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Tag: Members

  • TAMPAN sets up fund to cater for ill members

    TAMPAN sets up fund to cater for ill members

    Bolaji Amusan, president of Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), has announced that the association has started an endowment fund to cater to the wellbeing of its members.

    According to NAN, Amusan, who is popularly known as Mr Latin, spoke on Friday during the opening ceremony of the conference of Nigerian arts and films (CONAF) held in Abeokuta.

    He said the era of going on social media to seek assistance for members in need is over, adding that the fund will cater to ailing members.

    The ace actor also said the structure of the endowment fund was premised on strict contractual obligations and rules.

    “The fund is to serve as rescue fund for the treatment of any of our ailing members, instead of exposing such and begging for assistance on social media,” he said.

    Amusan said the fund will help to create exposure for budding talents and promote creativity through capacity building and sharing of new knowledge.

    The TAMPAN president disclosed that it is important to tackle the challenges of making films with good content that would become tangible assets to sufficiently sustain members’ royalty and income throughout their lifetime.

    Amusan also welcomed Kunle Afolayan, the award-winning movie producer, as a full-time member of the association.

    He described Afolayan as a goal-getter and a professional to the core, saying he has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the film industry.

    On his part, Afolayan appreciated TAMPAN for the achievement so far under the leadership of Amusan.

    Afolayan said he had always wanted to contribute in his little way, adding that the opportunity had now presented itself.

    “I support the endowment fund with N500,000, and I want to say that there is a lot we can achieve as an association. All our veterans and fathers started as a group and they succeeded,” he said.

     

  • APC boasts of hitting 20 million membership strength in less than a decade, says Buhari sincere with governance

    APC boasts of hitting 20 million membership strength in less than a decade, says Buhari sincere with governance

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has been sincere in its approach to governance from inception.

    The National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe disclosed this on Monday.

    Akpanudoedehe, who said the party’s membership has hit 20 million, said Buhari’s empathy towards the people has birthed the largest Social Investment Programme (SIP).

    He made the disclosures during a session with the Ambassador of the Republic of China to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun in Abuja.

    According to him, the Communist Party of China shares a lot of similarities with the ruling party.

    He said: “Political parties are by far, the most important ingredient of participatory democracy and should therefore play critical roles in fostering a world of peace, interconnectivity, global trade, and development.

    “Today, technology has created avenues for people to fit into a digital community to which they are mentally connected. This has also brought greater interaction amongst communities, and governments and has enhanced international trade and the exchange of ideas, beliefs and culture across distant localities.

    “The Communist Party of China shares a lot of similarities with the APC. From a membership of less than a 100 persons in 1921 to more than 92 million today, the CPC has led the people of China from poverty to prosperity over the past 100 years.

    “The APC has just been around for less than a decade and we are talking of a membership of over 20 million persons.

    “The CPC-led government of China has fully implemented the 5-sphere integrated plan for promoting economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress, and co-ordinated progress of the 4-pronged comprehensive strategy to build a moderately prosperous society.

    “The APC and the CPC have a lot in common in serving the people.

    “The APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari is very sincere in its approach to governance. His empathy towards the people has birthed the largest social investment programme ever witnessed in this part of the globe.

    “For instance, the COVID-19 loans targeted at SMES that were hit by the pandemic; the N-Power Scheme targeted at persons below 35 years (at N30,000 each and about 2 million young Nigerians have benefitted thus far and the conditional-cash-transfer to the poorest of the poor is also on board.”

    Akpanudoedehe said his mission to the embassy was to ”show comradeship with a view to deepening the relationship that exists between our two great political parties-the Communist Party of China and the APC.”

    On power, Akpanudoedehe said: “The Mambilla Power Project is receiving attention after decades of neglect and holds the potential of ramming up Nigeria‘s electric output by over 12 per cent.

    “Of course, some Chinese companies are involved, as well as the China Exim bank. This is a positive for both countries.”

    Ambassador Jianchun said: “We must uphold mutually beneficial cooperation.

    “The problems facing the world are intricate and complex. With a shared vision, we must mutually beneficial cooperation.

    “Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and an important and strategic ally of China. We need experience sharing on common interests, regional economy and industrial development.”

  • NYSC cautions corps members against wearing mufti in camp

    NYSC cautions corps members against wearing mufti in camp

    The National Youth Service Corps in Gombe State has cautioned corps members against wearing mufti in camp.

    The Camp Director, Alhassan Ndako, made this call while congratulating the 2021 Batch ‘C’ Stream I Corps members on a successful swearing in ceremony.

    This was contained in a statement by the NYSC Gombe State, adding that the management has vowed to deal with corps members who do not wear their kits.

    According to the statement, Ndako dommended the corps members for “exhibiting a high level of discipline so far” while giving a stern warning on the use of mufti, especially in the evenings.

    “Corps members must use the kit items issued to them by NYSC Management and must not use anything other than that. Anyone caught would be dealt with,” the statement quoted him as saying.

    Speaking on COVID-19 prevention measures, Ndako advised corps members on misuse of water, sanitizer and liquid hand wash.

    The swearing ceremony of 1,176 corps members, comprising 562 females and 614 males took place on Tuesday at the temporary orientation campground in Amada Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

     

  • Kidnappers invade Living Faith Church, abduct three members

    Kidnappers invade Living Faith Church, abduct three members

    Three members of the Living Faith Church Worldwide have been kidnapped at Osara community along Lokoja-Okene road in Adavi Local Government Council of Kogi State.

    According to reports the kidnapers invaded the church when some of its members were rehearsing during the weekend.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers shot sporadically into the air to scare away residents and security personnel while whisking the victims into the forest.

    The Chairman of Adavi Local Government Council, Joseph Omuya Salami, confirmed the abduction of three members of the church, through his special adviser on media and publicity, Habeeb Jamiu.

    He said the council chairman had visited the scene in company of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Osara Division, adding that the council was working in synergy with security agents to see how the victims will be rescued.

    “Even before now, we had a series of meetings with the people of Osara Community and entire farm center.

    “And I told them to restrict every night activities for now, and whoever that want to hold any activity in the night should get appropriate quarters informed and also get their approval to ensure that adequate security is provided, but out of their disobedience, they chose otherwise,” the chairman said.

    The chairman, therefore, advised residents of Osara to be security conscious and think about their own safety at all times.

    “We all know the security challenges of this country, and the administration of Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello is doing everything humanly possible to keep Kogi State safe, protect lives and property.

    “So, all hands must be on deck to strengthen the peace in our various communities,” he added.

  • Osun APC caretaker committee secretary, ex-commissioners, others arraigned for allegedly assaulting members

    Osun APC caretaker committee secretary, ex-commissioners, others arraigned for allegedly assaulting members

    The Caretaker Committee Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Mr. Rasaq Salinsile, ex-APC chairman Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, two former commissioners and two ex-executive council (exco) members in the administration of former governor Rauf Aregbesola were yesterday arraigned at an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court.

    Also arraigned were ex-commissioner for Works and Transport Kazeem Salami, former commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs Biyi Odunlade, ex-special adviser to the governor on Taxation Gbenga Akano and two others, namely Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle, on two counts of conspiracy and assault.

    Police prosecutor John Idoko told the court that the defendants and others at large, on August 14, about 1:30pm, at Ogo-Oluwa conspired to unlawfully assault Hamzat Babatunde by hitting him with stones on his head, which caused him harm.

    He said: “The defendants assaulted Ajetumobi Muideen, male, by hitting him with parts of broken plastic chairs on his head, which caused him harm.”

    Idoko said the offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 516 and 355 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. Il laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Defence counsel Muftau Adediran and Abdulfatai Abdulsalam prayed the court to grant the defendants bail in the most liberal term.

    The Magistrate, Dr. Olusegun Ayilara, granted Salinsile, Adebiyi, Salami, Odunlade and Akano bail in the sum of N5millon and self-recognition, while Popoola and Adekunle were granted bail in the sum of N5million and one surety, who must be a civil servant in the state.

    He adjourned the case till September 24.

    When the Appeal Committee of the APC Ward Congress was sitting on August 14, violence erupted at the party’s secretariat and two people were injured, as loyalists of Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and those of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola clashed.

  • Again, PDP loses two prominent members to APC

    Again, PDP loses two prominent members to APC

    The gale of defection hitting Nigeria’s main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be far from over.

    On Saturday, the party again lost two of key members in Adamawa and Imo States to the open arms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The new defectors are Senator Grace Bent and Hillary Ugochukwu.

    Bent, who represented the Adamawa South Senatorial Zonal in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2011 under the PDP, said during a ceremony in which she was received into the APC in Yola on Saturday, that she has had enough of the PDP.

    “After 21 years in the PDP during which I held vital positions, I have decided, after wide consultations, to move on and to do so with progressive people, hence my decision to come into APC,” she said.

    Bent’s reception into the APC was attended by three state governors: Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State and Muhammadu Badaru of Jigawa State. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State who was also scheduled to be in Yola for the event, was represented by his deputy, Edward Onoja.

    Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, performed the function of formally ushering Grace Bent into the APC on behalf of APC caretaker Chairman, Mai Mala Buni.

    Nnamani congratulated Grace Bent for choosing a new political life in the APC and assured her that she would have the freedom and fair playing ground to pursue her political ambitions under the party.

    He said the party was glad to have her, adding that she was a crowd puller and would help the upward swing of the party in Adamawa State towards the 2023 election.

    Meanwhile, Hillary Ugochukwu, a former senatorial aspirant of the PDP, also announced his defection at a reception organised in his honour by the state leaders of the APC in Owerri on Saturday.

    Ugochukwu lauded Gov. Hope Uzodimma on his achievements in office and expressed willingness to work with him towards taking the state to greater height.

    The former aspirant, an agriculturist and estate developer, called on his supporters to join him in his struggle to make the a better place.

    He said he registered with the APC in his home ward in Ogwa in Mbaitoli Local Government Area (LGA) of the state before his advancement to the state level.

    ”After careful thought and due consultation, I have decided to join the ruling party so as to have the right platform to fully support the development milestones of Gov. Hope Uzodimma,“ he said.

    Speaking at the reception in APC secretariat in Owerri, Mr Lemmy Akakem, a chieftain of the party, described Ugochukwu’s choice of working with the state governor as an indication that the administration was one to beat.

    He called on other politicians in the state to toe the same path for progress.

  • PDP vows to probe members who received bribes from Tinubu in Lagos

    PDP vows to probe members who received bribes from Tinubu in Lagos

     

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has vowed to probe members who allegedly collected money from former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, an All Progressives Congress, APC leader.

    The party apparently peeved by this alleged ugly development also vowed to activate its undercover investigation to verify the claims that some leaders in the party in the state have been receiving financial gratifications from Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos and APC national leader.

    It could be recalled that Segun Adewale popularly known as Aeroland, a former state chairman of the PDP, who was suspended by his ward chapter on Monday, had claimed that 99 per cent of PDP leaders in Lagos state are moles in the party who have been allegedly receiving money from Tinubu.

    He said: “I am the only PDP leader who has not received any bribe from Tinubu. They have been collecting bribes from him, despite claiming to be PDP leaders. Ninety-nine per cent of PDP leaders in Lagos are collecting money from Tinubu. Only one percent of us are committed and they hated us”.

    Taofik Gani, the Publicity Secretary of the party, however, said the onus lies on Aeroland to back up his claim with evidence.

    “He who asserts must prove. If a chieftain of the party made the claim that some party leaders are collecting money from APC, that means he has evidence to back up his claim.

    “I believe any chieftain of the party who is disturbed by this can take him up. I will only advise that people should watch what they say because this is same thing that is affecting this country now as a result of the bad image some people created for this country in 2015 when they wanted to wrest power from the PDP.

    “However, there may be elements of truth in the claim and so, this party is admonishing any leader or party member who may have been affected by this allegation to desist forthwith as we shall have our own undercover investigation activated immediately.

    “You are either a member of Lagos PDP or not. We don’t want those spreading one leg in PDP and the other in APC in our midst.”

  • Oyedepo tags Covid-19 vaccine ‘deadly’, warns his church members to reject it

    Oyedepo tags Covid-19 vaccine ‘deadly’, warns his church members to reject it

    The General Overseer of the Living Faith Church International (Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has urged his church members to reject Covid-19 vaccination.

    He stated this on Sunday during the 40th anniversary thanksgiving service of the church in the Ota Cathedral in Ogun State.

    He said, “They should come to me to find out how to deal with COVID-19 at no cost.”

    In the same breathe, he warned his members not to take the “deadly thing” called vaccine.

    “Let me warn you against this deadly thing circulated round the country, because it has not been duly tested. An elder of this church, who works with the World Health Organisation, confirmed this, thanking me for always speaking the truth about the authenticity of the COVID-19 vaccine,” he said.

    He said vaccinators went to churches to get people vaccinated, adding that such was an “insult,” insisting that every church “is anti-COVID-19 zone.”

    “What an insult! What an assault! Nobody has the right to enforce vaccination on you, and anybody cannot terminate your employment because you refuse to take the vaccine, my God will show up (for you).

    “Did I tell anyone I am sick? Don’t let anyone harass you into doing what you don’t want to do,” he added.

    Oyedepo also alleged that the side effects defeated the benefits of taking the vaccine.

    He said, “They wanted Africa dead. I heard them say it. When we didn’t die as they proposed, they brought out this vaccination scheme. You need to hear their proclamation that Africa will lack spaces to bury corpses. But, today, reverse is the case. Africa has the least casualty among all the other continents of the world.”

    The auditorium, filled to capacity, did not have anyone with masks on or following any COVID-19 procedure as Oyedepo said the foreigners who came for the anniversary had returned to their home countries in good health.

    He recommended a shot of anointing oil taken to kill the virus.

  • Ondo Assembly reinstates four suspended members

    Ondo Assembly reinstates four suspended members

    The Ondo State House of Assembly has announced the reinstatement of four suspended members of the House.

    Speaker of the House, Bamidele Oleyelogun, announced this on Monday while presiding over the plenary at the legislative chamber of the Assembly complex in Akure, the state capital.

    The reinstated lawmakers include a former deputy speaker, Iroju Ogundeji (Odigbo I Constituency), as well as Favour Tomomewo (Ilaje II Constituency), Adewinle Adewale (Ondo West II Constituency), and Akinrindibo Leonard (Ondo West I Constituency).

    Trouble started about six months ago in the build-up to the October 10 governorship election in the state.

    This was triggered by the defection of the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and later to Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) where he contested the poll.

    Following his exit from the ruling party, the Assembly served a notice of impeachment on the deputy governor on July 7, citing allegations of gross misconduct.

    But the four reinstated lawmakers and five others refused to sign the impeachment process of Agboola.

    After the lawmakers were suspended, they later sued the Assembly before an Ondo State High Court in Akure which ordered their reinstatement.

    Justice Ademola Bola who presided over the case had also ordered the Assembly’s leadership to pay each of the lawmakers N5 million for suspending them unlawfully.

    Rather than obeying, the Assembly leadership filed a suit at the Court of Appeal seeking to stay the order of the lower court.

    It, however, lost the case as the appellate court upheld the decision of the lower court.

  • Buhari endorses re-validation, registration of new APC members

    Buhari endorses re-validation, registration of new APC members

    President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed the timetable for the commencement of party registration of new members and re-validation of all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Gov. Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe, who is also the APC National Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, made this known at the end of a closed door meeting with the president in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Buni was accompanied to the meeting by other members of the caretaker committee including the governors of Kebbi and Jigawa, Atiku Bagudu and Abubakar Badaru.

    He said: “It’s to consult with him (Buhari) on the process of the membership registration. As from today, we are commencing with sensitisation.

    “Thereafter, it will culminate into membership registration across over 119,000 polling units in the country. It is part of our mandate as bestowed on us by National Executive Committee to rebuild this party bottom up.

    “I have to read the Section of the APC Constitution to you to clearly understand where we are coming from:

    “In accordance of section 9.4 of the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress (October 2014 as Amended), the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee consulted all stakeholders and have organized for membership registration. The said Section 9.4 provide as follows:

    “A Register of members shall be compiled and maintained at the Ward Level and be transmitted to the Secretariat of the Party at the Local Government Area, which shall transmit a copy to the State Headquarters, National Secretariat.

    “It provides that the Party shall update its membership records every six months and remit updated copies to appropriate Secretariats.

    “Thereafter, it shall be the responsibility of a member to ensure that his or her name is duly entered in the Ward Register.”

    According to the governor, the committee is continuing the reconciliation efforts and proud of the work done so far.

    He said the party had secured Ondo state and facilitated the return of high profile members such as former Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Sen. Barnabas Gemade, to the party.

    On the 14-day ultimatum issued by some aggrieved members of the party for the caretaker committee to step down, Buni dismissed such ultimatum.

    He said: “You are all aware, we have three sitting governors in the committee, and you should know that none of the governors is seeking for job. Already, we have a job.

    “But we have to sacrifice to ensure that we reposition the party. So, anybody who is thinking that maybe we are job seekers is wrong. We are not job seekers.

    “We are here to reposition and reunite our party so that we have a party we can all be proud of. This is our mandate and we are ready to discharge our mandate.

    “That (tenure elongation) is left for NEC of the party to decide. It is not me or caretaker committee to decide.

    “We are operating within the limit of our assignment because NEC of the party said we must rebuild the party bottom up….So, it is not for us to say that we are extending (tenure).’’

    Buni, however, expressed optimism that the national executive committee would meet before the end of 2020 to work out a proper timetable for the party.

    In his contribution, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi also dismissed the insinuation that the members of the caretaker committee were bent on extending their tenure.

    He noted that the national executive committee that ushered in the caretaker committee did not give a deadline to the committee.

    “You may also recall that two days before the caretaker committee was saddled with the responsibility of leading the party, the party lost a serving governor to the opposition.

    “So, the chairman (caretaker committee) came at the time when the morale was weak, but the committee worked so hard including the wining of the Ondo State gubernatorial election with the reconciliation of members.

    “The national executive committee meeting that ushered in the caretaker committee did not give a definite date.

    “We are conscious that these assignments will unfold and intervening circumstances across the country has made it more difficult, but certainly they are not people that are seeking for appointments or seeking to stay,’’ he said.