Nigerian Newspapers
Can Ajimobi sustain tempo?
In this piece, Agboola Sanni contends that Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi will earn a second termticket, if he sustains the current tempo of development in the state.
To say that the political landscape of Oyo State had changed since the conferment of that title of Aare Atunluse of Ibadanland on Governor Abiola Ajimobi is saying the obvious. It could not have been otherwise. In this era, when honorary chieftaincy titles had become three ‘for one kobo’ literally speaking, any title of such, ought not to attract extraordinary attention.
In this particular case of Governor Ajimobi, the story is different. In the face of the current transformation agenda, especially, in the areas of restructuring Ibadan, the title speaks volumes. In recent time, there had been some cries of discomfort over the destruction of some illegal markets in the city. As to be expected however, some politicians had capitalized on that to fuel the anger of some displaced traders; not minding the efforts of government in building better and modern markets to rehabilitate them.
That title was bestowed on the governor by an Oba who is not known for any kind of flamboyancy or greed for materialism. Rather, the respected traditional ruler is known for modesty, courage and candour. Given those attributes on Oba Ogunlana, the conferment can best be described as putting pad to all the negative comments on the reforms going on in the city of Ibadan, after all, it is a common saying that you cannot know a town better than its head/owner.
There may not be a better index to measure the success of Ajimobi’s transformation agenda than the series of desultory political alliances predicated by incongruity and panic. Given the COMEDY going on in the political theatre of Oyo State, Ajimobi has every cause to hit his chest in sub-congratulations. When one looks at the recent political antecedents of the main gladiators of the current alliance, one cannot but wonder at the magic Ajimobi is performing in the governance of Oyo State.
There is no doubt that Ajimobi, like the other ACN governors in the South-West, had brought civility to governance in the region especially in Oyo State. The main ingredients for good governance are Courage, Will and Transparency. Only a combination of Courage and Will can execute the current transformation in Oyo State. The important thing for a good leader before embarking on any project is to be sure that in spite of initial hiccups, the End will justify the MEANS at the end of the Day.
It is instructive to note that it is not only in social and road infrastructures that Ajimobi has exhibited courage. Until recently, thuggery and all kinds of violence had remained essential tonic for politics in Oyo State. Under that situation, factions were created within the Transport Unions to perpetrate chaos and tremor in the State forcing markets and schools abruptly. Causalities for such violence were not only human but property set ablaze. At that time, leaders of the unions were worshipped by successive governments as kingpins or minor gods. They were above the law as long shielded by a government. Government House was turned to armoury for cutlass, guns and other dangerous weapons.
At the early stage of the Ajimobi administration, stories were said in orchestrated form of reconciliation among the hitherto hostile factional leaders. The target was a gang up of such incompatible factional leaders in order to create fear in Ajimobi with a picture of making the State ungovernable to him. They expected an early capitulation to fright on the part of the governor. But he did not only remain undeterred but unshaken in his preference for PEACE option in the State.
At the moment, the people of Oyo State have every reason to be grateful to the government for being able to create such a secure environment by which they can sleep with their eyes closed. Given that serene environment, indications are that investors will have reasons to come to the State while existing ones do not have to entertain the panic of closing down abruptly for gun shots and skirmishes, whether as a result of armed robbery or political violence.
The governor should remain unflinching in is stride to bring dividends of democracy to the people of Oyo State. Dividends should not only be seen in terms of pepper grinders, handsets and all those trivialities to individuals. Efforts should be made to create employment for youth; vacancies should be filled in both offices and classrooms in order to ease youth restiveness.
No doubt the proposed interest free loans and PACESETTER buses are concrete and scientific means of putting smiles to the faces of the people irrespective of party affiliation. There should also be encouragement of skill and artisan training for self-reliance among the youth.
Now that the governor had gone half way in the journey, there can be no doubt that more challenges lie ahead of him. Some of these may be more distracting to make him lose focus in his service delivery mission to the people of the State. But his ability to resist all forms of temptations that can break the bond of covenant with the good people of the State will be a major test of Leadership for him.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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