NEWS
IYC Rejects Call for Lokpobiri’s Redeployment
From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has passed a vote of confidence on Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), described him as a great asset in the Tinubu led administration.The call was made in a statement in Yenagoa on Sunday by Amb. Princewill Binebai, Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).
According to the IYC, after a series of meetings among the 9 leadership of the IYC, “We reject in its entirety the publication, calling for the redeployment of the Minister”. The spokesman said that the emergency press statement is not just a rebuttal but a position of the entire Ijaw Youth Council, covering all organs and structures of council in Delta, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Abuja, Lagos, UK, other chapters in the diaspora.All affiliate bodies of the IYC that such publication calling our respected leader in the Niger Delta region incompetent and heaping the blame on him on the fuel hike and other woes in Nigeria did not emanate from Council.”Consequently, the Ijaw Youth Council is using this medium to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all well-meaning Nigerians to completely ignore calls for Heineken Lokpobiri’s redeployment.”Lokpobiri is competent and doing his job very well. It will be wrong for anyone to have called for his redeployment on the basis of incompetence as there is no minister in Nigeria now that is more competent.”The IYC as a struggle platform established in 1998 was to protect the interest of the Ijaw people at all points in time and not to antagonise and attack the interest of the Ijaws and her respected leaders.”It is important to establish that Council has a well carved out channel of communication for which it is essentially the duty of the President and Spokesman of Council.”It is charged with the responsibility to convey the message of the Ijaw Youth Council to the public after due consultations as the case may be with relevant key stakeholders in Ijaw land,” it read.The spokesman said the founding principles of the Ijaw Youth Council forbid the IYC to fight against the interest of the Ijaw nation hence we must always stand to defend Ijaw people.”It does not really tell well to see that out of 45 ministers in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ijaws only have one minister, which is Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri.”Hence it is totally wrong and condemnable to see an Ijaw son or daughter calling for his redeployment on the basis of incompetence and also blaming the hardship faced by Nigerians on our son who is working hard to make things right for Nigeria, Niger Delta and Ijaw nation.”We need to be mindful as no ethnic based youth group in Nigeria has ever come up to ridicule their own ministers or prominent sons in government and otherwise before the public.”This caution has become very necessary to prevent future blunders among Ijaw Youths. Our leaders need to be protected, and if erring.”They will be corrected indoors as other ethnic groups are doing. Others cannot be seen as saints while we paint our own as devils. This has to stop.”The IYC will continue to speak and defend the Ijaw nation and her people no matter what; hence Council is charging Ijaw Youths to concentrate more in building bridges of unity than creating unnecessary distractions.”That will derail the essence of the struggle for resource control and self-determination by any means necessary. Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri as State Minister for Petroleum Resources (Oil).”Is a step closer to our resource control agitation and calling for his redeployment on the basis of incompetence is not in the interest of the Ijaw nation.”Finally, as Ijaw people, we are not comfortable that we only have one Minister in the Federal Executive Council and we have been fighting and agitating for more political and economic inclusion in the Nigerian State, we cannot fight as Ijaw people to reduce our already disjointed political space in the Nigerian State
By David Torough, Abuja
The remains of elder statesman and President General of the pan-Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, have been slated for burial on November 1.
Chairman of the burial committee, Senator Ben Obi, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Alongside with the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb Okey Emuchay and burial sub-committee chairmen, Senator Osita Izunaso, Gen.
Azubuike Ihejirika (retd) and others, Obi unveiled a series of activities culminating into the actual burial ceremony.“Our message today is to convey the dates for the burial of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“Lagos day of tributes, Wednesday 16th October 2024 at Eko Hotels and Convention Centre.
“Abuja Day of Tributes Friday 18th October, 2024 at the National Ecumenical Centre.
“Enugu Day of tributes, Saturday 26th October with a brief stop at Ohanaeze headquarters, 7 Parkland GRA Enugu while the main event will be held at the Okpara Square.
“Owerri Service of Songs Tuesday 29th October 2024. Commendation Service on 1st November in Owerri and Imo day of burial on Friday, 1st November 2024,” he said.
He added that further details will be communicated in due course.
On whether the Federal Government would participate in the burial, Senator Obi said the committee will visit President Bola Tinubu to intimate him about the transition of the statesman and details of his burial.
“We will be visiting President Tinubu to formally announce to him details of this transition and I am sure the President knows all that Chief Iwuanyanwu had done and he will do the needful,” he said.
Asked whether the late newspaper publisher had regrets about his inability to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ensure the realization of a restructure federation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo scribe said Chief Iwuanyanwu died a fulfilled man because he never shies away from doing his best in the circumstance.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu and I visited Kanu in jail and I think that was his last official assignment before his demise.
“Prior to that, he had never missed any opportunity to call for the release of Kanu.
“On restructuring, he never minced his words on equity, fairness and justice and he knew that he couldn’t do it alone.
“So he operated with the South-South PANDEF, Middle Belt Forum and Afenifere. He asked for parity in the number of states in each geopolitical zone.
“We in Ohanaeze will continue to pursue these issues that were very dear to his heart and we want to give the assurances that we will not fail,” Obi said.
President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year.The President has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement on Thursday.“President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the UK, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.
“At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings,” said the statement.The high-level General Debate, with the theme, “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,”will run from Sept. 24, to Sept. 28. (NAN)
The National Examinations Council, (NECO) has released the June/July 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination results (SSCE), with 60.55 per cent of candidates securing five credits and above in English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the NECO headquarters on Thursday in Minna, Niger.
Wushishi said that a total of 1,376,423 candidates, representing 706,950 males and 669,473 females, registered for the exam.
The registrar said that 1,367,736 candidates sat for the examination, representing 702,112 Males and 665,624 females.
He said that 828, 284 candidates had five credits and above, including English and Mathematics, representing 60.
55 per cent.Wushishi said that the number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, were 1,147,597, representing 83.90 per cent.
He said that there was a great reduction in the number of examination malpractices this year compared to 2023.
“The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437 as against 12,030 in 2023, which shows a reduction of 30. 1 per cent,” he said.
The registrar, however, said that 40 schools were found to be involved in mass cheating during the examination.
” During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole school (mass) cheating in 17 states.
” They will be invited to the Council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.
“A school in Ekiti was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and 01 Science subject.
” Similarly, 21 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states,”said.
He urged candidates that sat for the examination to visit NECO website to access their results.
Wushishi said candidates can access their results on NECO website: www.neco.gov.ng using their examination registration number,” he said.(NAN)
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