President Buhari meets APC governors over crisis

President Muhammadu Buhari is in a closed-door meeting with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State House, Abuja.

The President summoned the governors to the meeting as part of efforts to resolve the leadership crisis in the party.

The ongoing meeting is coming after Sunday evening’s meeting between Buhari and the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan. Lawan had hinted that the president would lead a push for settlement of the crisis within the APC.

Those at the meeting are Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong, and Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru.

We will Enrol 400,000 Beneficiaries- N-Power

...N-Power reveals when registration portal will open, how to apply

 

N-Power, Federal Government’s youths empowerment programme, on Monday, disclosed that its registration portal would be opened this week.

The scheme disclosed that 400, 000 beneficiaries would be selected upon registration.

N-Power made the disclosure via a tweet on its official Twitter handle.

“This week, the N-Power portal will re-open for registration. 400,000 beneficiaries will be taken from the application pool,” it said.

The scheme also disclosed to intending beneficiaries requirements they must meet before applying.

“Here are some tips to get ready

“Get your BVN ready.

“Ensure you are are not an existing employee in any organization.

“Application is online.”

Recall that the Federal Government had scheduled June 26 for the enrolment for Batch C beneficiaries of the N-Power Programme under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

BREAKING: Fire guts Oba market in Benin

There was a fire outbreak at the popular Oba Market in Benin, Edo State .

The PUNCH gathered that the fire started midnight and efforts to put it out are ongoing as of 09.00 am on Monday.

The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

Federal Fire Service Zone K tweeted, “ At about 1 : 00hrs this morning Men of Federal Fire Service Zone K Edo command turned out to combat a raging inferno at Oba market ring road Benin city Edo State. 

In attendance are Nigerian Army , Nigerian Air force, NPDC , and UNIBEN fire service .”

(PUNCH)

Man, 40, commits suicide in Ibadan

A 40-year-old man, Lanre Kazeem, allegedly committed  suicide at the early hours of Sunday by hanging himself in his house at Eyin Grammer area of Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the deceased was living in a rented house, and worked in a private palm kernel company around Soka Ibadan.

The incident took many residents of the area by surprise as they express sadness over the incident.

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer,(PPRO),SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident to NAN Correspondent on Sunday.

Fadeyi said that the deceased hanged  himself to death in his house and his corpse had been deposited at Adeoyo state Hospita’s mortuary.

“The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Sanyo division has visited the area to see what happened.

“Investigation has commenced on the matter to know what actually happened,”Fadeyi said.

Some residents of the area who spoke to NAN said that the deceased hailed from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital and has no known relatives or friends all through his one year stay in the rented house.

They said that the deceased left no suicide note behind to explain the cause of his action and some of his neighbors claimed that the deceased has been sick for close to two weeks without any medical care.

Also speaking on the incident, the  Chairman Eyin Grammar Landlords’ Association, Alhaji Lateef Adegoke said the incident was reported to him this morning and the police had visited taken the corpse to the mortuary. (NAN)

Workers are paid peanuts, senators earn luxury wages – Ndume

A former Senate Leader, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army in the 9th National Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume, declared on Sunday that federal lawmakers and other highly placed public officers were earning luxury wages to the detriment of Nigerian masses.

and a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi, had vindicated his position on the high cost of running a presidential democracy, which he insisted was no longer realistic.

Ndume stated this while reacting to the views expressed by Osinbajo and Sanusi during a webinar organised by the Emmanuel Chapel, themed, ‘Economic stability beyond COVID-19’, on Friday.

Sanusi had on the occasion, pointed out that the governance structure in the country had set it up for bankruptcy, and asked the Vice President what the current regime would do differently to address the perennial problem.

In his response, Osinbajo had said, “There is no question that we are dealing with large and expensive government, but as you know, given the current constitutional structure, those who would have to vote to reduce (the size of) government, especially to become part-time legislators, are the very legislators themselves.”

The senator, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, insisted that the current cost of governance was too much.

Ndume said the change from presidential democracy to parliamentary might be difficult for the current National Assembly to undertake because the present system was also in their favour. (Punch)

Obaseki Faces Fresh Hurdles In PDP As Imasuangbon Vows Not To Step Down

By Clifford Ndujihe, Dirisu Yakubu & Ozioruva Aliu

Having scaled the screening of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, to contest for the party’s governorship ticket on June 25, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has fresh hurdles to scale in the party.

The first is winning the party’s ticket, the second is getting majority of the PDP family in Edo to buy into his quest of running with his deputy, Philip Shaibu, while the third is to calm frayed nerves of some Edo PDP stakeholders who are bitter that Obaseki is pushing them aside and out of reckoning.

Obaseki and Shaibu resigned from the All Progressives Congress, APC, after the governor was disqualified from the party’s governorship primary. He defected to the PDP on Friday and was granted waiver by the National Working Committee, NWC, to contest PDP’s primary after screening him on Saturday.

However, reading meanings into Obaseki’s speech while defecting on Friday that he is now the leader of the PDP, some stakeholders said the comment was not discreet and has cast the governor as a dictator.

This came as PDP governors and Obaseki Mandate Forum assured Obaseki, Shaibu and their supporters who joined the party on Friday, of accommodation and level playing field.

The Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal-led PDP Governors’ Forum also wished Obaseki God’s blessings and guidance as he subjects himself to the forthcoming primary of the party.

The PDP Governors Forum, in a statement by its Director-General, Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum, described Obaseki’s entry into PDP as a homecoming to a democratic platform that accommodates all Nigerians desirous of good governance, accountability and deepening of democratic tenets.

“We welcome you to the PDP Governors’ Forum under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR and all other PDP Governors in the Forum. Your entry into the PDP family is a homecoming to a democratic platform that accommodates all Nigerians desirous of good governance, accountability and deepening of democratic tenets.

“The PDP Governors welcome you to use the PDP as a vehicle to enthrone rapid economic, social and infrastructural development of Edo State. As you subject yourself to the forthcoming primaries of the party, we wish you success and God’s blessings and guidance.

“The Forum extends the solidarity and support of your colleagues to you and all of your teeming followers into the party and assures you all of accommodation and level playing field,” the statement read

In the same vein, the Obaseki Mandate Forum congratulated Obaseki and Shaibu for taking a bold step of quitting APC for the PDP.

National chairman of the forum, Chief Nathaniel Momoh, said the group considered Obaseki’s defection as one “that was long in coming, following the poor handling of his aspiration by the Adams Oshiomhole-led APC.

“We believe this is a positive step in the right direction and a clarion call on members of the forum to double our efforts to ensure his victory at the poll.”

Disquiet over Obaseki’s defection

However, some entrenched forces in Edo appear bitter over how Governor  Obaseki was accepted into the party.

Obaseki was received by Edo PDP Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, in a carnival-like atmosphere in Benin last Friday. Some members are claiming they were not carried along and have expressed reservations over how the defection happened, especially the governor’s remarks.

After receiving the PDP membership form, Obaseki said: “I know that upon taking up membership of this party, I automatically become the leader of the party in the state. That is the constitution; I read it thoroughly last night (Thursday).

“I want to assure all of you that I am prepared to provide leadership. I am prepared to provide a leadership that will lead this party to victory and I am prepared to provide a leadership that will not only put PDP in office in Edo State but as the ruling party in Edo State.”“One of the aggrieved stakeholders picked holes in the comment.““What he said was very revealing and disturbing. Who joins a party and automatically becomes the leader? 

Even if that is what will be, Obaseki should have been more discreet. It shows he is coming to the party to displace those who have worked for years to build the structure.

“He is going to plant his people everywhere, thereby suffocating those who have toiled for the party even in opposition,” he lamented.“Another stakeholder added: “It is just about him and his ambition. It is not about the party structure. He simply wants to use our platform to fulfil his ambition and move on. This is a great danger that will boomerang for the party.”

Fearing that the development might hurt existing cohesion in the PDP, which under the leadership of  immediate past chairman,  Dan Orbih, won four of the nine House of Representatives slots at the last National Assembly elections, two of the three senatorial seats and did well in the 2016 governorship poll, despite facing a ruling party with federal machinery,  a stakeholder said it was not yet late to make amends.

“So, to give Obaseki the impression he is coming to help us is false because if not for federal power, PDP routed APC in 2016. Rather, he is the one that needs us. The notion that he is a big fish is just nothing but guesswork,” he said.

Indeed, PDP leaders and Obaseki are expected to ensure that the rough edges are smoothed as the growing disquiet may affect the party’s chances at the poll if long-standing members feel sidelined and unappreciated.

Many of them, sources said, may not work for the PDP in the September 19 governorship poll.

One of the party members said:  “Our party feels we will just win by fielding Obaseki as a sitting governor but it is not true. 

Look, APC knew why they rejected him. He hasn’t sorted out his qualifications issue. 

Supposing he even manages to win, do you think the APC won’t cash in on that to file suits against him? Where will that leave us as party members and stakeholders?”

No stepping down for Obaseki — Imasuangbon

Indeed, one of the three PDP aspirants who will contest the party’s ticket with Obaseki, Mr. Kenneth Imasuangbon, weekend, agreed with the views of the aggrieved stakeholders and vowed  not to step down for Obaseki.

Imasuangbon, who lost the 2016 APC ticket to Obaseki, told Vanguard on phone: “I cannot step down for Obaseki, he should be the one to step down for me. I am not going to step down for anybody. We have concluded congress before Obaseki came.

“The action by those calling for a step down must be condemned by all; it is wicked and undemocratic. The military can’t do this; we don’t have democracy in Nigeria, what we have is autocracy. There is no morality in all this. He (Obaseki) can’t push my dream of 16 years away. Thank God for the position of Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, who said he needs peace to prevail and that there should be no godfatherism.

“It is not about pressure but about doing the right thing in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, due process and the Electoral Act.

According to him: “It is disappointing and a big shame in Edo state and the entire nation and it portends danger for the country and the party. Nigerians should rise up against what is happening, we are not in the jungle, it is no do or die affair but about the process. It is totally unacceptable.

Vanguard