The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said on Monday that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting would continue on Tuesday.

Idris stated this while briefing the State House Correspondent at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said: “there is no briefing today.

A lot of far reaching decisions are being taken and the conclusions will be made available tomorrow (Tuesday).

“Therefore, FEC will continue tomorrow,” he said.

The meeting which is presided over by President Bola Tinubu was attended by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike.

Others are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen.

George Akume, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola and the Minister of State Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaima-Ibrahim, among others.

Reports says that the FEC comprises cabinet members and is part of the executive branch of the government.

It determines the general direction of domestic and foreign policies of the Government; coordinating the activities of the President, the Vice-President and the Ministers in the discharge of their responsibilities.(NAN)

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has lauded Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State over viable investment in agriculture and infrastructure.

Abubakar stated this during a courtesy visit to the governor on Monday in Bauchi.

He said the gesture was responsible for the relative peace enjoyed in the state, adding that investment in agriculture and infrastructure boosted the efforts of security agencies in tackling insecurity.

“We have seen an uncommon determination to ensure development in Bauchi through infrastructural development and investment in agriculture.

“The state government’s heavy investment in infrastructure and agriculture have paid off because we have witnessed relative peace in Bauchi State.

“Security requires coordinated efforts, therefore, the governor’s focus on agriculture will help eradicate poverty in the state. These laudable policies align with the Nigerian Air force efforts to tackle insecurity.

“Nigerian Air Force will synergise with other security agencies to ensure security of lives and property,  and ensure continuous peace in Bauchi,” he said.

According to Abubakar, Toro, Ningi and Alakleri Local Government Areas has been identified as flashpoints in the state through intelligence reports gathering, adding that efforts were being intensified to prevent untoward events in the flashpoint areas of the state.

He also commended the governor for the continued support to the Service, adding that it has boosted air operations in the state.

Responding, Mohammed thanked the Air Chief, and pleaged more collaboration with the Service and other security agencies to sustain peace in the state.

“I am not surprised by the tradition you are putting forward. We have recognised the important role the Nigerian Air Force is playing.

“Your collaborating instinct is making the state safe and secure because of the manner you relate with civil society and your personnel,” he said. (NAN)

The opposition parties that participated in the last local government elections in Oyo State have disagreed with the Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, Adegbenro Fagbemi, on the credibility of the exercise.

The opposition parties included: Social Democratic Party (SDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Party (ADP) and Labour Party (LP).

Reports says that the local government elections, held on April 27, had seen the ruling Peopes Democratic Party (PDP) winning the chairmanship and councillorshhip seats in all the 33 local governments in the state.

The IPAC chairman had, while assessing the polls recently, described it as free, fair and credible.

However, the parties, in a statement issued in Ibadan on Monday, said Fagbemi’s comment only represented his personal opinion and his cohorts in IPAC.

Speaking on behalf of the parties, the Chairman of SDP in the state, Mr Michael Okunlade, said the IPAC chairman’s statement did not represent the position of all members of the council.

“We will like to give Otunba Adegbenro Fagbemi the benefit of the doubt that he probably mistakenly used IPAC’s name instead of the party, APM, that he represents.

“We equally doubt if his party participated in the election.

“For him to have gone public to make a statement that Oyo LG polls was free, fair and credible is a careless statement that does not represent the position of members of IPAC.

“Even as chairman of IPAC, he does not have the moral right to declare the election otherwise, because the ruling PDP is also a member of IPAC.

“For these reasons, whatever he said must have been to represent the position of his own political party and there is a moral question on the chairman to have used the name of IPAC in his address,” he said.

Okunlade noted that other political parties agreed to participate in the LG polls, alongside PDP because of the assurance they were given that the election would be a record breaker in terms of transparency and credibility.

According to him, the citizens’ general perception was that local government elections are always in favour of the party in government.

He noted that the State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) did not honour its pledge that the election would be transparent and credible.

“We want the public to be aware that none of the political parties wanted to participate in the election in the first instance, going by the experience of local government elections conducted by OYSIEC, under the leadership of Aare Isiaka Olagunju in 2021.

“We were given assurances time and time again that the election was going to be a record breaker in terms of transparency and credibility in the history of local government elections in Nigeria.

“The OYSIEC chairman also promised the political parties that Gov. Seyi Makinde was not going for third term and was going to leave a legacy of free, fair and credible election in the state.

“He even made attempt to use BVAS for the election in order to give credibility to the elections.

“It was on that honourable arrangement and assurances that all political parties agreed to participate in the election,” he said.

Okunlade further stated that the outcome of the election had been known to the whole world, adding that the public had, at different times, expressed their reservations about the exercise.

“In a situation where over 70 per cent of polling units did not receive ballot papers and stingily distributed to some other polling units, can anyone adjudge that as an election?

“Our position is that what took place on April 27, 2024 was not an election but a selection and it is totally condemned.

“It was a deceit carried too far, a fraud and it should not be allowed in the history of local government elections in Oyo State,” Okunlade said. (NAN)