NEWS
Send APC Packing; Atiku, Ayu Tell Nigerians, as Dino Melaye Goes Spiritual
Kunle Idowu, Abeokuta
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the National Chairman of the Party, Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday, charged members of the party to work hard to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
They both posit that the eight-year rule of the APC had inflicted untold hardship on Nigerians with its alleged irresponsive style of administration.
They both spoke in Abeokuta at the PDP rally which shook Abeokuta to its foundation, causing traffic gridlock in areas around the campaign venue.
Atiku said that winning one’s polling unit was a pre-condition to benefit from his administration.
“Nothing can come to party members if their candidates, either presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives or House of Assembly, do not win the election,” he said.
He further enjoined members of the PDP who are interested in joining his cabinet or getting a contract in his administration to win his or her polling booth at the February 25 election.
Also speaking, Former National Assembly Member, Senator Dino Melaye went spiritually cursing APC for its alleged misrule quoting the holy Bible and asking God to terminate the government of APC in the country.
In Atiku’s entourage were: the national chairman of PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, former governor of Osun state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Others were: Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwa, Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Emmanuel, former governor of Cross River state, Lyel Imoke, former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, governorship candidate of Ogun state, Hon. Ladi Adebutu and the governorship candidate of Lagos state, Jide Adeniran (Jandol).
The former Vice President said, if members of the party want PDP to return to power in May 29, they must all go back to their constituencies and work for the party to win the election.
“The fact that you (party members) are following the gubernatorial candidate or the Senatorial candidate or the House of Representatives candidate or the Presidential candidate to campaigns is no qualification that you will get an appointment, it is not a qualification that you will get a contract whether at the local government level, state or the Federal level.
“The only way, as far as I’m concerned, if I’m President, if you come and say you want a job or you want a contract, I will ask you to let me have the result of your polling booth and that is what I’m going to direct to everybody because unless we do that we will not win the elections.
“You are all members of the PDP and supporters of the PDP, you want PDP to return to power, please I beg of you make sure you win your polling booths.
“You cannot be following the governor all the place or the senator all the place and then you don’t win your polling booth and you come and say you want to be a Minister or you want to get this contract.
“So please, as members of our party let us make sure that we go back to our constituencies and make sure that we deliver our polling units,” Atiku said.
Atiku, who also promised to expand the economy to create employment, promised an end of the incessant strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as he would ensure better funding of education and enhance the welfare packages of lecturers.
He also promised to increase funding for Primary Healthcare facilities so that all and sundry can get access to medical care even at the grassroots level.
The meeting, attended by not less than 72 groups, preceded the party’s rally, held at the Alake’s palace in the heart of Abeokuta, the state capital.
While addressing thousands of PDP supporters at the mega rally, Atiku called on residents of the state to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The APC government has failed us and therefore it is our responsibility to make sure that they do not return to power”, Atiku said.
The national chairman of the party at the rally presented the flag of the party to Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the party.
NEWS
Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Increases to 33.88% in October- NBS
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased 33.88 per cent in October 2024.The NBS disclosed this in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report for October 2024, which was released in Abuja on Friday.According to the report, the figure is 1.
18 per cent points higher compared to the 32.70 per cent recorded in September 2024. It said on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate in October 2024 was 6. 55 per cent higher than the rate recorded in October 2023 at 27.33 per cent.In addition, the report said on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in October 2024 was 2.64 per cent, which was 0.12 per cent higher than the rate recorded in September 2024 at 2.52 per cent.“This means that in October 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level was higher than the rate of increase in the average price level in September 2024.”The report said the increase in the headline index for October 2024 on a year-on-year and month-on-month basis was attributed to the increase in some items in the basket of goods and services at the divisional level.It said these increases were observed in food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel, clothing and footwear, transport and furnishings, household equipment and maintenance.Others include education, health, and miscellaneous goods and services, restaurants and hotels, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and kola, recreation and culture, and communication.It said the percentage change in the average CPI for the 12 months ending October 2024 over the average CPI for the previous 12 months was 32.26 per cent.“This indicates an 8.82 per cent increase compared to 23.44 per cent recorded in October 2023.”The report said the food inflation rate in October 2024 increased to 39.16 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 7.64 per cent higher compared to the rate recorded in October 2023 at 31.52 per cent.“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis is caused by increases in prices of guinea corn, rice, maize grains, beans, yam, water yam, and CocoYam.“Others are palm oil, vegetable oil, Lipton, Milo, and Bournvita, among others.”It said on a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in October was 2.94 per cent, which was a 0.30 per cent increase compared to the rate recorded in September 2024 at 2.64 per cent.“The increase in food inflation on a month-on-month basis was caused by an increase in the average prices of palm oil, vegetable oil, mudfish, croaker, fresh fish, dried beef, goat meat, mutton, and skin meat.“Others are bread, guinea corn flour, plantain flour, rice, among others.”The report said that “all items less farm produce and energy’’ or core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce and energy, stood at 28.37 per cent in October on a year-on-year basis.“This increased by 5.79 per cent compared to 22.58 per cent recorded in October 2023.“The exclusion of the PMS is due to the deregulation of the commodity by removal of subsidy.”It said the highest increases were recorded in prices of bus Journey within the city, Journey by motorcycle, and bus journey intercity among others.“Others are rents, meal at a local Restaurant, hair cut service, woman hair brush, women’s hairdressing, among others.”The NBS said on a month-on-month basis, the core inflation rate was 2.14 per cent in October 2024.“This indicates a 0.04 per cent increase compared to what was recorded in September 2024 at 2.10 per cent.“The average 12-month annual inflation rate was 26.12 per cent for the 12 months ending October 2024; this was 6.14 per cent points higher than the 19.98 per cent recorded in October 2023.”The report said on a year-on-year basis in October 2024, the urban inflation rate was 36.38 per cent, which was 7.09 per cent higher compared to the 29.29 per cent recorded in October 2023.“On a month-on-month basis, the urban inflation rate was 2.75 per cent, which increased by 0.08 per cent compared to September 2024 at 2.67 per cent.’’The report said on a year-on-year basis in October, the rural inflation rate was 31.59 per cent, which was 6.01 per cent higher compared to the 25.58 per cent recorded in October 2023.“On a month-on-month basis, the rural inflation rate was 2.53 per cent, which increased by 0.14 per cent compared to September 2024 at 2.39 per cent.’’On states’ profile analysis, the report showed that in October, all items’ inflation rate on a year-on-year basis was highest in Bauchi at 46.68 per cent, followed by Kebbi at 40.02per cent, and Sokoto at 39.65 per cent.It, however, said the slowest rise in headline inflation on a year-on-year basis was recorded in Delta at 27.85 per cent, followed by Benue at 28.22 per cent, and Katsina at 29.59 per cent.The report, however, said in October 2024, all items inflation rate on a month-on-month basis was highest in Kano at 3.77 per cent, followed by Bauchi at 3.74 per cent, and Anambra at 3.59 per cent.“Kwara at 1.27 per cent, followed by Ondo at 1.49 per cent and Lagos at 1.91 per cent recorded the slowest rise in month-on-month inflation.”The report said on a year-on-year basis, food inflation was highest in Sokoto at 52.18 per cent, followed by Edo at 46.55 per cent, and Borno at 45.85 per cent.“Kwara at 31.68 per cent, followed by Kogi at 33.30 per cent and Rivers at 33.87 per cent recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis.’’The report, however, said on a month-on-month basis, food inflation was highest in Adamawa at 5.08 per cent, followed by Sokoto at 4.86 per cent, and Yobe at 4.34 per cent.“Kwara at 1.11 per cent, followed by Ondo at 1.31 per cent and Kogi at 1.50 per cent, recorded the slowest rise in inflation on a month-on-month basis.” (NAN)NEWS
FRSC not Recruiting, Says Spokesman
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says it is not recruiting and cautioned potential job seekers against falling victim to scammers.A statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Olusegun Ogungbemide on Friday in Abuja, said that the clarification became necessary following desperate efforts by alleged fraudsters to scam unsuspecting job seekers.
He said, “The attention of the FRSC has been drawn to a publication by online platforms misinforming the public about ongoing recruitment of personnel into the services of the Corps. “This medium is to let the public know that the Corps is not recruiting at the moment, neither is there any ongoing arrangement to that effect, “he said.Ogungbemide quoted the Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, as admonishing applicants seeking to join the services of the Corps, as well as the general public to disregard the fake and misleading publications.He said recruitment processes in the Corps had always been transparent, credible and made public.Ogungbemide clarified that such recruitments were usually made public through placement of advertorials and notifications on all available media platforms, including the Corps’ website: www.frsc.gov.ng, our social media handles, and the National Traffic Radio 107.1FM“The public is by this publication warned to desist from any form of engagement with the purported scammers and purveyors of the misinformation as the Corps will not be liable should anyone fall victim,”he said.(NAN)NEWS
Gas Explosion Damages 6 Vehicles in Katsina – Police
Gas cylinders conveyed in a truck have exploded at a Filling station in Jibia Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State, causing damage to about six vehicles. The police spokesman in the state, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu disclosed this in a statement issued in Katsina on Friday. He said that on Nov.
15, a loud explosion was heard by police operatives attached to Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters and promptly the DPO led a team in collaboration with the military, to the scene. “Upon arrival operatives found a truck loaded with gas cylinders engulfed in flames at Tamal filling station, along Kagadama-Magamar Jibia road. “The joint team swiftly deployed preventive measures to protect lives and minimise property damage, successfully quenching the fire. “Six motor vehicles were significantly affected by the fire incident, but fortunately, no life was lost,” he said. According to him, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, has directed a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. Sadiq-Aliyu explained that further developments will be communicated as the investigation proceeds. (NAN)