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ASUU, Others Insist on Strike, Say No Agreement with FG

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities have said the Federal Government did not reach a strong agreement with them that can lead to calling off the industrial actions.

All the university unions in the country are presently on strike.

ASUU started its strike on February 14, 2022 and JAC commenced its own on April 14, 2022.

The unions embarked on industrial actions while demanding improved welfare packages, better working conditions and implementation of various labour agreements signed with the Federal Government between 2009 and 2020.

The national leaders of ASUU and JAC of SSANU and NASU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke and Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, respectively told our correspondent that the Federal Government and all stakeholders in the education sector and religious leaders had a meeting with the four unions but no strong agreements were reached.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, was quoted in a report at the weekend as saying, “We had a cordial and fruitful discussion; we looked at the issues dispassionately and reached some agreements, to the satisfaction of everybody in attendance.”

But Osodeke said Ngige’s claim after the meeting that the unions would call off the ongoing strike this week was a political statement.

He said, “We are not aware that we are calling off the strike. We met but there was nothing concrete between us and the government. Like we said before, we do not want promises, we want actions, if they show action and implement all the issues, we will go to our members, but knowing their antecedents, we know they will not do anything.

“They promised us since December 2020 and it is going to a year and a half, they have not done anything. We are waiting for them.

“As far as we are concerned, only when they sign our agreements, accept UTAS, release EAA and revitalisation funds will we call the strikes off.”

Ibrahim added that the major progress he could point at during the meeting was the ordering of the National Information Technology Development Agency, by the presidency who was represented by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the meeting, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to subject the three payment solutions; Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system , University Transparency and Accountability Solution and University Peculiar Payroll Payment System, to integrity test and submit in three weeks.

“We are not talking about calling off strike now,” he said.

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Dele Momodu Maiden Leadership Lecture Holds on Thursday

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By Eric Elezuo

All is set for the inaugural Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture, an intelligent discourse on the state of the nation, with special emphasis on the power sector.

The event, the first in the series, is scheduled to hold on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), and under the chairmanship of the Former President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. John Dramani Mahama.

The guest lecturer is the former Minister of Power and Chairman,  Geometric Power Limited, Engr. Bartholomew Nnaji, and will be speaking on the theme: The Politics of Energy and the Way Forward.

A gathering of intellectuals, for the discovery of innovative ideas and exchange of progressive knowledge under a Non Partisan atmosphere, the Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture, promises indepth analysis as well as provision of solution to the unending power crisis in the nation.

Among dignitaries expected at the intelligent discourse are former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Chairman, Globacom Group, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr.; Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu; Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke; Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti; former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman, BUA Group, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu; Oyo State governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, HRM the Ooni of Ife, HRH, the Emir of Kano, the HRH, the Sultan of Sokoto, HRM the Obi of Onitsha; A-list industrialists, members of executive and legislative councils among others.

The event also coincides with the 64h birthday of the convener, Aare Dele Momodu.

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How Previous Govt Shared N10bn Abia Airport Fund – Gov Otti

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By Eric Elezuo

The coming of Dr. Alex Otti as the governor of Abia State since May 2023 has continued to generate discourse in the political cycle as a result of the vote of confidence he has received across party, regional and ethnic divides.

Otti’s landmark achievements in less than a year in office, especially in infrastructural development in the commercial city of Aba, seems to have catapulted him to the highest echelon of administrative excellence in the state, dwarfing the 24 years experience of administrations of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Otti is of the Labour Party.

Among his activities as governor include the exposure of grey areas in previous administration, especially as concerns his immediate predecessor, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Otti had alleged while making a presentation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Washington DC, United States that a forensic audit revealed how the immediate past government of Abia State released some funds to some contractors to handle the construction of a state-owned airport and other infrastructure believed not to be in existence.

But Ikpeazu denied through his spokesman, Onyebuchi Ememanka, tagging the report as a tissue of lies, intricately woven by a spin doctor to deceive his audience. He also said that Otti has deep hatred for him, and has targeted him for attacks.

The statement reads in part, “Our attention has been drawn to trending reports of a speech delivered by the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti at a forum somewhere in the United States of America, wherein he made certain allegations against his predecessor in office, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, bothering on financial malfeasance.

“Ever since leaving office as Governor of Abia State for two consecutive terms, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has carried himself with the dignity his present situation in life demands and has, as a matter of personal policy, avoided any confrontation with the present Governor and his administration.

“At best, what Dr. Ikpeazu has authorized are clarifications whenever the current administration seeks to misinform the public about what transpired during the last administration. Clear instances of these abound and a few of them shall be highlighted later in this release…”

Most other loyalists of the former as well as PDP apologists, including a group that called itself Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy, have also criticized Otti for his statement.

In a letter signed by a member of the group’s board of directors, Ukpai Ukairo, they demanded “A copy of the Forensic Audit Report which Governor Alex Otti, the Executive Governor of Abia State referred to and relied upon in his Town Hall Meeting in the United States of America to allege that His Excellency, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration paid billions of Naira for an airport and to un-named contractors…”

It is imperative to note that Mr. Ukairo has been the Legal Adviser of the South East PDP.

But the Abia State governor, has again said he will soon make public the forensic audit report which indicted his predecessor, of diverting billions of state funds meant for projects to individual company accounts.

He also said the immediate past administration transferred the said N10 billion airport funds into 32 different company accounts before it was shared, adding that the money had already been transferred out of the state government account before they approached the Abia State House of Assembly for approval.

The governor’s clarification came on the heels of the previous statement in the US, and the reactions that followed, This was during his monthly media chat, tagged “Governor Alex Otti Speaks to Abians” held at Government House Umuahia on Thursday.

While noting that the denial of the former governor was not unexpected, Otti pointed out that it was reported in the media, that instead of denying spending the fund, they then claimed that they used it for road construction which is against the evidence available.

According to the governor, the management of the company (FEROTEX Construction Company) has admitted that the company never applied to be awarded the aborted airport project under the past administration

He maintained, however, that when the report would eventually be published, the rest of the work would be handled by security agencies, insisting also that his interest is for the money to be refunded rather than taking anyone to jail.

“The immediate past governor’s denial is not unexpected. When it was announced, they went to the media abusing the government and saying that the government lied.

“It is a report by KPMG which says that they diverted the money into roads. In the bank statement on the 26th of September 2020 when people were dealing with COVID-19, a debit went into the state account for N10 billion and it was payment for an 80 per cent contract of the Abia airport.

“It’s true and incontrovertible. The statement is there, the report is there. By the way, the report will be published very soon.

“But I can assure you that as reported by the media, it’s KPMG that did the forensic audit.

“So, clearly something went wrong. Our engagement with the company that received the money gives the impression that the company was deceived. The Managing Director of the company said that he told them that he had never built an airport before and that it is not his area of competence neither did he apply to them to construct an airport.”

Otti’s mention of the company involved in the audit puts to rest the claim that the governor was witchhunting his predecessor. And again, the procedural sharing of the amount also revealed that something actually went wrong with the said N10 billion.

The following days will reveal more even as pro-Ikpeazu group will seek more ways to defend their principal.

“It’s very simple; all those defending the theft of the N10 billion participating in the looting otherwise they won’t have a moral ground to defend illegality. They should all be investigated,” an analyst told The Boss.

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Court Bars Amaewhule, 24 Others from Parading Selves As Rivers Legislators

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The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an interim injunction restraining pro-Wike speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other members from parading themselves as legislators.

The court directive prohibits them from convening or participating in any official meetings at the Assembly premises.

The court’s decision stems from an exparte order filed against the pro-Wike lawmakers by pro-Siminialayi Fubara speaker Victor Oko Jumbo and three others.

The interim injunction declares the seats of the 1st to 25th defendants vacant pending further legal proceedings.

Additionally, the court issued a restraining order, prohibiting Governor Fubara and the chief judge, who are the 26th and 28th defendants in the suit, from engaging with Amaewhule and his 25 loyalists.

This action is due to the defendants’ defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progress Congress (APC) on December 13, 2023.

The court also directed Amaewhule and the others to hand over all official documents within seven days. The case is adjourned until May 29 for a motion on notice.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has been embroiled in a crisis since last year which has seen the House balkanized into two, with some loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nyesom, and others to Governor Fubara.

In December, the crisis took an interesting turn when 27 members led by Amaewhule defected from the PDP to the APC.

While the members loyal to Wike were led by Amaewhule as speaker, others loyal to Fubara were led by Edison Ehie as their speaker. The governor later appointed Ehie as his chief of staff, leading to his resignation.

However, things took another twist on Wednesday when the members loyal to Governor Fubara elected the member representing the Bonny constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo, as their speaker.

Oko-Jumbo in his acceptance speech thanked the members for electing him as the new speaker sequel to Ehie’s resignation.

He called on the executive and judiciary as well as the public to disregard every law purportedly enacted by the Amaewhule-led Assembly, describing it as an exercise in futility.

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