Peter Ayoade, Ibadan

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Tolulope Akande Sadipe has revealed that after the Committee’s collaborative efforts with other relevant agencies, Nigerian Government has secured the unconditional release of Temitope Ariwolo and other Nigerians stranded in Lebanon.

She said this during the 3rd interagencies synergy meeting on the rising dehumanisation of Nigerians in the diaspora held at the House Conference room 034 in Abuja.

“I am happy to inform Nigerians that Temitope will be home before the end of the week, and so many other Nigerians who want to come home from Lebanon the opportunity will be provided for them to come home,” Akande-Sadipe stated.

With continuous efforts and pressure by the House of Representatives on Diaspora Committee in collaboration with IOM, NAPTIP, NIDCOM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Ambassador in Lebanon, Goni Modu Temitope Ariwolo was released last Night.
She added that “The Lebanese Ambassador Diab Houssam has assured us of her safe return along with other Nigerian girls willing to come home from Lebanon”.

While addressing the gathering, Hon. Akande-Sadipe noted that the Committee would ensure immediate relief for Nigerian citizens who are groaning under severe injustice across the globe.

“It is important to inform this gathering that about thirty-five (35) Nigerians have been held illegally in detention for more than forty-five days in Ghana border town of Aflao, eighteen (18) others are held in Abidjan for over two years, Sulaimon Olufemi on Death Row in Saudi Arabia, currently some of our girls are currently held hostage by a Lebanese man to mention but a few”.

Speaking further on the maltreatment melted on Nigerians in neighbouring West African country, Ghana, Akande-Sadipe reminded the Committee that among all diplomatic facilities in Ghana, only the Nigerian High Commission building was brazenly demolished under the supervision of Ghanaian authorities, noting that in international arena, such action was an open declaration of war but Nigeria once again refused to stand up to the affront.

She therefore noted that the House of Representatives has taken up the challenge to holistically tinker with the nation’s foreign policy to reflect modern realities and aspirations.

“As the people’s representatives, Nigeria can no longer continue to restrain our citizens from reciprocating the same treatment on nationals of countries involved in these dastardly acts on our people”, she added.

Consequently, She therefore called for collaborative efforts of Nigerians in order to reduce this occurring menace to compatriots in the Diaspora, using Temitope Ariwolo as a case study.

She said “it is pertinent, therefore, to urge every stakeholder to volunteer information and commit to this partnership in the interest of all citizens because we all at risk sooner or later, directly or indirectly. These affected persons are someone family, someone daughter or son or parent”.

Debo Adeoye, Ibadan

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Asiwaju Rotimi Ajanaku has condemned the recent statement made by the chairman of APC in the state, Chief Akin Oke.

While addressing journalists, Ajanaku described the statement of internal crisis denial by Akin Oke in the party as height of insincerity and insensitivity to the problems bedeviling the stability of the party in the state to form a formidable force against 2023.

Otunba Rotimi said: “The chairman’s statement is unnecessary, insincerity, a distraction and insensitivity to the plights of the aggrieved party members. It is unfair to the feelings and emotions of those who have contributed immensely to the survival and stability of the party in the state from its formative years.

“Can we afford to lose all the party members and loyalists who are currently not with the party and still win 2023 elections? Can future elections be won for the party by the few individuals or opportunists who have benefited and still benefitting from the party? Is it that those that were marginalized and unjustly skimmed out at the party’s various primaries that preceded 2019 general elections do not have rights to express grievances and displeasure? Ajanaku questioned.

“Perhaps I should remind the chairman that shortly after 2019 general elections when the party first made a move to reconcile its members, the leadership of the party under the authority of the late Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi promised to ensure that those affected by the irregularities that characterized 2019 primaries would be compensated with various appointments. Can the chairman mention or list the names of those who have so been compensated? He queried.

“Should we forget in a hurry how the party was built and formed? Wasn’t it through collective contributions of everyone, especially some of the people we see today as enemies of the party? I think progressivism is a political philosophy in support of social reform, so shouldn’t there be internal social reform? If progressive is said to be “a social or political movement that aims to represent the interests of ordinary people through political change and the support of government actions”, so why would some people turn the party to secret cult that is established to serve only their selfish interest? That’s why they continue to recycle themselves by fencing out others? Asiwaju questioned further.

“In fact, every progressive policy promotes greater freedom, opportunity, or security for everyone. That’s the distinction between progressive and others. While progressive seeks to extend freedom, opportunity, and security to all, others work to limit freedom, opportunity, and security; they redistribute wealth toward the wealthy, power toward the powerful, and privilege toward the privileged, unfortunately that’s the ideology of the type of progressive we inculcate into our party today,” Ajanaku lamented.

“Whereas, the dreams of the founding fathers of our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC) were great, both for us as members and citizens of Nigeria. It’s about a poor child delivering newspapers and one day ending up as the publisher. It’s about an unskilled worker attending night school and becoming a successful manager. It is getting ahead through hard work, and being able to retire in security and comfort,” Asiwaju Rotimi Ajanaku pinpointed.

“Some minute group, who continually flatly opposing opportunity, that is, the right wingers, keep fighting against ending discrimination within the party, even though equal treatment is a precondition for equal opportunity. They don’t even pretend to support equal opportunity in position sharing; instead, they hijacked the control of the party, lobby for government favours, no fair nomination of candidates for appointment, no fair opportunity to members who are not in their caucus to contest in the party primaries for elective positions. They failed to reward hard work, efficiency, commitment and innovation,” Ajanaku alleged.

“To me, as a progressive party, our mission is clear. It is to guarantee that all members are able to realize their goals through hard work, commitment and fair play. The party must provide every person; not just the privileged, with an equal opportunity to pursue a better life—equal access to the individuals dreams.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all members are equal, we all are endowed by the party constitution with certain unalienable Rights, among these are Liberty to contest for any position under free and fair election process, Contribute to the development and progress of the party and the pursuit of Happiness, which could come in form of political appointment.

“It’s quite unfortunate that we have misplaced the principles that inspired those who came together to establish this great party. And worse, we’ve allowed right-wing extremists to hijack our ideals and wave them like a flag, rallying party loyalists to their distinctly unprogressive cause. It is time to right that wrong.

“We need to raise the banner of our progressive philosophy by guaranting freedom, opportunity, and security for all within the party and country as a nation. In my own view the party should step into an unfair competition, balancing the scale to help the weaker interest get a fair deal. It means the party should fight for those who have no godfathers but are making great contributions to the party. But we can switch this mighty party onto the right track and open up the throttle to increase its speed,” Ajanaku advised

“So speak loudly and proudly. Our progressive values, philosophy were the principles that fueled the flame of the Nigerian Political Revolution in 2015. But now, the same torch of progressive ideals that Obafemi Awolowo passed on to our great leaders has been switched off by today’s so called progressive leaders because of greediness. Charity they say begin at home, if we are desirous to conquer the state and southwest in the next general elections our internal party policy must be restructured to allow fairness, equity and justice. We must be ready to show what makes us the true progressive patriots, how we are the ones who see the best direction for our country and its residents, and how we will fight for our ideals—and ultimately win,” Ajanaku charged.

Peter Ayoade

The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated special slots to state governors, federal lawmakers and ministers in its proposed 774,000 jobs.

The information on the special allotments was disclosed on Wednesday, by the selection committee of the extended special public works programme, which will be responsible for the recruitment.

The chairman of the committee in Bauchi, Sanusi Aliyu Kunde, while inaugurating the state panel gave the breakdown on how the slots were distributed.

“Governors will be given 40 persons each from all the councils in the states. Senators will have 30 persons each from only the local government areas in the senatorial district each represents.

“If a principal officer of the National Assembly comes from your state, then he/she gets 40 slots in all the local government areas within his district.

“Members of the House of Representatives should be allotted 25 slots from the local government areas within their districts. The principal officers of the House should be given 30 slots. Ministers should be allotted 30 slots from all the local government areas in the state,” Kunde said.

He added that decision on the slots for the state lawmakers would be taken by the committee.

Kunde also said he was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo (SAN) on June 29, 2020 to pick from the 20 councils of Bauchi State. “In total, we shall be recruiting 20,000 persons for this programme.

“We are required to include about 200 literate persons in every local government area who will be used to carry out nationwide survey during the period of engagement.”
The recruits according to Kunde, will work between October and December 2020, earning N60,000 per month.

…states that the Muslims have been marginalized

By Peter Ayoade

A political institution in Oyo state that is for good governance, equity and justice, the Political Awareness Group (PAG) has criticized the recent announced appointments made by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for some state owned tertiary institutions in the state. PAG described the appointments as lopsided.

This was contained in a press release signed and circulated by the group state secretary, Hon. Abbas Ademola Busari, on Thursday 9th July, 2020.

The group stated,

“Governor Makinde appointed six chairmen of governing boards on Wednesday 8th July, 2020 but only one of them (Lateef Sanni) is a Muslim. He appointed thirty four (34) members but only fifteen (15) of them are Muslims. Makinde’s focus is clear and calls for our concern. He insinuated that only 16.6% and 44.1% are good enough for Muslims in the state”.

“Only a governor with a Christianisation agenda can do that in a Muslim-majority state. But it is our duty to interrogate the governor’s action as we are for good governance, equity and justice. Makinde must explain the justification of his latest action to Nigerians most especially the citizens of the Pacesetter state. Where in the world can you give 16.6% of the dividend of democracy to the majority group while the minority goes away with 83.4%? Is it fair? Is it just? Is it equitable? Is it rational?”.

“Where are the merchants of false propaganda? They are quick to carry placards in protest against a Muslim president who is doing his best to create a level playing field for all. They cry marginalization in Abuja but turn the blind eye to the marginalization of the majority in Oyo state”.

“It is now glaring that it has always been a deliberate act. This is the second time he will shortchange Oyo State Muslims. How many of his commissioners are Muslims and how many are Christians? Out of fourteen commissioners, only four are Muslims. Makinde gave the Christians ten (10). Makinde’s definition of democracy is government of the Christians, by the Christians, for the Christians. He is laying the foundation of full blown oppression of Muslims”.

“Can Seyi Makinde tell Nigerians how much the pomp and pageantry of 2019 Christmas cost the government of Oyo State? Is it true that all roundabouts in the city of Ibadan were electrified with special blinking bulbs during the yuletide period of the same year? Mr. Governor sir, can the public know the cost? Was the money not taken from our common purse? Was any such thing or something close to it done to make the Muslim festival which was held four months earlier as glamorous? Is Makinde a governor of the Christians only or governor of all?”.

“We seek review, redress and charge Governor Makinde to remember that governance is fragile and power is transient. Only those who are able to strike a balance between groups rule successfully. He should remember that Oyo state is one of the Muslim majority states in Nigeria and there are abundant and qualified members of Muslim populace, even in the ruling (your) party as well as Muslims seasoned Technocrats. Makinde must therefore fasten his seat belt”.

“We kept mute when he cheated Muslims in the appointment of commissioners as we felt it was not a deliberate act. Now he has sidelined them in the appointment of boards of tertiary institutions. Our people say ‘Ekini keebe, ekeji keebe, eleketa ni ajenjetan’, meaning ‘Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, the third time is enemy action and deliberate. We wish this administration under your able leadership give Muslims cause to repose their confidence and trust in you for just and fair treatment as responsible citizens with established rights. Makinde might not taste power in Oyo State again if he continues this way”. PAG concluded