POLITICS
Senate Assures Ekiti of Commitment to Develope State

By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has assured the people of Ekiti State, through the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rufus Adejugbe of the readiness of the 10th Senate under his leadership to influence development projects to the state.
Akpabio gave the assurance, while receiving in courtesy, the Ewi-in-Council in his office yesterday.
According to him, “we are happy to receive our father and other traditional council members here today.
The 10th Senate has the interest of Ekiti people in mind and that is why the very first appointment that was made by the leadership of the 10th Senate was that of the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who is one of your very illustrious sons in the Senate.“Any request from Ekiti is not what should be delayed. Let me assure our revered Kabiyesi that your request has been acceded to particularly on the bad roads, and it is very possible that before the festival, that would be given a facelift to ease transportation to the festival
“Akpabio noted that the calibre of political office holders from Ekiti State is those who know their onion and can be relied upon at any time.
He described the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji as a great man, saying,” with people like him, Nigeria has a great future.
“We in the 10th Senate and the National Assembly as a whole are like a family. The Senate collaborates with the House of Representatives in the overall interest of all Nigerians. We accord so much respect and regards from the traditional institution. We hold them in very high esteem because of their roles in the society.”
Akpabio described the Ekiti monarch as a man whose names open doors for his people, assuring them that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu led- administration would get to the door steps of all the people of Ekiti.
Earlier in his remark, the Ekiti monarch thanked Senator Akpabio for accepting to receive him even at a very short notice, which is a demonstration of who he is.
He commended Akpabio for running a rancour free Senate and by extension the National Assembly.
Oba Adejugbe told the Senate President that he was in his office to pray for his success in office and to formally invite him as the Principal Guest of Honor and his colleagues to the 2024 Odun Olorunborun UDIROKO festival.
“I am here today with my people to pray for your success in office and to formally invite you as the Principal Guest of Honor in our 2024 UDIROKO festival. You are doing a very job as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly. You have in the last one year, ran a rancour free Senate and by extension the National Assembly,” he said.
POLITICS
Buhari Felicitates Tinubu at Midterm, Calls for Nigerians’ continue support

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated his successor, President Bola Tinubu, on his midterm, calling for Nigerians’ continue support for his administration’s efforts to address poverty and inflation.
This is contained in a statement issued by Buhari’s former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday.
Buhari also called for steadfast support for the All Progressives Congress-led government as it marks its second year in office, saying reforms would achieve success gradually, not overnight.
He warned that necessary reforms and desired changes must not fall victim to mettlesome domestic politics.
According to him, as the party and the government celebrate, the country should be reminded that leadership is a continuous journey.
Buhari expressed support for the ongoing efforts by the Tinubu-led administration to curb poverty and inflation, which, he said, had hit the poorest families.
Seeking Nigerians’ support for Tinubu-led administration, he said that the task of reducing poverty and inflation mustn’t be left only for the government.
“The private sector and all of us, as citizens, must join in all ways we can,” he said.
The former president urged Nigerians to remain optimistic and stay confident about the country’s future, saying ‘our expectations from our governments should not get heavy’.
While expressing his heartfelt felicitation to Tinubu on his two years in office, Buhari prayed God to keep and grant him the wisdom and care to continue to lead the country. (NAN)

President Tinubu Appoints Ex- Speaker, Enugu Assembly, Odo, as UNN Governing Council Member
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the former speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, and Mr. Muhammad Tahir, as governing council members of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The appointment comes as part of the President’s renewed efforts to reposition federal tertiary institutions for excellence and global competitiveness.
Odo served as a two time speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly between 2007 and 2015.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain also served under the previous administration of Muhammad Buhari as a governing board member of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
Also appointed were the governing councils members of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.
The appointments were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.
Onanuga said President Tinubu charged the new council members to justify their appointments by ensuring that their respective universities move forward.(NAN)
POLITICS
PDP NEC Gets Under Way in Abuja

By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
All is set for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 99th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today at the party’s Presidential Campaign Office, Legacy House, located in the Maitama District, Abuja. After a marathon meeting of the various organs of the PDP at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, officials of the party have converged on Legacy House for the long awaited NEC meeting, which had been postponed for several times.
Security in and around the house has been beefed up with the deployment operatives from the Police, DSS and NSCDC. Many prominent members of the party, including its 2023 Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, were absent from the marathon meeting.The NEC, one of the highest decision-making organs of the PDP, comprises of Party National Chairman and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state governors, serving and former presidents, former vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT), principal officers of the National Assembly, state chairpersons, former governors, and founding members, among others. The NEC meeting is expected to address critical issues affecting the party, including strategies for upcoming political engagements, leading to the 2027 general elections.On Monday, barely 24 hours to the much expected NEC meeting, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) keep to its threat and sealed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat, Wuse Zone 5 for failure to ground rent, a situation the party described as temporary set back.However, reprieve came to the PDP and others who had their properties sealed as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened and gave them 14 days to pay their ground rent.