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Tag: Aides

  • Fubara, aides denied entry into Rivers Assembly over budget re-presentation

    Fubara, aides denied entry into Rivers Assembly over budget re-presentation

    Rivers State Governor,Siminialayi Fubara and his entourage have been denied entry into the Assembly Quarters of the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

    The Governor and some members of his executive council, arrived the quarters in the morning of Wednesday but met the gate locked.

    Fubara, who wore a white outfit with a red cap, said he was at the Assembly Quarters to re-present the 2026 Appropriation Bill in line with the Supreme Court’s judgement.

    Two key officials, who accompanied the Governor to the quarter, where the House of Assembly is located along Aba Road, were the Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo.

    The governor could be heard saying: “Is the gate locked” before speaking on the reason for his visit.

    He complained that he was at the House of Assembly quarters to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill in line with the Supreme Court’s judgement, but met the gate to the Assembly locked.

    The Governor said he had made a lot of efforts to reach Rivers Speaker and other lawmakers to no avail.

    Fubara said he also sent a letter to the Speaker for an invitation to re+present the budget but has got no reply, adding that he was only acting for the interest of the state.

    The Governor said: “I came here this morning with few of my EXCO members to comply with the Supreme Court judgment. Before my arrival I have made several attempts by phone call to reach the Speaker and other members.

    “I also did a letter personally which was transmitted to the Hon. Speaker for this particular invitation. But it is unfortunate that at the gate, the place is completely sealed, and there is no sign that anything is going to happen today.

    “The reason why we are doing this, like I have always said is the interest of our people which is the most important thing. Well I don’t think there is anything to worry about, maybe they are working on the letter, and I expect to hear from them may be after this hour”.

  • Benue gov, Alia’s aides disagree over revenue collection

    Benue gov, Alia’s aides disagree over revenue collection

    Aides of Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue have been enmeshed in serious disagreement over who should collect revenue in the State Ministry of Education.

    The Commissioner of Education and Knowledge Management, Rev. Frederick Ikyaan, and the Director General (D-G) Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), Dr Terna Francis, are at the centre of the squabble.

    In a series of letters exchanged between the two top aides, they all insisted on the collection of the revenue on behalf of the government.

    Kyaan, in a letter to education stakeholders titled “Strong Directive” and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Helen Nambativ, categorically told the schools not to conduct any financial transaction with the bureau.

    He also directed the stakeholders to resist every attempt by BEQA staff to confiscate the federal and Benue governments approved school records.

    “The Ministry of Education has been inundated with complaints of seizures of government-approved records contrary to its directives, which were in line with the 2024/2025 budget, the ministry defended.

    “In view of the above, I have been directed by the honourable commissioner to cautiously inform you that the Ministry of Education has at no time mandated BEQA to collect her revenue.

    “That henceforth, you are strongly cautioned not to transact financial deals with BEQA. You are to resist every attempt by BEQA staff to confiscate the federal and Benue State governments approved school records,” the letter reads.

    However, in response to the ministry’s letter, the BEQA director general stated categorically that the bureau was not under the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management.

    Francis, in his letter titled “Re: Strong Directive,” said the bureau was established by the governor through an executive order issued on December 8, 2023, published and gazetted in the same year.

    He said that according to the order, existing Quality Assurance Departments/Directorates under the ministry, along with other departments performing quality assurance functions within the Benue education sector, shall be merged into BEQA, which would continue to carry out its functions.

    “Let it be made abundantly clear that BEQA is not under the Ministry of Education, and the director general is directly answerable to the office of the governor.

    “BEQA, being a bureau, has a separate budget, distinct from that of the ministry. It is established as an independent body to curb corruption, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure effectiveness in monitoring and evaluation towards an upliftment of education standards.

    “BEQA is empowered to maintain appropriate policies pertaining to quality assurance.

    “No one is contesting the position of the ministry on policy matters affecting the state. There are six other departments and many parastatals in the ministry with so many other broad responsibilities.

    “It is only the department of quality assurance that has been taken away. There is still so much the ministry can focus on doing to improve education in the state,” he stated in his letter.

    Francis said that the executive order also empowered BEQA to produce and circulate all school records and guidelines.

    “It is essential to understand that when a governor makes a public pronouncement or issues an executive order, public servants and all responsible are expected to comply without challenge.

    “Executive orders are official documents and laws that outline the policies, procedures, or actions the governor wishes to implement.

    “Challenging or attempting to alter an executive order can lead to serious consequences,” he added.

  • Ondo Governor, Aiyedatiwa appoints five aides hours after taking oath of office

    Ondo Governor, Aiyedatiwa appoints five aides hours after taking oath of office

    Few hours after being sworn in as the Governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has appointed five new aides

    This development was  was made available to pressmen in a statement on Wednesday by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Omojuwa Olusegun.

    According to the statement, Aiyedatiwa appointed a seasoned journalist, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, as his Chief Press Secretary and Sunday Abire as Special Assistant on New Media.

    Ebenezer Adeniyan was, until his new appointment, Publisher of Trace News magazine.

    Others were Abire Sunday, Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Smart Omodunbi, Special Assistant on Political Matters, Monturayo Oyedele, Special Assistant on Photography and Temitayo Iperepolu, Special Assistant on Domestic and Government House.

    Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Ondo state governor on Union Matters and special duties, Dare Aragbaye, has tendered his resignation.

    According to the letter addressed to the Secretary to the State Government SSG and dated December 27, Aragbaye said he was resigning because of the death of the governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

    The letter reads, “l write to refer to the subject above and to resign my appointment as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters and Special Duties with effect from today, Wednesday, 27 December, 2023.

  • Benue gov, Alia appoints board members, heads of govt. agencies, 12 aides

    Benue gov, Alia appoints board members, heads of govt. agencies, 12 aides

    Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia approved the appointment of 12 new aides, three board members, and four heads of parastatal agencies on Friday in Makurdi.

    His media aide, Mr Tersoo Kula stated that the governor charged the appointees to always put the state first in their official engagements.

    Those appointed were a director-general for the Bureau of Special Projects and Infrastructure and a manager of the state-owned Novus Microfinance Bank.

    The governor also appointed a director-general for the Bureau of Agricultural Development and a director-general for the Education Quality Assurance Agency.

    He appointed a chairman and members of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board and those of the Muslim counterpart

    Gov. Alia also appointed a chairperson and members of the State Universal Basic Education Board and 12 aides attached to the offices of the deputy governor and his wife.

  • Tinubu approves appointment of 18 aides for VP Shettima [Full list]

    Tinubu approves appointment of 18 aides for VP Shettima [Full list]

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 18 Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants to actualize the agenda of the Federal Government across the different sectors of the economy.

    The team comprising 6 Special Advisers and 12 Senior Special Assistants will work in the office of the Vice President, supporting the “Renewed Hope” agenda of the Tinubu administration.

    The appointments in the Vice President’s office includes; Rukaiya El-Rufai, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on NEC & Climate Change; Tope Kolade Fasua as Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on Economic Matters; Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser (SAD), General Duties; Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Special Adviser (SAD) on Political Matters, and Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on PEBEC & Investment.

    Others include, Sadiq Wanka, Special Adviser (SAD) to the President on Power Infrastructure; Usman Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration & Office Coordination; Kingsley Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications; Ishaq Ahmed Ningi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media & Emergency Management; Peju Adebajo, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Investment & Privatisation; Mohammed Bulama, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political/Special Duties; Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Agricbusiness & Productivity Enhancement; Gimba Kakanda, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Research & Analytics, and Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Job Creation & MSMEs.

    Nasir Yammama, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Innovation; Zainab Yunusa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on NEC; Mariam Temitope, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Regional Development Programmes, and Bashir Maidugu, Deputy State House Counsel (Senior Special Assistant to the President), completes the list of appointments in the Vice President’s office.

  • Bayelsa PDP youth leader, top aides to Gov. Diri dump PDP

    Bayelsa PDP youth leader, top aides to Gov. Diri dump PDP

    Some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa, including the party’s Youth Leader, Nunieh Odede, have dumped the party.

    Odede and others switched allegiance from Gov. Douye Diri to the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, ahead of the November 11 poll in the state.

    In a handwritten letter sighted on Monday in Yenagoa, Odede announced his resignation from PDP while other principal aides of the governor also resigned their positions to campaign for Sylva.

    A statement signed on Monday by Sylva’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Julius Bokoru, confirmed that Odede held a meeting with the APC governorship hopeful.

    Bokoru quoted Odede as saying at the meeting: “We have spent years with the PDP and we built the party to where it is.

    “It is imperative we move on now in the light of what is happening in the state.

    “Bayelsa is in comatose and we cannot keep doing the old things and expect to get it right.

    “Our resignation from PDP, honestly, is to save our dear state from further ruins.”

    The statement also quoted Sylva to have commended the courage of Odede and other defectors, who chose the progress and development of the state over selfish gains.

    According to the statement, Sylva said: “Youths are always the driving force of every society, youths also embody and give a trajectory of what the future would look like.

    “Your decisions today is heroic and selfless.

    “You have placed state over self and beyond even the elections.

    “You instil in us all that Bayelsa state is bound to do well”.

    The statement listed those who defected from PDP to APC to include the Director, Bayelsa State Evironmental Authority, Abiah Oyisor, the Governor’s Representative, Yenegoa Local Government Area, Ayaye Obuma.

    The other aides to the governor were Itu Goodluck, Timipa Ile
    and Olali.

    Bokoru also stated that the defectors would be formally received with thousands of their supporters at a formal endorsement ceremony.

    He added that the defection further dimished Diri’s chances of winning Yenagoa, the capital city, especially the Epie/Atissa kingdoms, where he claimed that Sylva was making significant inroad.

    The statement also confirmed that the APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Joshua Maciver, recently received thousands of defectors from Sagbama LGA and the home of Diri’s Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

  • Adeleke warns aides, board chairmen against rivalry, incompetence

    Adeleke warns aides, board chairmen against rivalry, incompetence

    Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has warned his newly inaugurated special advisers against engaging in any form of rivalry, incompetence and fraudulent conducts.

    Adeleke gave the warning during the inauguration of 47 Special Advisers, board Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen.

    ”You have to avoid infighting and work harmoniously with commissioners. Also remember that this government does not tolerate inompetence and corruption.

    ”You have to be above board. Dedicate your time to the service of the people. You must observe the rule of law and due process,” he said.

    Adeleke further said that any appointee found formenting trouble would be sacked, saying,” I expect cordial working relationship”.

    The governor said that the scorecard of every appointee would be periodically reviewed to ensure optimal performance.

    He said the business of governance does not require unnecessary distractions but total commitment to service delivery.

    ”We have many serious issues to handle. It will be useless to spend time on avoidable distractions,” he said.

    According to reports, out of the inaugurated serving aides, 10 are in cabinet ranks while the remaining 37 are non-cabinet members.

    Adeleke had on July 19, inaugurated 25 commissioners.

    The inauguration is coming about eight months after his swearing-in as governor on Nov. 27, 2022.

  • Oyo governor, Makinde appoints Ogunwuyi, Olarenwaju as aides

    Oyo governor, Makinde appoints Ogunwuyi, Olarenwaju as aides

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, has appointed his first set of aides that will work with him in his second tenure.

    The governor made the announcements shortly after his swearing-in on ceremony on  Monday for another term.

    Makinde announced the appointment of Segun Ogunwuyi as his Chief of Staff and Sulaiman Olanrewaju, as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS).

    Olanrewaju until his appointment was the Business Editor with Nigerian Tribune newspapers.

    Ogunwuyi’s first assignment was the announcement of the dissolution of Park Management System (PMS)

    The terse statement reads, “I have the directive of the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde to inform you of the dissolution of the Disciplinary Committee, Park Management System with immediate effect from today, Monday, 29th May, 2023”.

  • 2023: 2 Tambuwal’s aides, scores defect to APC in Sokoto

    2023: 2 Tambuwal’s aides, scores defect to APC in Sokoto

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State had received two Special Assistants of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and scores of other members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

    Bashar Abubakar, the Special Adviser to Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto North), the party’s leader in the state, said this in a statement he issued on Tuesday in Sokoto.

    According to Abubakar, the Special Assistants were: Alhaji Abdullahi Jabo and Hajiya Hafsatu Tudun-Wada, from Tambuwal and Sokoto South Local Government Areas, respectively.

    He said Jabo and his supporters were received by Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu and Alhaji Idris Gobir, the state APC governorship candidate and his running mate, respectively.

    “Hajiya Hafsatu Tudun-Wada and scores of her supporters were received by the wife of the gubernatorial candidate, Hajiya Fatima Aliyu at a separate occasion,” Abubakar said.

    The special assistant added that other PDP members and stakeholders recently received by the APC were from Sokoto North and Wamakko LGAs.

    He said all the new members were warmly received and assured of equal treatment with other members of the party, while declaring their total support towards the success of APC at all levels.

  • Attack on Senator Ubah: All the aides killed identified

    Attack on Senator Ubah: All the aides killed identified

    No fewer than  10 persons have been reportedly killed in the convoy of the senator representing Anambra South, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah during the attack on the Senator’s convoy on Sunday evening.

    It was gathered that the deceased persons have been identified.

    However, the Anambra state police command had in a phone call with its spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, denied knowledge of the exact number of persons killed.

    Sources privy to the information said that about 10 persons died in what looked like an assassination attempt on the Senator.

    The source hinted that Senator Ubah’s Personal treasurer Ikechukwu Odum and personal Assistant Goodness Mathias may have been feared killed.

    “Another man killed, who was not in the convoy of the Senator was identified as Onowu Agu-Ukwu Nri. He is said to be a titled chief in neighbouring Nri community, and had just driven to Enugwu-Ukwu to drop someone who visited him, who would be traveling to Lagos this morning, and he was unlucky to be at that point at the time when Senator Ubah was going to be attacked.

    “He was driving a big jeep, so the assassins may have thought he was in the same convoy with the senator, and he was gunned down.”

    Other people identified to have been killed were six Mobile policemen who were riding in the convoy of the Senator, and a driver, who was said to be driving one of Ubah’s cars.

    Another source said that the gunmen riddled every car on Ubah’s convoy with bullet thereby giving an impression it was an attempt to murder the Senator.

    “In the confusion yesterday, all the cars were just jamming each other. Since the vehicle the senator was driving in was a bullet proof car, his driver managed to manoeuver out of the damaged cars and drove away, even as it was being shot,” the source narrated.