POLITICS
Thugs Disrupt Factional SDP Meeting in Kwara
Political thugs yesterday disrupted a news conference of a faction of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ilorin.
The thugs invaded the Labour House beside the state High Court complex where members of a faction were addressing journalists on the state of affairs of the party.
The thugs, numbering about 20, forced their way into the Labour House owned by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and descended heavily on the conveners of the meeting.
A factional Chairman of the SDP in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, Mr James Olajide, was assaulted, leaving him with torn cloth and dragged on the bare floor by the thugs.
The invading thugs accused the local government chairman of taking money from the state governor to foment trouble in SDP.
“Baba Ifelodun, you took money from AA to disrupt our party,” one of the thugs said.
The thugs also beat and drove away an elderly man, who was walking with aid of a walking stick.
The Publicity Secretary of a faction of the SDP, Mr Kareem Akanbi, had on Tuesday announced the suspension of eight members from the party.
The conveners of Wednesday were some of the people that were suspended for alleged anti-party activities.
Before the disruption of the news conference, the factional Chairman of the SDP (original), Mr Ibrahim Yahaya, had alleged plans by some former members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to hijack it from the pioneer executive of the party.
“It is no longer news that a faction of the All Progressives Congress party in Kwara State (APC Loyal) formally applied to join our party, the SDP, vide a letter to SDP National Secretariat dated March 9, 2022, by a reply letter dated 11th March 2022.
“The National Secretariat of SDP acknowledged the APC Loyal letter and their intention to join the SDP in Kwara State with a promise to work on a harmonisation arrangement on how their interests will be accommodated.
“The original SDP members in Kwara under my leadership were waiting for further directives from National Secretariat.
“But we were shocked to hear about a purported State congress of Kwara SDP held on April 26, 2022, which was stage-managed by the Kwara APC Loyal group in collaboration with some officials of SDP National Secretariat.
“The sole aim of the kangaroo state congress election of SDP on April 26, 2022, was to hijack the party from the original members of the party who had worked tirelessly to bring the party to its enviable position in Kwara.
“The said congress was held in contravention to the SDP constitution. Also, the original members of Kwara SDP were denied participation in the said congress contrary to the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
“I wish to inform this august gathering that we have protested the said purported state congress of Kwara SDP held on April 26, 2022, at the Kwara APC Loyal Secretariat to the National Secretariat of the party.
“Also, we have instructed our team of lawyers, who have since swung into action to challenge in court the legality of the purported state congress of the Kwara SDP held on April 26, 2022,” the factional chairman said. (NAN)
POLITICS
Poverty, Behind Deadly Stampedes Across Nigeria, says Falana
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, on Sunday attributed the deadly stampede that claimedmore than 105 lives in stampedes during food and cash distribution events to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence.
”In a statement released on Sunday, Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond ASCAB, demanded justice for victims of the tragic events, saying, “These tragic events are a national shame, the victims were not just statistics but human beings driven to desperation by systemic poverty and the gross incompetence of those entrusted with their safety.
”On December 21, 12 people died and 32 others were injured in Okija, Anambra State, during a scramble for rice distributed by a philanthropist.
On the same day, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including children, as over 3,000 people jostled for palliatives.
Just two days prior, on December 19, 35 children lost their lives in a stampede at a Christmas funfair at an Islamic High School, Basorun. in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“The loss of these innocent lives is heart-wrenching,” Falana lamented.
“It underscores the indignity that poverty imposes on our people.”
Falana also criticized the elite for their treatment of the poor during such events, stating, “No member of the elite invites others to lunch by throwing the food,” and condemned what he termed “class prejudice” in the distribution of humanitarian aid.
He also announced plans to mobilize lawyers to pursue civil suits against the organizers of these events.
“We will ensure survivors and families of the deceased are adequately compensated,” Falana affirmed. “Those responsible for these avoidable tragedies must be held accountable.”
POLITICS
2025 budget: LP Chieftain Lauds Tinubu for Diving Priority to Security, Others
Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, National Deputy Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) ,has commended President Bola Tinubu for giving priority to security and other key sectors in the 2025 Appropriation Bill .
Olorunfemi gave the commendation while speaking with newsmeon Thursday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the President had on Wednesday presented the N47.
9 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill , christened “Budget of Restoration, Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity” , to a joint session of the National Assembly .The President listed highlights of the 2025 budget allocations to include: defense and security: N4.91 trillion; infrastructure: N4.06 trillion; Health: N2.
48 trillion and Education: N3.52 trillion.Reacting , Olorunfemi described security as an enabler of development.
He called on the President to ensure proper implementation ,saying budgets had always been well-crafted but usually lacked monitoring and implementation.
“There is nothing that can happen if there is no security. This is good if the budget is properly utilised for the purpose.
“Our problem is not about policies and budgets, it is about monitoring and implementation.
“There is nothing wrong in bringing a budget proposal forward in terms of expectation, what we want to do, how we want to do it, and how much we want to spend.
“Now, the most important thing is the implementation,, budgets in Nigeria have always been properly crafted,” the LP boss said.
Olorunfemi called on the President to build strong institutions to prevent sabotaging of his policies.
“If this government wants to do anything, it must wake up to the responsibility of monitoring policies and ensure severe penalty for anyone who attempts to sabotage such policies.
“We need institutions that no one will be able to interfere with. We must allow these institutions to work, that is what we expect.
“Once we have strong institutions, most of our problems are solved,” he said.
He also called on the President to take steps to address the problems experienced by Nigerians in the banking sector.
Olorunfemi decried the inability of many Nigerians to get cash at bank’s Automated Teller Machines and the high charges paid to get cash from Point of Sales (POS) operators.
The LP boss also urged the President to devise ways of ending multiple taxations and high fuel price, describing them as major causes of hardship .
Recalled that the President said that the budget was a demonstration of government’s commitment to stabilising the economy, improving lives and repositioning the country for greater performance.
He also said the budget sought to consolidate the key policies instituted to restructure the economy, boost human capital development, increase the volume of trade and investments and bolster oil and gas production. (NAN)
POLITICS
Atiku hails Ndimi’s Oriental Energy on commissioning of first FPSO
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The former Vice President of Nigeria and PDP Presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar has congratulated the Chairman of the Nigerian Independent producer, Oriental Energy Resources (OER), Muhammadu Indimi, on the successful completion and commissioning of the Okwok Field’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel/platform in Dubai.
In a statement in Abuja by his Media Office in Abuja on Wednesday, the Former Vice President described the commissioning of the FPSO as one of the most gladdening news coming out from the upstream subsector of Nigeria’s oil industry in recent times.
“The vessel’s deployment at the Okwok field is expected to significantly increase Nigeria’s crude oil output, contributing to the government’s revenue growth and economic development objectives,” he said.
According to Atiku, “This is the first FPSO entirely funded by an indigenous Nigerian company and this landmark achievement being championed by OER showcases the rising capability of Nigerian firms in conceptualising and successfully executing complex projects in the nation’s upstream oil industry.
The successful building and commissioning of the FPSO marks a significant step toward enabling an indigenous oil and gas company to independently develop a marginal oil field.
This development marks an important milestone for Nigeria and its indigenous energy sector, he said.
“No doubt, this latest investment would boost economic growth, generate job opportunities for Nigerians, and ensure steady growth and development of not only the oil sector but the nation’s economy in general.”
He described Indimi as a man who so much believes in the capabilities that exist in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
“From onset of his foray into the nation’s oil sector, his vision of standing out as a player of reckon in the nation’s upstream oil business has been top-notch,” he said.
As he said, Oriental Energy’s significant investment in the oil sector has set a new standard in local investment and operational excellence in the nation’s oil business, benefiting both the company and its partners.
The 40,000 barrels per day capacity facility constructed by the Singaporean firm HBA Future Energy will commence sailing to Nigerian waters beginning February 2025 for hook-up on the Okwok Oil Field. Production is expected to commence on the oil field in the first half of next year.
Okwok Oil Field, discovered by ExxonMobil in 1967, is located in Oil Mining Lease(OML) 67, in 31 metres water depth in shallow marine, southeast offshore Nigeria with estimated recoverable reserves of 45 million barrels. OER has an ongoing multi-well drilling campaign on the field that commenced in October 2023.