosians condemnation of the action, which tends to usurp the rights of the people, the monarch and those he referred as to as “elders of Lagos” are hell bent to impose Akinwunmi Ambode on Lagosians in 2015.

However, a number of the state elders, royal families have criticized the monarch’s action. Even Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is presumed to be the brain behind the endorsement effortlessly exonerated himself when he dismissed the allegation that he was planning to impose Ambode on the people.

The Oba had anointed Ambode in May on the ground that he won’t like to see a prince of a town in Ogun state become Lagos state governor. That was when Kadiri Hamzat was in the picture. But now that we have the likes of Gbenga Ashafa, Dr. Leke Pitan, Senator Ganiyu Solomon and others whose Lagos credentials are not contaminated what would be the monarch’s excuse for singling out Ambode out of the rest qualified Lagosian?

Elections is few months away and there is already a one-man party endorsing its candidate  while the bigger party is yet to conduct primary to determine the party flag bearer in the elections. Lagosians are waiting to see the will that will prevail giving the fact that the people  already are fed up with inordinate imposition of political representatives on them. Who then will laugh last, the people or the monarch?

OOU scraps Students Union

The management of Olabisi Onabanjo University has scrapped the

Governor Ibikunle Amosun

University Students Union following the students protest against 40% reduction in school fees across the state’s tertiary institutions.

The management announced yesterday that the SUG was proscribed because it was collaborating with unregistered group and external influence.

The students led by the Union President, Ifade Olusegun recently marched down to the governor’s office at Oke mosan to demonstrate their grievance about the fee slash.

The students argued that the fee reduction is a political gimmick and a belated gesture. They therefore want the governor to further reduce it and implement it instantly rather next year as announced by the state governor, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun.

The government therefore shut down the school on Saturday as the protests took a violent dimension.

Reacting to the proscription, the SUG President said the University lack power to proscribe the union as the body is a constitutional right.

OOU Main gate

“The formulation of the Students’ Union was by the entire Students of OOU in respect to their right of freedom of association which is entrenched in the constitution of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria, and so, the school singularly lacks the constitutional power to proscribe the Union”. He said.

On the other hand, the University Acting Registrar said that the school would call for a parents meeting forum to discuss the closure of the institution and the way forward.

Interestingly, students from other tertiary institutions in the state including Federal government owned school in Abeokuta had paid solidarity visit to the governor to appreciate his gesture.

If I become President I will secure the country - Buhari

 Barely six months to 2015 general elections, former head of State, General Muhammad Buhari opened up on how he would rescue Nigeria if he becomes the President in 2015.

He said 'First I have to secure the country, because unless you secure the country, nothing can be done properly, So, first it is security and then how to manage the country, that is by resuscitating the economy, the infrastructure, getting the factories reopened, getting employment and goods and services. It is much easier to damage than to rebuild, but everybody agrees that Nigeria is an incredibly resourceful country, both materially and human wise. So it is a question of the elite getting their acts together and making sure the country is organized in such a way that it can be secured and managed well. It is not easy because a number of the institutions have being compromised. What do you do with the Nigerian Police in terms of their efficiency? The military itself? The judiciary?'

"The recent happening in our country, especially the abduction of more than 200 girls from their school is unbelievable. For those of us who experienced the civil war, we can’t reconcile how a group like Boko Haram would come and collect from one school more than 200 children and after three months, the Federal Government cannot do anything. So for those of us coming from the 1960s to now, it is unthinkable for any group to emerge in Nigeria to hold everyone to ransom. I mean the so-called Boko Haram. I said this about six months ago. I said no religion advocates hurting the innocent. So the religious toga that Boko Haram is wearing can be exposed. You can’t wrap yourself with explosives and go and kill people in markets, churches, mosques, and motor parks, and also go and slaughter children in their sleep. It’s simply terrorism. This is my clear understanding of it and it is the duty of the Federal Government to stop it. Unfortunately, so far, the Federal Government has failed."

Two Ebola patients’ spouses contract virus

Mrs. Ameyo-Stella Adadevoh, Ebola victim

Spouses of two Ebola victims, who had primary contacts with the late Patrick Sawyer, have been confirmed to have contracted the disease. The Federal Government announced yesterday.

Sawyer, a Liberian-American, flew into Nigeria with the virus last month and infected 11 others before he died, including the male and female caregivers who subsequently died of Ebola.

 The federal authorities had initially denied fresh cases of infection when the Lagos State Government raised the alarm earlier in the week.

But in a u-turn yesterday, Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu  said the fresh cases brought the number in the country to 14.

Five deaths have been recorded while five other  patients were discharged after recovering from the disease.

Four are currently receiving treatment.

Among the dead is Dr.Stella Adadevoh, senior consultant at the Lagos private hospital where Sawyer was rushed to on arrival in Lagos.

The minister said yesterday that the federal government would honour Dr. Adadevoh for the sacrifice she made in ensuring that Ebola did not  spread beyond Lagos.

He also promised that the Federal Government would continue to work with  the Lagos State Government and other partners with a view to maintaining  vigilance and strengthening  “our containment activities.”

Obasanjo hails FG, LASG efforts on Ebola Virus

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has hailed the Federal and Lagos State government on their efforts

Olusegun Obasanjo

to contain the spread of the Ebola virus disease in the country.

Obasanjo who spoke at the opening of 11th Biennial International Conference on Drugs, Alcohol and Society in Africa said if the Federal Government had given the same prompt attention to rescuing the abducted Chibok girls, the story could have been different now.

He, however, called for collaboration among West African countries to contain the virus.

Obasanjo said, “I have always believed that where we have done well, we should be able to commend ourselves whether or not anybody commends us.

“On the other hand, where we have not done well enough, we should be bold and courageous enough to admit our failing, show remorse and make correction.

“The Lagos State Government and the Federal Government separately and collectively have done very well in the prompt measures taken to stem the tide of Ebola disease and to prevent the spread into an epidemic proportion both in Lagos and in the country.

“We should hail these efforts which are in contrast to the efforts and time deployed to rescue the 276 Chibok girls abducted. The difference is clear and the results are obvious.”