A former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, has insisted that despite the defection of Governor Ben Ayade from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) the PDP in the state remains intact and united.
Imoke who made the assertion on Monday at a stakeholders meeting of the PDP held in Calabar, the state capital, said Ayade made a mistake by moving to a party which was “already collapsing.”
“APC is a party that is collapsing. It is not a place to go for Cross River State. We will revive the glory of Cross River. I took risks to see the emergence of this government. They even accused me of collecting money. It is an insult.
“I have been a governor and I served my people diligently. Now, we have seen a different approach to governance. It is not democratic. Our politics is sweet. We don’t play politics of harassment and intimidation.”
Imoke insisted that the movement of one man does not mean the state PDP was in disarray as one man cannot change its fortune.
He added that his ambition was to see that the party would be handed over to the youths in 2023.
“We want youths that can deliver. Time has come for a generational shift. The next governor of Cross River State will be a man of character. The next national and state assembly members will be men of character,” he said.
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday read for a second time a bill that seeks to repeal the law which grants pension and other emoluments to governors and deputies after leaving office.
The new bill which was debated on the floor of the House at a sitting presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, is titled ‘A Bill for a law to repeal the law to provide for the payment of pensions and other fringe benefits to public office holders in Lagos State and for other connected matters’.
The lawmakers argued that it would not be too good to repeal the law in its entirety as there were some important sections and stipulations that should be considered.
Speaking concerning the bill, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu (Agege 2), explained that the bill is to ensure the stoppage of pensions to governors and deputies when they leave office adding that this decision was in consideration of the country’s current economic challenges.
Ogundimu argued that the governors and their deputies and other such political office holders should be made to enjoy some benefits no matter how little.
He also argued that the bill should be amended in such a way that it would not throw former political officers to security challenges since if the original law is repealed, it would mean withdrawing all security agents and domestic staff earlier attached to them.
On his part, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2), noted that the parliament has the power to make and review laws, especially where it includes one like the pension bill that was passed 14 years ago and needs to be looked at again.
He said the objective of the bill as raised by the executive is to ensure that the state begins to look inward in relation to cost of governance.
He added that by virtue of his position as chairman of the committee on economic planning and budget, he has had the opportunity to check the finances of the state and would say Lagos is not very rich, but only has people who effectively manage its resources.
He also agreed that the security of the lives of such political office holders when they leave office should be considered urging that the bill be committed to a committee.
Contributing, Hon. Rotimi Abiru (Shomolu 2), said he supports an amendment to the law instead of a repeal.
“For a person who has served as chief executive of a state, I do not think it is nice denying them of their benefits.
“I can appreciate that some of them move to other appointments. For these people, there can be a caveat. But for those who serve in that capacity and do not have any other thing to do after office, it may not be something elaborate, but something may be coming to them periodically,” he said.
Hon. Tobun Abiodun (Epe 1) said he does not subscribe to a total repeal of the law because it would give room to corruption in office.
He said provisions should be made available to governors, deputies and possibly speakers after they leave office.
Other lawmakers who supported amendment to the law include Hon. Jude Idimogu )Oshodi-Isolo 2), Hon. Saad Olumo (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1) and Hon. Abdulsobur Olawale (Mushin 2).
While rounding off the debate, Speaker Obasa observed the questions and suggestions raised by the lawmakers.
He also supported arguments that repealing the law in totality would expose former governors and deputies to security challenges.
“I don’t think we should trash it in totality,” he said as he committed the bill to the House Committee on Establishment with a two-week mandate for a reported to be submitted.
Eromosele Ebhomele Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly.
A former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Joe Bisong, has said that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State is an ingrate following his defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During a phone interview with Bisong, he said “The governor (Ayade) is an adult, a politician and he has done the needful.
“A man must belong to a political party and if he has chosen to join another political party, it is his right to do so, the constitution allows him to do that.
“But my take as a person is that he has created a vacuum within the political party that elected him and if I have to say it, it’s a sign of ingratitude,” the PDP chieftain noted
“The party shielded him, he ran the first tenure, and what he is doing now is his second tenure. The same political party has showed him the green light to become the senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Hon Bisong observed that sadly, the man just got up one morning, less than two years to the end of his tenure, dumped the political party to a new one.
“It doesn’t show any political maturity. What the PDP needs to do is to get up, being the largest political party and will be able to meet up,” he advised.
Hon Bisong said that if he had the opportunity to meet Gov Ayade, he would tell him, ‘Your Excellency, you have taken a wrong decision, a wrong political decision.
“He is the governor of the State, his departure will create a lot of issues. The new party he is going must have given him some conditions and this will affect executive council decision.
“He was running a PDP ideology which is liberalism and today he is moving to APC which is a conservative political party. Their ideologies are not the same and it’s going to affect the state,” he noted.
– Commends southern governors for banning open grazing
…Says restructuring of Nigeria long overdue
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly resumed from the Sallah break on Tuesday with a call on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation over issues relating to insecurity and rising sectional agitations across the country.
The House also said it was standing by the decisions reached by the southern governors at their recent meeting in Asaba, Delta State.
Calling the attention of his colleagues to the communique released by the governors after the meeting, the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Noheem Adams, noted that the Lagos Assembly had always called for the establishment of state police.
Hon. Adams urged his colleagues to support the governors saying the latter had shown that they are alive to their responsibilities.
Adams, however, urged the governors to start restructuring in their states by implementing autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary.
He recalled how the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, as chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, led his colleagues to the president to seek autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary. He lamented that the governors had yet to implement it.
Speaker Obasa, who presided over the sitting, commended the governors for coming out at a period when insecurity had taken the ‘front seat’ of discussions. He also commended some members of the National Assembly for supporting the governors.
Obasa lamented the rise in the number of groups agitating for secession adding that Nigeria can be restructured if there is the will power.
“People are getting tired of the call for constitutional conference because nothing had happened to previous ones,” he said adding that Nigeria needs true federalism at this stage.
The Speaker said it was disheartening to know that two neighbouring states like Ogun and Lagos cannot unite to meet some of the needs of the people simply because such could be on the exclusive list.
Earlier in his contribution, Hon. Kehinde Joseph suggested that the National Assembly needed to amend the Act establishing the Nigeria Police Force for the creation of state police.
Speaking also, Hon. Jimi Mohammed, who supported the motion, said the decision of the southern governors boils down to insecurity adding: “We can’t clamour enough for the calls for state police.”
On his part, Hon. Sanni Okanlawon said the governors had made a statement by calling for the ban on open grazing which he described as archaic and has led to the death of many.
He said restructuring of the country is long overdue. He also commended the southern governors for their other decisions.
Hon. Ajani Owolabi supported the motion and opposed those arguing that the constitution makes provision for freedom of movement. According to him, people who move must be citizens and must not move with the aim to damage. He however lamented that the herdsmen had failed in these two areas.
Hon. Adedola Kasunmu, while supporting the motion, urged that some items such as power be moved from the exclusive list to concurrent.
“Our national grid is getting weak and if the opportunity is given to states, it would help. If you fix power, you have fixed everything,” he said.
For Hon. Sentonji David, the country urgently needs to act against insecurity. “This is the time for us to have a restructured country,” he said.
The leader of the House, Sanai Agunbiade added: “A country cannot be drifting this way and the President is quiet. The President must address this country and assuage nerves.
“The National Assembly should come up with a bill to address the issue of state police. The bandits are multiplying like amoeba.”
Hon. Adewale Temitope noted that the issue of insecurity had progressed rapidly and sent shivers down spines.
He commended the governors but urged them to also establish autonomy for state legislatures and judiciary.
He also lamented that most of the police officers in Lagos are from a particular region of the country and as such, they hardly understand the terrain and the people they are meant to protect.
Hon. Abiodun Tobun noted: “Cattle rearing is a private business. So it is supposed that you cannot use your business to stop my progress or movement.
“If truly we are practising true federalism, then each state should be allowed to secure its area.”
Others who contributed included the Deputy Speaker of House, Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, Hon. Rasheed Makinde, and Hon. Bisi Yusuff
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said he remains focused on operating in his present office and has not declared any interest in the 2023 presidential race.
Osinbajo made the clarification yesterday when he said his attention had been drawn to a website calling on Nigerians to join a volunteer group mobilising support for him ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Laolu Akande, the vice president said details of the website and the solicitation of the group are currently trending on WhatsApp with a suggestion that he had “quietly” declared interest in the 2023 election.
He said the Office of the Vice President is not in any way connected to this website or the group behind it, and considers such an enterprise an unnecessary distraction.
Akande said, “Prof. Osinbajo has not declared any interest whatsoever in the 2023 election, but he is rather focused on working in his capacity as vice president in the current administration to address all the compelling issues in the country and concerns of Nigerians, including finding effective and lasting solutions to the security challenges.
“Therefore, we ask that people desist from such unhelpful permutations while we all deal together with the challenges confronting us as Nigerians, and resolve them for the benefit of our people, and peace and prosperity in the land,” he said.
A member of the House of Representatives, Sergius Ogun, on Monday hinted that a groundswell of opposition has arisen against Senate President Ahmad Lawan and that the development may lead to his impeachment.
Ogun attributed the developments to what he termed loose remarks by the Senate President on the position held by Southern governors on the matter of the country’s restructuring and open grazing of cattle by herders.
The lawmaker claimed that Lawan’s comments had betrayed his plans to scuttle the on-going constitution amendment project which has the key element of restructuring of the Nigerian state.
Ogun spoke while fielding questions on Arise Television.
2023 Presidential Campaign Posters of Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello, has flooded parts of Bauchi particularly the State capital, Misau, Katagum towns on Sunday.
The Posters of Bello also carry greetings for Eid-el-fitr celebration. The posters had inscriptions that Bello was a fitting personality to be Nigeria’s next president.
The posters had the slogan “Yahaya Bello for President 2023 Barka da Sallah”.
The sponsors of the posters, the Nigerian Youth Awareness Group, ensured that they flooded very part of the three major emirates.
They were posted on electricity and street light polls, billboards, etc.
The co-convener of Concerned Nigerian Advocacy Group, Deji Adeyanju, has mocked the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over his intention to run for presidency in 2023.
The activist said Governor Bello lacks the capacity to be president of a “pig farm,” let alone, rule Nigeria.
Recall that Bello hinted on running for the 2023 presidency when he pledged not to disappoint Nigerians.
The governor had said some Nigerians were asking him to run for President in 2023.
He had said: “Nigerians, the youth and women including very objective elites, are asking me to run for President in 2023.”
Reacting, Adeyanju said Bello cannot be Nigeria’s president because the governor has neglected the Kogi State civil servants.
The rights activist insisted that Kogi State remains the worst governed state in Nigeria.
In a tweet, Adeyanju wrote: “NEWS: All Nigerians are asking me to run for President in 2023, I will not disappoint – Yahaya Bello
“ME -Yahaya Bello is not fit to be president of a pig farm. Kogi State is the worst governed state in Nigeria. Civil servants are feeding from dustbins.”
As bandits and unknown gunmen run riot across Nigeria, Femi Adesina has blamed evil forces (aiye) for the misfortunes plaguing President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.
Mr Adesina, the president’s media aide, the regime, and the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, have often blamed the major opposition party for the country’s problems until now.
“When you are high-flying, the centrifugal forces will come against you, and it would only take the grace of God for you to attain,” said Mr Adesina. “Yoruba people call those forces Aiye. When Aiye is on your case, as it was against Man City, and it is against the Buhari government, you need God, and God alone.”
Expatiating his point, he stated, “Aiye (meaning ‘the world,’ if freely translated) is the negative part of mankind. The pernicious, baleful, sly and scheming part of humanity. If Aiye gets on your matter, you need God and God alone.”
According to the presidential spokesman, just as some forces worked against Manchester City last season, some forces are working against Mr Buhari regime’s success.
“Recall what happened in the 2019/2020 season. Man City was eyeing a treble. Three back-to-back seasons as champions, and a record in English football. But the adversaries knew the record that was to be set, so they arrayed themselves against the team,” Mr Adesina asserted.
“Just as some forces knew the record that was to be achieved by Muhammadu Buhari as Nigerian President,” he claimed, “and which he had begun to show since 2015 when he got into office, and they (adversaries) positioned against the government.”
Though Mr Adesina provided no evidence to back up his claim, in 2015, former presidential spokesperson Reuben Abati had in an article claimed that there were spiritual forces in Aso Rock.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lamented the attempted burglary on the Aso Rock residence of the President’s Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, stating that this signals a total collapse of the security structure in the country.
According to the opposition, this recurring menace is due to the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the issues.
This was contained in a statement issued by the PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, who said that the reported burglary is too close to home and has heightened apprehensions over the capacity of the Buhari presidency to secure the nation.
The PDP further expressed misgivings that “if President Buhari cannot guarantee the security of the Presidential Villa, then his capacity to secure the entire country is no longer assured.”
Read also: Buhari has been working, he does not deserve insults —Gov AbdulRazaq
The statement further read, “All over the world, the Presidential Villa, as the seat of power and national sovereignty, is the fortress of the nation that ought to have impregnable security.
“As such, any breach of security, particularly by outlaws and in sequence, sends a clear danger signal to the overall security of the nation.
“It is imperative to state that such security infraction, that gave way for outlaws to invade the Presidential Villa in sequence, in spite of its perceptibly secured ambience, can only happen under an absentee president, who have not demonstrated the required capacity expected of his office,” the party said.
![Yahaya Bello’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Posters flood Bauchi [PHOTO]](https://www.societygazetteng.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bello.jpg)
