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Tag: Governors

  • Obasanjo, Jonathan, Osinbajo, governors attend burial of Udom’s dad(Photos)

    Obasanjo, Jonathan, Osinbajo, governors attend burial of Udom’s dad(Photos)

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan alongside his wife, Patience, on Saturday attended the funeral service of Late Elder Gabriel Emmanuel Nkanang, father of Gov. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom Ibom State.

    The service was conducted by the United Evangelical Church/Qua Iboe Church, Awa-Iman, Onna Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State.

    Born on May 7, 1929, Nkanang passed on Dec. 1, 2019, at the age of 90.

    Serving governors present included Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Ben Ayade of Cross River, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Abubakar Bello of Niger and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto States.

    Other Governors that attended the service were Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun, Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Nyesom Nwike of Rivers States, respectively.

    The President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, and immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki, were also at the event.

    The event also attracted former governors, members of the political class, members of the judiciary and members of the National Assembly, including former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe.

    Members of the Federal Executive Council, service chiefs, clergies and traditional rulers also put in appearance including the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.

  • Nine APC, PDP governors, other dignitaries storm Ekiti for Fayemi’s 55th birthday

    Nine APC, PDP governors, other dignitaries storm Ekiti for Fayemi’s 55th birthday

    Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, was agog on Sunday for the 55th birthday of Governor John Kayode Fayemi.

    Governors, top politicians, monarchs, clerics, friends, students, farmers, the young and the elderly, gaily dressed market men and women as well as other well-wishers accompanied the governor to St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Agere in the capital town.

    The congregation was congenial; it comprised all faith, mostly colleagues and friends of the governor from different parts of the country.

    The Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Revd Emmanuel Badejo, who delivered the sermon, said: “We must roll up our sleeves to support leaders and those who want to create a better society. The light of honesty is disappearing; the light is not going round enough. God is calling on leaders to put people above party, to put people above personal interests because the people come first and they are God’s greatest legacy. Those who fail to do so will become liabilities and thrown into the dustbin of history,” he said.

    Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), reiterated his promise to dedicate the rest of his life to the service of God and humanity.

    “All of the challenges will not go away overnight but you should believe that God is the one that can always use those of us that have been given grace to lead, to be of service to all His children. We have no choice than to continue to commit ourselves to the service of God,” he said.

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal described Fayemi as “a governor, who is not partisan and has proven himself to be pan-Nigeria and has a relationship with everyone, regardless of political affiliation”.

    Dignitaries at the celebration included Governors Okeize Ikpeazu (Abia), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Jide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Dr Hadiza Balarabe, Kaduna State Deputy Governor.

    Others included Ekiti State Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi, former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, former Osun State Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore, former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Bawa Bwari and Vice-President of Kings College, London, Prof Funmi Olonisakin, who chaired the panel of discussion at the event’s colloquium.

    Yoruba leaders at the event included erudite historian Prof Banji Akintoye and Afenifere leader Pa Ayo Fasanmi as well as former deputy governors Prof Modupe Adelabu and Abiodun Aluko.

    Others are: the Archbishop of Ondo Anglican Diocese, Bishop Christopher Omotunde; Bishop of Ekiti Catholic Diocese, Bishop Felix Ajakaiye and traditional leaders in the state, led by their chairman, Oba Ajibade Alabi.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, the party said: “…In his current assignment as the Chairman of the cross-partisan NGF, Dr. Fayemi has, unarguably, positioned the forum to work constructively with the President Muhammadu Buhari government to rebuild our dear country.”

    The Northern Governor’s Forum (NGF), led by its Chairman and Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong said: “Fayemi has given his best to the nation and Ekiti State by deploying his vast academic and social activism endowments in addressing critical challengesl.”

    Akeredolu said: “Ekiti State, you have somebody you should be proud of. You have JKF: he is a pride to Ekiti and all of us are proud of him. Great friends are few and far between. Kayode, you are a great friend and you will remain a friend forever and a brother always.”

    Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello wrote: “No doubt, this day is yet another significant milestone in the journey of your life and I join other colleague governors across the states of the federation to heartily rejoice with the calm, calculated and soft-spoken Chairman of our forum.”

    Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola said: “Our Chairman, on behalf of my family, the government and people of the State of Osun, I congratulate you on your birthday, and I pray that the Almighty God will never cease to bless you immensely.”

  • Minimum wage: Labour prepares for showdown with 15 governors as deadline expires

    Organized labour has commenced mobilization of workers in 15 states of the federation for a strike to press home demand for the full implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000.

    The states, according to labour sources, are yet to demonstrate enough commitment in keying into the new dispensation.

    The bone of contention in most of the states is the consequential adjustment of the new salary structure.

    Sources said labour leaders had been placed on standby for an industrial action.

    The states were given up till on Friday to conclude negotiation on the matter.

    However, it was gathered last night that many of the affected states were making frantic efforts to avert a showdown with workers.

    The states are: Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Cross River, Zamfara, Gombe, Taraba, Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Kwara, and Nasarawa.

    Some of the governors started negotiations a few days before the original deadline of December 31, 2019 set by labour.

    But when it dawned on labour that some of the states had not gone far in their negotiation with their members, a grace period of one month was given to the governors by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to wrap up negotiations.

    Although, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State started paying the new minimum wage, especially for the low cadre of workers last October, negotiation with labour on consequential adjustment for other categories of workers is still on.

    Secretary-General of TUC, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, in an interview, said on Friday that the union was expecting feedback from all the states on the implementation of the minimum wage.

    Ozigi said state council chairmen of the TUC would turn in their reports tomorrow.

    According to him, the National Administrative Council (NAC) led by its President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, would meet any moment from now to assess compliance by state governors.

    He said the NAC would then decide the next line of action after the review of reports from its state councils.

    The secretary-general said the union was ready for “recalcitrant governors” who fail to implement the new wage for workers in their states.

    Ozigi said: “We gave them (state governors) January 31 to implement and so far, we are compiling our results. Anytime from now, the NEC will meet to decide what to do with each of the states that has not complied.

    “The January 31 was a grace period for them (state governors) to have done that (implement the minimum wage) and they have not done it. Those ones that have not done it, the NAC is meeting to decide what to do in each of those states.

    “Already, all our state council members have been put on notice. Having done the assessment by the NAC meeting, of course any action can be taken in any of the states that is still faulting.

    “The President of the TUC and the council (NAC) will meet to take that decision but we are still working on it.

    “All we want to do is to get feedback from all the states. We are waiting for all the states to get the report by tomorrow then NAC will meet to take the next decision.

    “All the state councils are on alert, waiting for direction from the NAC headed by the president.”

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba, could not be reached for comments yesterday.

    However, an NLC source said that the union has fixed its own NAC meeting for Tuesday,February 4, 2020 in Abuja where a final decision on the implementation of the minimum wage will be taken.

    The highly placed source said state council chairmen of the NLC had been placed on alert ahead of the final decision of the NAC.

    The source said the NLC will use the meeting to “firm up a line of action on what to be done to recalcitrant governors who are yet to begin payment of the new wage.”

    The source also said that affiliate unions in the states had been mobilized to ensure that the proposed strike was total and effective.

  • Falana urges governors to enact laws for operation of Amotekun

    Falana urges governors to enact laws for operation of Amotekun

    Activist-Lawyer Femi Falana has advised Southwest governors to enact laws to legitimise Operation Amotekun.

    In a statement in Lagos on Tuesday, Falana urged the governors to forward a bill to the Houses of Assembly of their respective states for the establishment of Amotekun.

    The statement said: “In the absence of an enabling legal instrument for the establishment, structure, functions, control, funding and Operation of Amotekun, the various interest groups have continued to express divergent views on the needless controversy that has trailed the official inauguration of the security outfit.

    “On their own part, the south west governors have been assuring the Federal Government that Amotekun is not a regional paramilitary organisation but a zonal security outfit being set up to assist the Police and other security agencies in combating incessant killings, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes that are on the ascendancy due in the region due to the negligence of the federal government to effectively police the country.

    “Apart from those who are strenuously opposed to Amotekun, the concerned people in the Southwest who have embraced the security initiative are entitled to know the law setting it up. “

    “Therefore, the attorneys-general in the states in the zone should be saddled with the urgent responsibility of ensuring that the enabling laws for amotekun are enacted by the respective houses of assembly without any further delay.

    “The Lagos State Neighbourhood Watch Law coupled with the Lagos State Security Trust Fund Law may be modified or adopted for Amotekun.Once the laws are enacted the federal government will be at liberty to test the constitutional validity of Amotekun in the Supreme Court.

  • Forget alternate security plans, Military tells governors after meeting Buhari

    The military high command seems to have sealed the fate of state governments seeking to establish their own security outfit, with an admonition to such states on Friday to forget their move.

    The service chiefs, rising from a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, advised all Nigerians and other “stakeholders, local and state governments, to join hands with the Armed Forces of Nigeria to ensure that our country is secured rather than looking at other methods that are likely going to negate the national community policing policy that the federal government has approved.”

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

    Abubakar’s admonition is seen as a veiled reference to the setting up of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Operation Amotekun.

    The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had earlier, on Tuesday, declared Operation Amotekun as illegal because “it runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian law.”

    Malami’s statement has been dismissed as illogical and inconsequential by many prominent Nigerians and groups.

  • Amotekuun not different from IPOB – Northern Youths

    The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has faulted the creation of Amotekun in the South-West, claiming it is not different from the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    Recall tha TheNewsguru, TNG reported that the Amotekun was launched in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday as part of measures to curb crime in Yoruba land.

    But the NYCN in a statement faulted the move, describing Amotekun as the “military wing” of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).

    “Amotekun group in the South-West is OPC military wing in disguise and in the same league with the proscribed IPOB. The President must not allow this unconstitutionality to prevail,” the body said.

    “The South-West governors must desist from backing nefarious groups such as this one. Amotekun is a threat to peace and national security and an attempt to jeopardise Nigeria’s sovereignty. Amotekun is no different from Boko Haram and IPOB in their formative stages.”

    Furthermore, the group said: “Nigeria Police, DSS and Army shouldn’t take this lightly with the governors of the Southwest.

    “The National Security Adviser should promptly take steps that will avert the looming threat to our national security that is about to be threatened by the South-West governors, OPC and others.”

  • Buhari allays fears, says troops withdrawal from troubled communities will be gradual

    President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured Nigerians that withdrawal of the military from areas where peace had been restored will not be done in a manner that will expose communities to more risks of attacks.

    The president said the withdraw exercise will be gradual and carefully planned, not abrupt or arbitrary to jeopardise the success already recorded by the military.

    Reacting to concerns and appeals from governors and community leaders over the proposed withdrawal, Buhari said the “administration will not abandon citizens in need of protection.”

    He urged Nigerians, especially public affairs analysts, to carefully study the statement following a security council meeting with service chiefs that the withdrawal of troops would be done after an “assessment” to determine areas where peace had returned to enable civil authorities assume full control.

    Buhari said where it is determined that the withdrawal would not in any way jeopardize peace already achieved, the military pull out would be in a careful and gradual way.

    “You don’t need to worry. We will not expose our people and their communities to harm or danger,” the President assured.

    “The withdrawal is to allow the military focus on its primary duty of defending the nation against external aggression. It is the duty of the police to handle internal security since Nigeria is not at war.

    “The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will support the police to provide internal security. When it is time to withdraw, nothing will be rushed,’’ he added.

  • Labour gears up, set to war with ‘disobedient’ governors

    Labour gears up, set to war with ‘disobedient’ governors

    Organized Labour on Friday said it was ready to go to war with any governor that fails to implement the N30,000 minimum wage and the consequential adjustment that follows for workers in their states.

    President Muhammadu Buhari signed the new minimum wage Act into law on April 18, 2019.

    Six months after Buhari signed the Act into law, the Federal Government and organised labour, agreed to 23.2 per cent increase for workers on level seven and 20 per cent for workers on level eight, while it agreed on 19 per cent increase for workers on level nine.

    Also, both the government and organised labour reached an agreement on 16 per cent salary increase for workers on levels 10 to 14 and 14 per cent increase for workers on levels 15 to 17.

    With labour reaching agreement with government at the national level, the battle shifted to the states.

    Only five states-Kaduna, Kebbi, Lagos, Adamawa and Jigawa-have commenced implementation and payment of the new wage after it was signed into law in April.

    Other states are yet to show full commitment, forcing labour to issue a December 31 deadline for full implementation of the new minimum wage, including the consequential adjustments by the remaining states.

    The deadline will expire on Tuesday.

    The Secretary-General of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said any governor that fails to implement or show commitment before the Tuesday deadline would be deemed to have declared war against labour.

    Ozigi, in an interview in Abuja on Friday, said organised labour would decide on how to handle recalcitrant state governors who fail to implement the new wage at the end of the December 31 deadline.

    He said: “Most states are working hard. Let us see how they go. Deadline does not mean that if it expires we will take action immediately. It simply means that the grace period is over and anything can happen thereafter.

    “In other words, when you give a deadline or an ultimatum, once it expires, it does not mean you will take action immediately.

    “It simply means that the grace period given to government is over. From that moment, you will not be held for any action.

    “On the minimum wage, we are also watching. I can assure you that by the end of next week, if any state governor has not done anything relating to the minimum wage he has only declared war against labour and we know what to do.

    “We are listening to every state to know exactly what is happening so that it will give us opportunity to prepare for the worst case ahead.

    “We know most states have started, especially in the north and south. But by Tuesday, we would have been able to gather our data to know the next line of action.

    “Even some states have set up their own committee to ensure that within one week they finish. That means they also have that Tuesday (deadline) in mind.”

    The secretary-general urged any state governor who cannot pay the new minimum wage to quit.

    He said it was too late for state governors to use the call for a review for revenue sharing formula as an excuse not to pay the new minimum wage.

    Ozigi said: “Any governor that feels he can use that (revenue formula) as an excuse to pay is calling for labour action.

    “We do not want to pre-empt anybody, but we have told them very clearly it is either you do what is right or stay out of power and let somebody who can do it come there, and we have not changed the position.

    “Any governor that is not prepared to pay minimum wage has no business in government.

    “That is the basic principle on which we stand, and from Tuesday you will see reaction.

    “But I can assure you it will not be immediate, because we need to go back to our people (labour leaders) to decide what kind of plan we are going to use to deal with that kind of governor.”

  • No state will pay less than N30,000 minimum wage – Governors

    No state will pay less than N30,000 minimum wage – Governors

    Nigeria governors said they cannot backtrack on their decision to pay the N30,000 minimum wage, describing it as “a settled matter”.

    NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti, Dr Kayode Fayemi made the clarification in Abuja while answering questions from newsmen at the end of the forum meeting held at forum Secretariat in Abuja.

    Fayemi denied the allegation by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that many governors were yet to commence negotiations with their state chapters’ union over the implementation, saying negotiations have started in each state.

    “Governors have all indicated without any equivocation that we subscribe to the Act of Parliament that has been passed on the 30,000 minimum wage. There is no debate, we have accepted that” Fayemi said.

    “The negotiation team you are talking about is about the consequential impact and each state has started that process.

    “If the NLC is not fully aware of the status of the negotiations in the various state we will be happy to share the information available to us with them.”

    Fayemi also stated that there is no decision by the NGF to backtrack the minimum wage even though not all states can afford it but they will all pay the N30,000 and some might pay more.

    “However, fingers are not equal, states have to negotiate in term of the consequential implementation, there may be states that are in a position to pay N50,000, ” Fayemi said.

    “What we can tell you is that no state we pay less than, N30,000 when we finally get to that point.”

  • ‘Governors plotting to oust Oshiomhole, crown Yari as APC chair’

    Former lawmaker representing Zamfara East Senatorial District, Kabir Marafa has said some governors are plotting to replace Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with AbdulAziz Yari, former governor of Zamfara state.

    Marafa made the statement while speaking with journalists in Zamfara on Friday.

    Marafa alleged that the governors are out to take control of the structures of the ruling party. He added that they are indirectly targetting President Muhammadu Buhari with the aim to make the president and his supporters politically irrelevant before the 2023 general election.

    Marafa, however, refused to disclose the identities of the governors.

    Marafa said: “The fight is not against Oshiomole, it is actually against the president himself. It is only that they don’t have the guts to say it now, but they will when the time is ripe.

    “It is evident that the plot to unseat Comrade Adams Oshiomole by a gang of President Buhari’s adversaries has thickened. This plot is merely aimed at hijacking the party structures and handing it over to Yari – who till now is the arrowhead of all the people that harbour a lot of bitterness against the president.

    “The Governors in concert with their cronies, within and outside the party, are doing everything possible to hijack the party structures to ensure that the president and his sympathisers are edged out of power equation in 2023.”

    Marafa asked the president to be wary of Yari, citing instances in the past where he (Yari) “acted against Buhari”.

    “Yari and his co-travelers’ stock in trade is treachery and backstabbing. The earlier the president and his men realizes it and act accordingly, the better for them and the party itself,” he said.

    “Remember 2003 when the president and his party the ANPP lost the general election? While the president and his men were nursing the wound of losing the election, one of the ANPP Governors now a major pillar of Yari’s support and collaborator, was sighted on national television cutting PDP Victory cake in the Villa! That is how all of them are.

    “All these machinations are geared toward hijacking the party or bouncing back to relevance and once that is done, the party’s future is doomed. President Buhari should buckle up to save the party from falling into the hands of his adversaries in his own best interest, the interest of the party, and that of the nation in general.

    “The party is built on justice, equity and fairness and that will surely be eluded if the likes of Yari are allowed to succeed. Make no mistake sir, those asking for Oshiomhole’s head today, are actually looking for your jugular.”

    Recall that the clash between Marafa and Yari made the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take control of Zamfara, which was a stronghold of the APC.