Nigerian Gazette

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has called on President Mohammadu Buhari to listen to the cries of Nigerians and stop seeing those with opinions different from his own as threats to his hold on power, saying; “The reality our President must face now is that there is too much hunger in the land, Nigerians are hungry, they are suffering and the President should rather  listen to those who are more knowledgeable than him in terms of management of the country’s economy instead of seeing them as threats.” The governor, who said reactions of the President and his men to divergent opinions had become predictable, added that; “this style of sending the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS) and other agencies of the federal government against anyone that offers suggestions on how to rescue the country from total collapse is not in the be...

Controversy rocking the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has taken another dimension completely as aggrieved members who sacked Mr. Isaac Kekemeke as the state party chairman, have turned the party Secretariat along Oyemekun road Akure, the state capital, to Ogun (god of iron) shrine with symbols of palm fronts and the likes tied across the length and breadth of the sealed Secretariat. It was gathered that the aggrieved party members have made up their minds to keep the Secretariat under lock and key until the wish and decision of the majority in the party is allowed to stay. The latest look of the Secretariat caught attention of the passersby early hour of today as the god of iron was well placed in front of the locked gate of the party Secretariat. Speaking with one of the onlookers who refused to mention his name to our correspondent, he said, “Ondo APC can no longer trust Kekemeke. He has betrayed us already and we are ready to take this protest to ...

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has condemned the Tuesday’s invasion and seal off of the residence of former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso by armed policemen to prevent a mass wedding programme, reiterating his earlier warning that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its supporters have built dictatorship round President Muhammadu Buhari by not joining other Nigerians to condemn his undemocratic acts. The governor, who said he was more concerned about the rape of democracy and the rule law under the APC government of President Buhari, added that; “The fact that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is of the ruling APC should worry well-meaning Nigerians because it appears no one will be spared by this anti-democracy agents that have taking over Nigeria.” In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, by the Special Assistant to governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose wondered where it was written in the laws of Nigeria th...

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has lend his voice to those of other Nigerians calling for the restructuring of the country, saying it was strange that the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was at the fore-front of the agitation for true federalism was now against restructuring as the ruling party. The governor, who hailed the position expressed last Thursday, by the Southwest APC, said the party, must now go beyond playing to the gallery and set machineries in motion to restructure the country. In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said “under the present APC government of President Mohammadu Buhari, Nigeria is returning to full-blown unitary system of government.” He said; “It is on record that the APC said at a debate on ‘Addressing the rising insecurity in Nigeria, what is the master plan?’ organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on Dec...

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Ayodele Fayose has approved the disbursement of 2015 school improvement grants  of N700,000.00 to 120 public secondary and N215,000.00 to 520 primary schools across the state. This was revealed by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Jide Egunjobi on Wednesday 17th August, 2015 at the Sensitisation program organised by the ministry for School based Management Committee of the affected schools at Ministry Conference and Christ School Hall in Ado Ekiti. Egunjobi said Fayose graciously approved the disbursement so that beneficiaries would during the coming holiday procure teaching aides that could positively impart on the performance of students and pupils. He said Governor approved the sensitisation so that there would be transparency in the the procurement of the materials. The materials to be procured are 60 leaves big notes for pupils and students, verbal and qualitative reasoning for pupils, mathematical sets, WAEC/NECO Soluti...

The repeat National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party took place in Port Harcourt on 17th August 2016 despite an order from the pesidency that Sharks Stadium, the venue earlier scheduled to host the event be sealed off by men of the Nigerian Army, an obvious attempt by the APC led federal government to keep the former ruling party off balance perpetually. Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose spoke with news men after the convention at the Rivers State Old Presidential Lodge, Port Harcourt. Excerpts: Your convention still held despite what the police did, what's your reaction to the police's actions It's an unfortunate development in our history, I will term that and this period as  perilous times,  it's a period of sober reflection for our nation. In desperation to kill opposition,  in desperation to make Nigeria  one party state and am glad that most of the things  I alluded to in the earlier part of this administration are gradually coming to pa...

The court said today that by reason of the judgment of Justice Valentine B. Ashi in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1867/2016 filed by Chief Joseph Jero against the PDP, which nullified the ammendment of of the provisions of Article 47 (6) of the PDP constitution 2012, Ali Modu Sheriff was not validly elected as National Chairman of the PDP abinitio. The Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Nwamaka Ogbonnaya re-affirmed sack of Ali Modu Sheriff as Chairman of PDP on the ground that the judgement of Justice Valentine Ashi which nullified his appointment on June 29th still subsists. The court also restrained Sheriff from parading himself as National Chairman of PDP. Ali Modu Sheriff had tried to arrest the judgment today, but the court rejected his application and ruled in favour of the plaintiff. With this judgment, it is now made clearer that Ali Modu Sheriff emergence as PDP National Chairman was a nullity.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said that Nigerians were suffering under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Mohammadu Buhari because “the country is in the hands of wrong managers who do not know what to do and out of nepotism, not ready to be assisted by those who know.” The governor said “presently, Nigerians are suffering, hungry and angry because the APC federal government has run the country aground,” adding that; “Nigeria has gone beyond recession, the economy has collapsed completely and painfully, those who should revive the economy do not have any clue as to what to do.” In a release issue in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said Nigeria was experiencing the worst form of nepotism in the history of government in the country, saying; “nepotism is the reason our President discarded competent people in his party that should be running the government with him a...

An aspirant to the post of PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Funsho Babarinde, JP has charged the party leaders, elders, and delegates to the 2016 National Convention holding in Port Harcourt on the 17th of August 2016 to be fair and sincere in voting for the next set of National Executive of the party, in other for the party to be positioned as credible opposition and better alternative for Nigerians in 2019. "As we journey to Port Harcourt for our party, Peoples Democratic Party's National Convention which comes up on the 17th, I am appealing to all our Elders, Leaders, State Executives and Delegates to be fair and sincere in voting for the next set of National Executive of the party. "It's time we defend and sell our party's policies and programmes instead of defending the personalities of our Leaders. Its time we give Nigerians credible opposition and alternatives, its time to tell the whole world what is right about Nigerians and good governanc...

For the first time since the botched National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike and former National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff met in Abuja today, as part of the party's efforts to ressolve its differences. However, the meeting failed to achieve any truce as Sheriff insisted that the National Convention slated for August 17 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State be postponed for one month, and that he should be the one to hand over to the new National Working Committee. Sources said these conditions, especially one month postponement of the convention were rejected by the governors as tenure of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee will end on August 20. "Postponing the convention is no doubt a trap from Sheriff because by the end of August 20, 2016, the Makarfi Caretaker Committee will seize to exist, thus creati...

The attention of leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to spurious rumour in the online media purporting that the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of our great Party, H. E. Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, CON has suspended or postponed the forthcoming National Convention slated for August 17, 2016 to allow time for more reconciliation on the leadership crisis in the Party. The information is false, null and void and only exists in the imagination of the authors and originators of the rumour. For the umpteenth time, we reiterate there is no change to theAugust 17, 2016 Date slated for the PDP National Convention holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State as approved by the Expanded Caucus of the Party in compliance with the Decision of the National Convention that reconvened itself within Ninety (90) Days. You will recall that the May 21st, 2016 National Convention in Port Harcourt that constituted the PDP National Caretaker Committee mandated it...

Ekiti State government on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with members of  Furniture and Welder Associations in the state on the supply of 1,250 Pupils' Desk and Chairs worth fifty nine million naira (N59m). The event which took place at the Lady Jibowu Hall of the government house had in attendance Chief of Staff to Ekiti State Governor, Barr. Dipo Anisulowo, Ekiti MDG Secretary and Focal Person, Mr. Francis Adumo, Chairman of Association of Ekiti Artisans, Mr. J.O Adu, Chairman of Ekiti Furniture Association, Mr. M.A Adeyemo, Chairman of Ekiti Welders' Association, Pastor John Adekola and other members of the furniture and welders association from across Ekiti State. Chairman of Ekiti  State 2015 MDG Implementation Committee,  Barr. Dipo Anisulowo in his remarks appreciated the furniture association for doing the government  proud in previous engagements, he recalled how Governor Fayose impressed it upon him that on no account should the furniture jobs be gi...

As the 2016 National convention of the main opposition party in Nigeria, PDP draws nearer, special assistant on student matters to Osun state former governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Mr Babarinde Funmiso A. (JP) has declared his interest to contest for the post of Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the People's Democratic Party. Recall that the party had earlier zoned the position to the south alongside Nine other positions including the National Chairmanship position of the party. The party leaders had also met to share the positions among the three zones that consist the southern region: in the arrangement, the chairmanship position, Treasurer, and Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party have been zoned to the southwestern part of the country. Babarinde Funmiso A. (JP) is a middle aged man from Yakooyo town in Ife north LG, area of Osun state with it's headquarters in Ipetumodu. He started his Political career about 26 years ago in the Old Oyo state during t...

Ekiti State government will build cattle ranches across the three senatorial districts of the state. This was made known by the honorable member representing Ikole constituency 1, Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan during a public hearing organized by the joint committees on agriculture and environment on a bill to regulate and control cattle grazing in Ekiti State at the hallowed chamber of the state house of assembly, Ado Ekiti on Wednesday. The hearing had in attendance traditional rulers, representatives from the Agriculture, Environment and Justice ministries. Other participants include representative of security agencies, cattle rearers, vigilantes and other members of the public. Chairman of the committee and deputy speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adewumi Olusegun while declaring the public hearing open recalled how incessant attack on residents of Ekiti by herdsmen in recent time had drawn the attention of Ekiti State government and the need to control their ...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has said that the State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) comment on the purported visit of the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari to the United States of America (USA) as a function of total ignorance and mischief, saying; “Even the Presidency has not told anyone that wife of the President travelled to the USA and in official communications, only ignorant and mischief makers in the APC will belief that a trip to the USA will be made by Mrs Buhari and Nigerians will only get to know about it through online media.” The PDP, which said it would have ignored the APC and allowed those in the party to continue to wallop in their self-deceit, added that “it is only in the world of the APC that wife of the President of Nigeria, the most populous black nation in the world would travel to the USA, ostensibly to debunk her involvement in a major scam and no television station will report her departure and arrival. The question is, d...

A non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development, says it has sued the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Attorney General of the Federation for their failure to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to the United States where he is said to be wanted over alleged drug trafficking offences. The group said in a statement on Wednesday that it filed the fresh suit, numbered FHC/L/CS/1045/2016, against NDLEA and the AGF at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday. AIED said it resorted to filing the suit because it believed that the Federal Government was protecting Kashamu from being extradited to the US, after the US government had requested his extradition. The group said it believed that the failure of the Federal Government to extradite Kashamu would constitute a stumbling block to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s bid to prosecute corrupt ex-government officials who had absconded from the country and recover stolen funds fro...

Prince Dayo Adeyeye The latest attempt by the former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his cohorts is not only to scuttle the forthcoming National Convention but also another clear evidence of his determination to destroy the PDP. The law and the facts are as follows: The ruling of Justice Okon Abang which Ali Modu Sheriff is relying on is a mere narrative of the Case before the Federal High Courts in Lagos and in Port Harcourt Divisions. It does not set aside or nullified the Judgment of Justice Liman which has authenticated the May 21st National Convention and the Resolutions emanating therefrom. The ruling did not anywhere direct INEC to do anything or not to do anything, to discharge or not to discharge any obligation; to perform any function or not to perform any function. In essence, it is a mere legal tale and the Order having been made without any application before him by either of the Parties has no foundation in law. Hon. Justice Valerie Arshi had i...

A political group within South West Caucus of the opposition party, Patriots of Peoples Democratic Party, yesterday said integrity should be the first major quality anyone must posses before such an aspirant should be considered for the post of national chairman. It subsequently declared its support for the candidature of Dr.Jimi Agbaje for the post of national chairman of the party. The group, in a statement signed by Akinbola Babs, its convener copies of which were made available to newsmen in Osogbo, said if Buhari's supposedly 'integrity' could change APC's fortune, then a man of integrity as the chairman of PDP at this moment would bring about change of fortune for good for the party. The statement reads: "PDP as a party must change its way of doing things and re create public perception by shunning people with corrupt tendencies or promoting those with corruption cases to leadership positions. "Against this backdrop, PDP convention committee sh...

Nigeria's government is to resume cash payments to militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta, officials have said. The move is seen as an attempt to curb new attacks which have severely affected oil production in Nigeria. The government stopped the payments in February, resulting in militants accusing it of breaching an amnesty deal negotiated in 2009. The military has carried out several air strikes in the region in an attempt to destroy militant bases. The amnesty programme's spokesman Piriye Kiyaramo initially said the payments, which include tuition for those studying abroad, had been made on Monday, but militants contacted by the BBC said they had yet to receive the money. Mr Kiyaramo later told the BBC that a "hiccup" meant to money would be paid by Tuesday night. "We expect the amnesty to be paid tonight to 30,000 youths involved in the amnesty programme. The Central Bank has released the money," he said. Under the amnesty deal, each mili...

Ekiti North Senatorial District is one district amongst the three in Ekiti State that has not for once lacked representatives who are outspoken and passionate about the development of their constituency. Senator Duro Samuel Faseyi, a former two term House of Representatives member is the Senator representing the good people of Ikole, Oye, Ido/Osi, Ilejemeje and Moba Local Government Areas at the National Assembly. He bore his mind on some matters in the polity to Nigerian Mirror crew Excerpts: NM: You empowered the people of your constituency with various items including cars, tricycle, motor cycle, cash gifts and so on some months back, will that be all for now? Faseyi: That is not all, it is an open ended thing, it is continuous, I have started once again from each local government, we have a lot of unemployed youths and I have to do whatever I can do to lift them. I have started that and we are moving to Ido/Osi, in Ilejemeje I have about 45 youths that I given substanti...

Punch Editorial Board CARRIED to power on a groundswell of goodwill and disgust at the thoroughly corrupt Goodluck Jonathan administration, Muhammadu Buhari appears bent on political self-immolation. While he received massive support from across the country to become President, he is by his appointments, presenting himself as a parochial, sectional leader. For the sake of the country’s corporate survival, he should rise above primordial instincts and become a father to all Nigerians. In his inaugural speech just over a year ago, Buhari promised Nigerians that “having just a few minutes ago sworn on the Holy Book, I intend to keep my oath and serve as President to all Nigerians. I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.”  But too often, the pledge has been honoured in the breach. Buhari’s sectionalism is not only unprecedented, it could not have come at a worse time. The reality today is that Nigerians are deeply divided. Seventeen years of dashed hopes of progress under a demo...

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that there is no court order stopping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Convention scheduled for August 17, 2016 in Port Harcourt. The governor said that the National Convention will hold as scheduled because the court is yet to hear the suit filed by sacked Senator Ali Modu Sheriff challenging the holding of the National convention. Addressing the South-South Executive Committee of the PDP at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday, Governor Wike : "The court could not have sacked Senator Makarfi because it cannot sit on appeal on the judgement of a court of coordinate jurisdiction." He added that there is an application to allow Senator Markafi to be joined as a party in the suit. He said that the suit was adjoined to August 15. According to him, the suit challenging the conduct of the National convention is yet to be entertained by the court. Speaking further, he state...

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has once again been bestowed a chieftaincy title. The title, Atunluse of Esure Ekiti was conferred on him by The Elesure of Esure Ekiti, HRH Oba Adebanji Ajibola and Cheif Olomu Adepoju at a ceremony held on Sunday  within the premises of St. Phillips Catholic Primary School, Esure Ekiti in appreciation of his effort at resolving a leadership tussle that had lasted over fifteen years in the community. Governor Fayose in his acceptance speech recalled that while  former Ondo State governor, Chief Bamidele Olumilua was the first to commission electricity in the town, he(Fayose) was the first to tar the roads linking Esure with other adjoining towns during his first term in office. Not oblivious of how bad the road has become,  the governor promised to do the little he can before the end of his tenure regarding putting the road in good shape. Reiterating the importance of peaceful coexistence in the  development of any community, governor Fay...