Only God can determine my governorship ambition - Lagos Speaker

LAGOS - Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, said only God could determine his governorship ambition.

“As a believer, I know that when the time comes, the Almighty God will show the light and make it clear that this is your next direction and your next seat.

“No matter the noise, the plotting of the coup and counter coup, what God has destined to be, no man can stop,” Ikuforiji told newsmen in Epe, during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

He said that he became the speaker by the will of God, and that only God would determine his next political step in 2015.

He called for peaceful co-existence among Muslims and Christians, saying that both religions preach brotherliness.

“We have to be our brother’s keeper; no God ever sent anyone to go and kill on His behalf.

“We cannot say we want to serve God without serving people; God has brought us together for a purpose.

“God, in His wisdom, brought us together and we must make use of the advantage of our unity in diversity,” he said.
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I Laugh At Dan Orbih

 

I laugh hysterically each time I see the funny nomenclature of Chief Dan Orbih, Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, constantly exhibiting his unpopular political gimmicks and sentiments on television, I am neither a politician nor a stooge of any political actor, but a true and concerned Edo indigene who believes in the development and overall upliftment of our great state.
In as much as we all have our individual rights to speak on issues of public concern as it were, we must learn not to abuse such rights either individually or collectively by misinforming and misleading the populace just to earn some cheap and ridiculous political points; because posterity will always have a way of paying us back. Being in the opposition in a state or country does not automatically make parties and individuals oppressors and hindrances to development all because they do not share similar ideologies with the government and political party in power. In advanced climes, grievances and political differences are put aside immediately after elections, and cohesion is thereafter ensured to bring all parties together with the sole aim of uplifting their economy.
Sadly, it is a different ball game in this part of the world where backbiting and continuous pulling down is the day’s order, Opposition back here believes they cannot remain relevant in the society if they do not do everything necessary to distract the government in power with their unfounded criticism and bias. In Edo State, the situation is precarious. I have overtime watched the continuous show of shame put up by Chief Dan Orbih and some selected embryos of the PDP publicly displaying their ignorance and political ineptitude as a way of getting back to the executive governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for unprecedentedly disorganizing their ranks in the state five years ago.
Often times, I can’t but ask my self why these crops of selfish elements still want to be relevant in our society when they unpardonably collapsed the economic structures of the state in their ten years of holding on to power with nothing but rapid diminution as their achievement for the long stay in government. If we must have people that will fight our course as Edo People, it certainly cannot be Chief Orbih and his cronies in the PDP who are the chief initiators of the rot and decay that Oshiomhole is trying so hard to clean up. The recent interview granted to Chief Orbih concerning the planned sale of Edo House in Lagos is not only laughable but also downgrading of a man of his caliber watched disgustingly on one of the indigenous television stations some days back how Chief Orbih childishly carried a placard and chanting a song of solidarity that he ordinarily could not recite properly, to protest the proposed move of the government.
Even though we appreciate the existence of a deteriorating magnificent structure in Lagos as our inheritance from the defunct Bendel State, the Ironic question is: How many Edo indigenes are directly or indirectly benefiting from such a building especially when it has since outlived its purpose of being built so many years ago? As an Edo indigene and stakeholder of the state, I see no reason why we must keep holding on to such a gigantic structure which will continue to drain the state’s scarce resources in the midst of daunting economic challenges. If a section of the public is mesmerized by the enormous look of the structure on television and pages of news papers, I believe it will be more productive when such an edifice is built back here which every Edo Son and daughter will be proud to see with their two eyes and not some television recording of a ghost structure. I am of the strong opinion that economic issues must not be politicized if we must see the change that we constantly yearn for. Does it make any economic sense to hold on to a property that costs the government a whopping sum of N60 Million taxpayers’ money to continually service its existence when the government does not even get up to that as turnover from the so-called State Property”?
The state government in its wisdom has also thought it wise to dispose off the building owing to the fact that the capital of Nigeria has since been moved from Lagos to Abuja where a better and more Sophisticated Edo House has been erected for diplomatic purposes. What Edo people should be concerned about is whether the proceeds from the sales will be deployed to productive channels to uplift the economy of the state and not to be swayed by the opinions of some retrogressive politicians who are still in shock over their unbelievable defeat at the polls. The Comrade Governor has proven to be an accountable office holder which is the reason why there are visible developments on ground, unlike the dark and unproductive years of the PDP in the state. I suggest we rally round the present administration in the state because of its commitment and determination in tackling the numerous challenges that abound.
God bless Edo State.

FG committed to boosting local production, job creation – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said that his administration will continue to promote the rapid diversification and industrialization of the Nigerian economy in order to create more employment opportunities in the country.
He made this remark while receiving a delegation from Alstom Worldwide which won the bid for the Afam Power Plant at the State House, Abuja. The delegation was led by Mr. Patrick Kron.
The President stressed that the Federal Government will also continue to do its best to encourage investors who will support its efforts towards creating more jobs for qualified Nigerian youth.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said: “The population of our young people is high. If we are unable to provide jobs for these young people, the country could face serious problems. That is why we will continue to encourage companies like yours which can contribute to the training and employment of young Nigerians,”
Reaffirming his administration’s full commitment to the efficient implementation of its road-map for the development of Nigeria’s power sector, he said that government will continue to ensure that international best practices and standards were maintained in the ongoing privatization of the sector’s assets.
Jonathan said that he was particularly pleased that the recent bidding for some of Nigeria’s power generation and distribution companies had been considered transparent and fair by the international business community.
He said: “We will continue to do more in line with globally-accepted business standards and ethics.”
Mr. Kron, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Alstom, told President Jonathan that Alstom which is one of the world’s leading power engineering and infrastructure companies, will work with the Federal Government and the French Government on capacity-building schemes to train more Nigerian youth in the field of power engineering and technology.
He was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Jacques Champagne de Labriolle and the Managing Director of Alstom (Nigeria) Limited, Mrs. Victoria Adefala.

Father of slain Nigerian student wants justice

President Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to intervene in the shoddy handling of the death of a Nigerian student in Cyprus, Gabriel Peremiyentei Soriwei.
The father of the deceased, Comrade Soriwei Patrick Dubamini, said his 20- year old son, a student of Electrical/Electronic Engineering at the Cyprus International University, (CIU), Nikosia in the Republic of Cyprus died following the injury he sustained when he was knocked down by a car driven by an unnamed Turkish woman.
In an open letter to the President, Comrade Soriwei, said instead of prosecuting the driver who was allegedly drunk when the accident happened, the Turkish police has shielded her and insisted that she lost control of the car.
“On July 13, 2013, I received a call from the agent who facilitated his admission processes at 9:30pm that my son was knocked down by a vehicle and was in a coma in Cyprus. Immediately I arranged a trip to Nikosia, North Cyprus the following week and met my son on admission in the intensive care unit of the Nikosia General Hospital. By their rules, I was given a five minutes access to the unconscious boy on Mondays and Thursdays.
“I went with The President of the Foreign Students in Nikosia to the police station to know how the matter was handled and see the lady who drove the vehicle that knocked him down. But from all indications, the police built a web of protection around the Turkish Woman,” Soriwei added.
The father of the deceased said it was unfortunate that the university flew the body of his son to the country on September, 12 in a most traumatic manner “as a cargo” without his belongings.
“The Leadership of the CIU did not find it expedient to send representatives from the school neither did they write any condolence letter to my agonizing family. Almost a month after his death, the lady who killed my son has not found it weighty enough to call the grieving Soriwei family to commiserate with us,” he said.
Comrade Soriwei urged President Jonathan to intervene in the matter to prevent a reoccurrence of “such injustice in the future.”

Kidnappers of Oronto Douglas's sister want N500m ransom

Abductors of Auguster Douglas-Ayam, the sister to the Presidential Adviser on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Oronto Douglas, broke their silence on Thursday morning.
They were said to have contacted the husband of their victim and demanded N500 million ransom to free the 48-year old woman.
Douglas-Ayam was seized and whisked away to an unknown area in the creeks by nine gunmen who wore army uniforms.
The assailants that operated on a black speedboat abducted her at the Ogbia waterside at about 8.45pm on Monday after shooting into the air.
But after keeping mum for four days, the kidnappers contacted the woman’s husband at about 2am on Thursday and asked for a whooping N500 million.
A source from the family said the call was brief and straight to the point.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said efforts by the family to contact the kidnappers again through the number proved abortive.
But he said the kidnappers allowed the husband to speak to the wife.
He said: “The kidnappers said the money should be given to them on or before Friday this week otherwise they will kill our sister and drop her corpse where we will pick it.
“We tried to call the number they used in calling the husband but it did not go through. The amount they asked for is outrageous. Where do they expect us to get that kind of money?
“We know they are in business but this particular demand is not reasonable. The kind of money they asked for could only be gotten from the Central Bank or from the treasury. We asked them to make their demand reasonable but they angrily cut off the phone.
“We could hear our sister crying at the background. She was sick before she was kidnapped. This is very painful. We are still waiting for their call. We appeal to them to release our sister. We don’t have such money.”
A top security source also confirmed that the kidnappers demanded the ransom but said it would surely be negotiated downwards.
He said security operatives were monitoring the situation with care because of its delicate nature.
“The kidnappers should have a rethink and release the woman because no matter what they do, we will get them,” he said.

Odimegwu resigns as NPC Chairman

*Nwabueze replaced on Dialogue Committee

The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Festus Odimegwu has resigned his appointment from the Commission.
The Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso had few weeks back demanded the sack of Odimegwu for allegedly criticizing the works of his predecessor.
Kwankwaso had claimed that Odimegwu was incapable of conducting the 2016 national census.
The Federal Government then had issued Odimegwu query to explain the reasons behind his utterances.
But a statement issued Thursday  by the Special Assistant (media) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sam Nwaobasi said that President Goodluck Jonathan has already accepted the resignation.
The statement reads: “His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR has accepted the resignation of Eze Festus Odimegwu as Chairman of the National Population Commission with effect from Thursday, 17th of October, 2013.”
“Dr. Sam Ahaiwe, the Commissioner representing Abia State in the Commission, will act as chairman pending the appointment of a substantive Chairman.”
It also disclosed that President Jonathan has approved the appointment of Prof. Anya. O. Anya, as a member of the Advisory Committee on National Dialogue to replace Prof. Ben Nwabueze, who is still abroad on health grounds.
Mr. Pius Olakunle Osunyikanmi was also appointed yesterday as Director General/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Technical Aids Corps.

Aviation Enemies, Bullet Proof Cars, And Stella Oduah’s Stupidity

By Wale Odunsi

The stench of arrogance, lies, deceit and corruption in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan oozes that no amount of image-laundering cologne will cure. Loyalists and aides never forget to remind us that Mr. Jonathan is a good man, a gentleman, a respecter of rule of law, God-sent leader, bla bla. But why would a man with such wonderful attributes that would make Basir Al-Assad commit suicide, continue to flirt around terrible individuals? Do I perceive a case of rewarding undiluted loyalty or unequaled friendship?I am very amazed.
In those days, questionable characters in whatever arm of government possess a bit of decorum. Many of them, albeit renowned brigands stole with a measure of sympathy. They looted in a way only their family members, concubines, close staff and associates found out. The masses were kept in the dark, at least most of the time. Fast forward to 2013, all sectors, including the ever-green GRAFT, have undergone huge transformation, robust growth and tremendous development, which are visible to every Nigerian at home and in the Diaspora.
Not-minding the earlier crashes and near-crashes witnessed under her tenure, the country’s Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, thought it wise or was (wrongly) advised to forestall any fatality by muzzling out a personal security vote from parastatals saddled with the responsibility of ensuring both personal security and collective safety of millions of travelers flying the nation’s airspace! More appalling, is the fact that the latest scandal for which she has been indicted occurred only a month before the recent Associated Airlines accident that killed, sorry, re-killed a former governor and 14 others.
That our oyinbo-accent sister, daughter, wife and mother, needs more protection than her boss, President Jonathan, is not in any way an acceptable argument; that one requires two cars worth $1.6m (N255 million) to effectively discharge official duties is ridiculous; that a government official finds it not abnormal to order agencies under her watch to cough out a quarter of a billion is shameful; that we had to hear the gist from the media further shows the level of insecurity and cover-up in governance; that the accused is still comfortable being the occupier of the office is a confirmation that integrity is no longer a watchword for service; that the President may not find this scandal enough reason to give the Minister the boot is even ridiculous and is paining me to the marrow!
Justifying the purchase, Joe Obi, the Minister’s media assistant, stated that his principal inherited a lot of baggage in terms of the terms of concessions and lease agreements which were not in the interest of the government and people of Nigeria. To this end, according to him, adequate security cannot be handled with kid gloves. I ask: Why did it take more than two years after her swearing-in (July 2, 2011) to realize the urgency of self-protection from “imminent threat”?
For Ms. Oduah's information, it is not only her ministry supposed enemies of the state are targeting. The Ministries of Finance and Agriculture are also on the radar of the bad guys; probably under more threat when compared to hers. She must be stupid to think that her confirmation that she requested the purchase of the automobiles portray her as sincere person. No ma’m, there is absolutely nothing to explain; records, receipts, documents and statements from aggrieved personnel gave you away already.
Federal Government freaks out when opposition leaders, organized Labour, commentators and activists applaud the Academic Staff of Universities Union (ASUU) for sustaining the ongoing action. But from the picture its reckless officials paint, isn’t it clear that contrary to the “we cannot afford your demands” claim, the country can in fact fulfill the contentious 2009 agreement? The striking lecturers are no idiots; they see, hear and read about the countless financial mismanagement and wastage by the same people who claim no money!
In their tiny brain of illusion, our leaders think that they are smooth, sleek and smart. The sad part, however, is that a number of them are not only fools, but are living in fools’ paradise yet they know not. I mean if they are as brilliant as on paper, how is it possible that less-educated people catch them by the wrist? How is it possible that despite diversionary tactics, their secrets blow open eventually?
Ms. Oduah was bold to single-handedly spend N255million of our collective wealth in a frivolous manner and then say it is for the use of the establishment. Going by the outcry trailing the purchase, what if her successor decides to do without the “utility vehicles”? In a clime where voodooism is still in high practice, the next Minister could reject the cars for fear that Ms. Oduah’s traducers have cast a spell on the fortified BMW 760s.
As we’ve all seen, heavy cosmetic make-up can only cover the spots, blemishes and wrinkles our faces, it does not (and will never) do the magic on dishonesty, crass attitude, shady deals and corrupt tendencies. The President will do himself, his government and the nation a world of good by dropping this woman from his cabinet. I am counting on the hope that he will do this without further delay. I would not bet on it though.