By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom State is set to arraign two university lecturers for their alleged involvement in electoral offences during the 2019 elections in the state.

The lecturers who were engaged as Collation and Returning Officers during the 2019 General elections were reported to have manipulated and falsified election results to produce outcomes contrary to the will of the people as expressed through the ballot.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini disclosed this to journalists in the state, on Tuesday.

Mr Igini said, following a formal request by the commission, the authorities of the affected institutions where the lecturers are employed released them to appear before an Investigative Panel set up by INEC Headquarters on the 12th and 26th Of August, 2020.

The panel subsequently established a prima facie documentary evidence of deliberate criminal manipulation of election results against the Collation and Returning Officers.

The REC also disclosed that three staff of the ICT Unit of the commission in the state who were found to have compromised the commission’s standard had been sacked. This, he explained was in line with the commission’s statutory powers to appoint, dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over its staff.

The affected staff had earlier also appeared before the Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee (APDC) of the commission and we’re found culpable of acts of gross misconduct.

The REC expressed concern over the involvement of lecturers noting that the development is a reflection of the degeneration of the age-long values associated with the academic community.

It is not clear when the lecturers will be arraigned but the REC promised to keep the media informed.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

Relatives of Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed in a police shooting in her own home, announced Tuesday they have settled their wrongful death suit with the US city of Louisville for $12 million, as well as promises of local law enforcement reforms.

The civil settlement was substantial and relatively quick, reflecting the public pressure and emotion surrounding the case of the 26-year-old, which became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement.

After Taylor’s death on March 13, another black citizen, George Floyd, died on May 25 in Minneapolis while a police officer knelt on his neck, sparking protests across the country against racism and police brutality.

Taylor family attorney Ben Crump called the $12 million settlement “historic” but said the “comprehensive reform” plan was “equally important.”

Authorities in Louisville and the state of Kentucky pledged to implement measures that might head off incidents similar to the botched raid in which Taylor was killed.

Those include more oversight from commanding officers about search warrants, the hiring of a team of social workers, and encouraging officers to do community service.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the city “is not waiting to move ahead with needed reforming to prevent the tragedy like this from ever happening again.”

Taylor was killed when three plainclothes police officers executing a “no knock” search warrant burst into her apartment late at night.

Taylor’s boyfriend, who was in bed with her, grabbed a gun and exchanged fire with the officers. He later said he thought they were criminals.

The officers, who had not activated their body cameras as required, shot Taylor eight times, killing her. A police sergeant was also wounded.

The agreement signals an end to the civil proceedings but not to the criminal investigation, which has yet to lead to any charges, six months after Taylor’s death.

The three said they had announced themselves before entering. They later filed an after-action report that was found to be rife with errors.

The raid was carried out simultaneously with a handful of others targeting Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, an alleged narcotics dealer. But Taylor had broken up with him months before.

“As significant as today is, it’s only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna,” said her mother, Tamika Palmer.

Taylor’s family filed a civil complaint in April seeking redress, claiming that the search warrant was in error and that the officers had fired blindly and without due diligence.

One of the three officers, Brett Hankison, has since been fired, and the other two were suspended. The city has also banned “no knock” warrants.

The case has sparked international outrage, and earned celebrity attention.

Oprah Winfrey paid for billboards in Kentucky demanding justice for Taylor. US Open champion Naomi Osaka wore a face mask bearing Taylor’s name during her run for the title.

Formula One star Lewis Hamilton wore a t-shirt that read “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” on the podium at Sunday’s Tuscan Grand Prix.

A portrait of Taylor graced the cover of Vanity Fair magazine’s September issue.

But so far, none of the officers has been charged — a fact that has fueled daily anti-racism protests in Louisville for weeks.

Armed militia members, claiming to want to prevent acts of vandalism, have also been present, notably on the sidelines of the Kentucky Derby on September 5.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday justified government borrowing to finance infrastructure, asserting that his government took loans in the interest of the country to solve the dire shortfall in infrastructure.

Speaking at a virtual meeting with members of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) at the State House, in Abuja, President Buhari said the country must fix its roads to save lives from soaring road accidents.

“We have so many challenges with infrastructure. We just have to take loans to do roads, rail and power, so that investors will find us attractive and come here to put their money,” the President said after listening to a presentation by PEAC chaired by Professor Ayo Salami.

He regretted that the failure to provide the infrastructure for effective transportation deprived the country of its well-deserved status as the West African hub for Air cargo transportation and trans-shipment of goods.

On the issue of the economy, President Buhari noted the challenges posed by the “collapse of the oil market” and the decision of government to abide by the reduced oil production quota allocated by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

“We have to accept that decision; otherwise they (Middle-East producers) can flood the market and make the product unviable. So we have cooperated with what we get. With oil, we are in a difficult situation. The politics of oil is that the less you produce, the less you earn,” he said.

President Buhari also stressed the position of agriculture in the government’s scheme to reduce joblessness and poverty.

“For us to bounce back to productivity, especially in agriculture, the unemployed with many of them uneducated had to be persuaded to go into agriculture.

“If we hadn’t gone back to the lands we would have been in trouble by now. That is why we virtually stopped the importation of food thereby saving jobs and foreign exchange.”

The President also broached the issue of COVID-19 pandemic and how it necessitated the recent government policies as they relate to energy (electricity) and fuel.

He said the Federal government took such decisions because it places the country above politics.

“COVID has reduced us to the same level as developed countries.

“We are lucky we went back to the land. We eat what we produce. We are doing our best to secure the country and provide infrastructure for investment to be viable in the country,” he said.

Commending the Chairman and the members of the council for their patriotism and service to the nation, President Buhari pledged to continue to draw from their wisdom, knowledge and experiences as the nation deals with challenging economic times.

Earlier, Prof Salami had in his presentation highlighted the Council’s recommendations on poverty reduction and stimulation of non-debt investment inflows, as promised at their last meeting.

The council recommended steps for the effective implementation of government’s plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, as well as measures to curb poverty disparity in Nigeria.

The council promised to set out a full policy paper that would, in the first instance, stop more Nigerians from falling into poverty and thereafter, further plans on reducing the poverty headcount in the country.

The PEAC also outlined a number of measures aimed at aggressively increasing the country’s non-debt investment inflow, including measures to improve investor perception of the country and the proposed establishment of a 5 billion – 10 billion dollars investment and growth fund to invest in.

The PEAC used the opportunity of the meeting to express support and solidarity with the administration on its recent policies.

It listed the implementation of reforms encapsulated in the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 recently signed into law, the reforms in the energy sector, bringing electricity and fuel prices in line with the market, and the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to merge the exchange rate of the naira versus other foreign currencies.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, says Nigeria’s democracy is sitting on a keg of gunpowder over what he describes as the rigging of elections in the country.

Secondus said this on Tuesday during a PDP mega rally which held in Benin City, just four days to the Edo State governorship election where Governor Godwin Obaseki is seeking re-election under the party’s platform.

The PDP Chairman who was visibly angry explained that the United States government in its efforts to discourage people from participating in rigging had imposed restrictions on some politicians.

He also called on the European Union, as well as the United Kingdom, to follow the US example to avoid the possibility of rigging the polls in the country.

“Nigeria’s democracy is on the keg of gunpowder because of rigging. Rigging must stop here in Edo. If not, it will be difficult to carry on with elections in Nigeria. Rigging must stop,” he stressed.

Speaking further, Secondus led other top party officials, PDP governors and supporters to declare prayer points against those who he said were plotting to rig the election in the state.

“All those who are planning to rig this election, Holy Ghost Fire,” he said, with the crowd responding “pursue them.”

He said Governor Obaseki had performed creditably well since assuming office in 2016, adding that he has done all the works needed to be carried out.

Reacting to a call made by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ex-Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu to vote Obaseki out of office, Secondus said: “Edo no be Lagos.”

Although the PDP chairman did not mention Tinubu’s name directly he, however, called on the people to “punish that leader by voting for Obaseki that day. Punish APC and punish Oshiomhole on that day.”

By Oluwakemi Ishola

Nigeria’s inflation rate climbed by 13.22 percent in August, the highest increase since 2018, according to data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday.

The latest Consumer Price Index/Inflation report for August shows that the rate of inflation stood at 13.22 percent in August which was slightly higher than the 12.82 percent recorded in July.

Inflation measures the rate at which the prices of goods and services increase over a period of time.

According to the NBS, the rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, meat, fish, fruits, oils, and fats and vegetables.

Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, stood at 10.52 percent in August 2020, up by 0.42 percentage points when compared with 10.10 percent recorded in July 2020.

“The consumer price index, which measures inflation increased by 13.22 percent (year-on-year) in August 2020. This is 0.40 percent points higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (12.82 percent).

“On a month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.34 percent in August 2020. This is 0.09 percent higher than the rate recorded in July 2020 (1.25 percent),” the report stated.

“This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, meat, fish, fruits, oils and fats and vegetables,” it added.

The composite food index rose by 16 percent in August, compared to 15.48 percent in July, according to the statistics bureau office.

The highest increments were recorded in the prices of passenger transport by air, hospital services, medical services, pharmaceutical products, maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment, vehicle spare parts, Motor cars, passenger transport by road, miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling, repair of furniture and paramedical services.

On a year-on-year basis, the rate of increase in the prices was recorded in Kogi (17.29 percent), Bauchi (15.77 percent) and Ebonyi and Yobe (14.71 percent), while Lagos (11.45 percent), Kwara (11.22 percent), and Abuja (11.17 percent) recorded the slowest rise in headline year-on-year inflation.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has received a boost following the resolve of Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, political heavyweights and over 30,000 members of the Africa Democratic Party (ADC) to dump the party.

The decision of the 2019 governorship candidate of the ADC and his teeming supporters to dump the party was reached at an expanded meeting held on Monday at the Ibadan residence of Olufemi Lanlehin.

The former federal lawmaker briefed the attendees on the series of reconciliatory meetings he had attended with the top echelons of the APC. “The reconciliation process by the National Reconciliation Committee of the APC headed by His Excellency, Governor of Jigawa State, Alh. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, supported by four other governors, including Ekiti State’s Governor Kayode Fayemi, is clearly succeeding in its given task,” Lanlehin noted.

While assuring loyalists drawn from the 33 Local Government Areas of the state who had thronged his Adabeji residence for the meeting, Lanlehin reminded them of his unfailing desire to always prioritize the interest of the common man, and that in all the steps he has taken thus far, remaining pro-people has remained centrepiece.

Speaker after speaker which included Rev. Ezekiel Adeniran, Chief E. O. Laoye, Hon. Bili Ajana, Yeye Yetunde Ajibola, Hon. Gaphar Ojetola, Hon. Habib Balogun, Alh. Muraina Kakako, and others, eulogised Senator Lanlehin, for his unselfish and accommodating approach to politics, praying posterity to be kind to him.

Similarly, representatives drawn from the 33 Local Governments who spoke one after the other, endorsed the move, noting in their submissions that Lanlehin’s return to the APC should best be termed an homecoming, having begun his politics from the progressive camp, from his days in the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the legacy parties of the APC, aside from being a scion of High Chief S. O. Lanlehin, a core Awoist and National Treasurer of the defunct Action Group, hence associating with members already on board in the party, should ordinarily not be difficult, but a family affair.

A motion for the eventual movement of Lanlehin and the entire structure of the Oyo State African Democratic Congress (ADC), enmasse into the All Progressives Congress (APC) was subsequently moved, seconded and adopted, while no one, after calls for such, if any, raised objection.

A chieftain of the Party from Oke Ogun zone, Hon. Wahab Shile told the Pacesetter News that Senator Lanlehin has more than 30,000 loyalists across the 33LGAs who were ready to follow him back to the APC.

Present at the meeting included Oyo State Executive Committee of the ADC, led by Rev. Ezekiel Adeniran, some candidates of the party in the 2019 polls.

Other chieftains present were Chief Sunday Ajadi (Abeebo) from Ogbomoso, Alh. Rafiu Afuku from Iseyin, Alh. Adebayo Waheed (Adwas) from Atisbo, Erelu Funke Olayanju, Ibarapa East and Dr. Akintola, Ibarapa North; Hon. Adedokun JP from Ibadan North, Alh. Suara Ogunyemi from Ibadan Northeast, Hon. Adeoye Sobaloju (Lord Moro), Ibadan Southwest, Otunba Bode Ashiru from Ibadan Southwest, Otunba Kunle Folarin, AFIJIO, Alhaja Omotunde Lawal from Egbeda, Hon. Tiri Olowoake, Oluyole, Hon. Adekunle Adeolu (Ultimate) Ido, Hon. Gbenga Aluko from Ibadan Southwest and Hon. Kayode Oladele from Ibadan North.

Hon. Tolani Adigun, Hon. Salami Dikko, Hon. Sunday Babatunde and hundreds of SOLAN supporters.

To describe the ongoing agitation for OODUA Republic as a tragic comment on the assumed Integrity, Intelligence and Enlightenment of the people of the region is for want of better words to describe the distateful drama.

It is unthinkable that a race reputed as the most educated in this contraption called Nigeria will choose miscreants to fight their cause, appoint an erudite Professor as Prime Minister before asking for the republic through rallies. While the miscreants can be forgiven for not knowing that a project such as this is a mirage, the Professor and the elite cannot be pardoned. It is a mirage for two reasons. One, it is ill-timed and, therefore, ill-fated. Two, it is in violent clash with enlightened procedures which the educated people of the region should know even if the miscreants could not learn from the recent experience of fellow Nigerians.

It is not now that people of goodwill are beginning to question the apropriacy of a region always being used to install tyranny and always being the victims that we should be asking for a Republic that will compromise our chances in the next dispensation. We cannot afford to divide before a battle with our enemies. Not now that our political structure is at the weakest and our politicians are most vulnerable. Not now that some great minds are beginning to objectively appraise the merit of true Federalism and the value of unemotional restructuring. NOT NOW.

The miscreants could be forgiven for not knowing that to create a Republic from an existing one requires two popular methods especially where there are no Seccesion Clauses in the Constitution:

1. Universal Referendum procedure for which may take several years.

2. Unilateral Declaration otherwise known as Seccession.

Either way, nothing good will come to the South West People. The first one will take our time , energy and resources while the rest of the World will carry on ignoring our grumblings.The Second option will be suicidal. The remaining part of the country will jump at the opportunity to crush the arrogant but envied race. They have done it before.

They will want to “Keep Nigeria One” as usual and , in the process, move over and level the region. At the end of the day, the rich miscreants and their sponsors would run away to their Masters to leave the poor masses to sulk as they often do.

The Foreign Powers will pretend they are officiating/mediating while they sell their weapons. And that may be the end of the race.

The bitterest setback would be if there is counter rally on October 1st and we are further divided along sectarian sentiments.

If the traditional rulers, the Governments and the enlightened people of the South West are not in support of this imminent bloodbath and self annihilation, they should speak up NOW or declare their supports so that ordinary people will know who to hold responsible.

We are watching and while doing so, we would hold our rulers and Governors responsible for every drop of the precious blood of our people from this moment on.

Written by:
Taofiq Adesina Azeez
Professor of Communication
Department of English. University of Abuja
September 14, 2020

By Oluwakemi Ishola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its Zonal Office in Kwara State Capital, Ilorin has arrested two lecturers, Abdulahi Opashola and Adebisi Ademola alongside 28 others over alleged involvement in internet fraud.

This is contained in a statement signed by Dele Oyewale, the Commission’s spokesperson issued on Monday.

Oyewale said that the two lecturers, Opashola and Ademola are staff of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa in Kwara state.

“Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Ilorin zonal office, have arrested two lecturers of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa: Abdulahi Opashola and Adebisi Ademola and twenty-eight others over their alleged involvement in offences bordering on internet fraud,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the 28 other suspects includes Kingsley Essien, Tobiloba Adenuga, Tope Ayodele, Rasheed Mujib, Oladipo Opeyemi, Saadu Muktar, Oladejo Hammed, Hammed Tope, Ameachi Umenyi, Salauden Adam and Afolabi Gafar.

Others are: Oladimeji Timi, Remilekun Adeolu, Audu John, David Momodu, Abdulkareem Samad, Adebiyi Sodiq, Dawodu Olusoji, Yusuf Amoo, Kehinde Olarenwaju, Philip Mike, Ademola Adebukola and Adeniyi Olamilekan, Adeyemi Adedeji, Ajayi Teslem, Olawale Oladayo, Olasunkanmi Olawale and Adeleke Damilola.

Oyewale stated that the suspects were arrested at different locations in Kwara state following intelligence by the commission.

EFCC stated that during the arrest by operatives of the commission, several items were recovered from the suspects some of which included cars, phones, laptops among others.

In the statement, Oyewale stated that efforts are ongoing by the commission to ensure the arrest of a herbalist allegedly linked with the alleged offence.