News

International Women’s Day: Following the Path of Rwanda

Published

7 years ago

March 11, 2018

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Ever since the conscientious exposure of the womenfolk following the Beijing Conference of many years ago, so much good much tidings have come the way of the women, among them the setting aside of March 8 of every year to celebrate their relevance and great contributions to the world.

However, as important as many believe the women are in the scheme of things, it is still disheartening that they are still placed at the lowest rung of decision making and taking. Most world governments are yet to see the need to equally allocate governmental functions in relation to their male counterparts. This is majorly as a result of culture and tradition which the African society tenaciously holds on to.

A typical example is the Nigerian society where just a handful of women are manning top notch government positions, especially elected positions. From the north down to the south, the discrimination against the womenfolk especially as regards holding leadership position has gone beyond the ordinary, and entered into typical chauvinism.

To further portray the disdain culture has made Nigerian men hold their female counterparts, a member of the House of Representatives,Hon. Gudaji Muhammed Kazaure, declared that giving women too much laissez-faire might lead to the eventual overthrow of men.

Kazaure represents the Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa and Yankwashi Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, in the lower chamber.

But the United Nations has taken the bull by the horn by appointing a woman, a Nigerian for that matter, the Deputy Secretary General, proving that time has come when women should be allowed to bite the bigger chunk of world administration. This is also highlighting the fact that a woman is in charge of the International Monetary Fund, and is performing creditably.

But more kudos should be given to the government and people of Rwanda, who have come to realize that performance is not a function of what lies between the laps, but the content of the mind, which the women proudly possess and exhibits in no small measure. The Rwandan parliament boast of more the greatest number of women in its fold. The East African country has 49 women in its 80-seat lower house of parliament and 10 women in its 26-seat Upper house of parliament. Rwanda is followed directly by Bolivia, Cuba and Iceland.

Sadly enough, Nigeria is ranked 180 out of 190 in countries that have given women chance to showcase the stuff they are made off.

It is therefore, imperative that the Nigerian public should take in consideration the example of Rwanda, a country that saw years of civil war, yet got it right and give the Nigerian women more opportunities. We must be understood that the likes of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, late Dora Akunyuli among many others did not disappoint with the positions they manned or is it (wo)manned.

Happy International Women Day!

News

INEC Declares APC’s Aiyedatiwa Winner of Ondo Guber Election

Published

7 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the winner of the just concluded Ondo State governorship election, held on Saturday, November 16, 2024.

The Returning Officer for the election Olayemi Akinwumi, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State declared Aiyedatiwa winner of the election on Sunday, extending the governor’s stay at the Government House in Alagbaka, Akure.

Governor Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state Ajayi Agboola who flew the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag. He scored 117,845 votes, more than twice lower than the APC candidate.

“That Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the APC having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” the returning officer said at exactly 2:30 pm at the INEC collation centre in Akure.

The declaration came hours after the collation of results for the election began in the early hours of Sunday. Although the collation centre went on breaks, the APC took a commanding lead with over 200,000 votes ahead of the PDP.

The final results showed that the APC won the election in a landslide, clearing all 18 local government areas.

News

PDP Chieftain Sues IGP Egbetokun over Police Invasion of Home

Published

1 day ago

November 16, 2024

Eric

A former National Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Diran Odeyemi has filed a fundamental rights suit against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Also joined in the suit is the Osun State Commissioner of Police.

The suit dated November 7, 2024, was filed before a Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

In an affidavit in support of originating summons, Odeyemi accused armed agents of the defendants of invading his residence at Ibadan on October 26, without prior notice.

The plaintiff said the invasion of his residence and attempt to unlawfully arrest him was part of plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to silence leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State.

Odeyemi alleged that the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje on 20th of October, 2024, declared in Akure, Ondo State capital that the party had a secret strategy to recapture Osun State for APC, adding that what played out at his residence was part of the broader plans of the APC.

The plaintiff asked the court to determine where the attempt and threat by the defendants and their agents to arrest him on wilful investigation of some stalwarts of the APC do not constitute an infringement of his fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, expression and association.

The ground of the originating summons includes, “The plaintiff by virtue of sections 35, 39, 40, 41 and 46 under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and under the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights is entitled to enjoy his rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, freedom of expression and freedom of association.

‘The Plaintiff, being a citizen of Nigeria, has the right to move freely without any inhibition, express his thoughts, associate freely, and enjoy his dignity without being harassed, intimidated,d, or hindered in any way or manner.

“The Defendants and their officers are rigorously attempting to violate the plaintiff’s fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement freedom of expression, and freedom of association by threatening and planning to intimidate, harass, molest, and unlawfully arrest and detain him on wilful instigation of some politicians within the All Progressives Congress who are hellbent on framing the Plaintiff in order to silence him, as part of the All Progressives Congress secret strategy to recapture Osun State and wrestle power from the Peoples Democratic Party in the State., come 2026.

“The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress boastfully stated in Akure on the 20th October 2024 that the APC had a secret strategy to recapture Osun State from the Peoples Democratic Party but that he would not reveal the secret and his threatening statement was widely reported in the media.

“In what appears like the commencement of the secret political machinations, the agents of the Defendants, at the instance of some APC politicians and without having ever invited the Plaintiff, invaded the Plaintiff’s home on the 26th day of October 2024 in an attempt to unlawfully arrest, detain, harass and intimidate the Plaintiff but they failed because the Plaintiff was not in the country”

News

Court Sacks MC Oluomo As NURTW National President

Published

1 day ago

November 16, 2024

Eric

The Court of Appeal has sacked Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo as the National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

In a ruling that upheld the earlier judgment of the National Industrial Court, the appellate court sacked MC Oluomo and reaffirmed Tajudeen Baruwa as the legitimate leader of the union.

Baruwa had assumed office after a properly conducted election held at the union’s headquarters in Abuja.

The three-member panel of the Appeal Court dismissed the appeal filed by MC Oluomo’s faction, declaring it devoid of merit.

In addition, the court imposed a fine of N100,000 on the appellants, further solidifying Baruwa’s leadership position.

Reports quoting court documents said to have been released on Friday detailed the ruling, which effectively countered any attempts to displace Baruwa from his role as the NURTW president.

The judgment read: “This is an appeal against the judgment/decision of the National Industrial Court Sitting in Abuja, in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023, delivered on the 11th March, 2024, by Justice O. O. Oyewumi.

“Upon reading the Record of Appeal compiled and transmitted before this court, together with the respective briefs of argument, and after hearing the counsels for the appellants and respondents, it is hereby ordered that:

“This Appeal is devoid of merit, and the same is hereby dismissed.”

The ruling reinforces the legitimacy of Baruwa’s presidency, concluding the legal dispute over the union’s leadership.

Meanwhile, MC Oluomo’s son Idowu Akinsanya (King West) had bragged about his feat of emerging the NURTW president, saying: “We are now in charge of Nigeria, not only Lagos,” a comment that attracted public opprobrium.

MC Oluomo, a diehard supporter of President Bola Tinubu and a prominent figure in Lagos politics, was the sole candidate in the election, which took place at the union’s zonal secretariat in Osogbo. His perceived victory was deemed to carry significant implications for the future of the NURTW and the political landscape of Nigeria.