NEWS
Tinubu Urges Leaders to Prioritise Dialogue to Bolster National Cohesion
President Bola Tinubu has urged leaders across all levels to build bridges of unity and prioritise dialogue as a tool for resolving differences and promoting national cohesion.
Tinubu, represented by the Vice-President Kashim Shettima, made the call on Monday in Lokoja at the Kogi Dialogue, which was part of events to mark Gov.
Ahmed Ododo’s one year in office.The president said, “Dialogue is not just an opportunity to air grievances.
It is the true path to justice, reconciliation, and understanding.” Without dialogue, history will pass us by, leaving us abandoned by time and forgotten by progress.”
He commended Ododo for the launch of the dalogue and described it as “a spark of wisdom and a critical step toward fostering reconciliation and progress.
”According to him, unity is the only formula that works for national progress.
The president also urged leaders to draw lessons from the natural confluence of River Niger and River Benue in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Tinubu said that the confluence of the two rivers in Kogi was a metaphor for the collective strength required to navigate Nigeria’s challenges, foster unity and collaboration for national prosperity.
He particularly appealed to political and community leaders to be more amenable and unified in their support for the government to create the needed environment for growth.
“Now is the time to reject division and embrace unity as the only formula that works.
“Chaos and discord are ladders for the self-serving, but unity is the bridge that carries us all forward.
“Kogi stands as a testament to what we can achieve when we recognize the strength in our diversity.
” From the confluence of rivers to the convergence of ideas, this state symbolises what Nigeria can become when we come together with purpose and vision,” the president said.
Tinubu, however, said though there weree challenges with governance in turbulent times such as the economic pressures and security threats facing the nation, true leadership was tested in tumultuous times.
He called on the people of Kogi and Nigeria to see themselves as “threads in the intricate fabric of progress.”
Tinubu said,”Each of us has a role to play in weaving a stronger, more united nation.
” Let us ensure that personal desires do not pull against the collective current of unity and development.
” We cannot hope to build a stronger Nigeria if we allow division to fester at home. Leaders must rise above personal ambitions and put the welfare of the people first.”
Earlier, Ododo, thanked Tinubu and the people of Kogi for their support to his government since assumption a year ago
The Governor urged the people of the state to remain committed to the growth and development of the state, leveraging the opportunities and resources available in Kogi.
He paid glowing tributes to Shettima for his.invaluable support and inspiration in all that his government has done since assuming leadership about a year ago.
He said Kogi was blessed with rich human, natural and material resources with an enviable cultural diversity that needs to be harnessed for the prosperity and transformation of the state.
Ododo, therefore ,urged the indigenes of the state to put Kogi first in all they do, especially in the exploitation and management of its abundant resources.
He said the time was rife to recaliberate the socio-economic fortunes of the state and take the area to greater heights.
The governor noted the important developments in the state since his assumption of office, including the upgrade of healthcare centres, and improvement of infrastructure in the education sector.
On his part, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, applauded the cordial relationship between the current and former governors of Kogi.
He said that a healthy relationship between a predecessor and his successor was necessary for the development of the state.
Ganduje urged other state governors to emulate the example set by Ododo especially in engendering development and improving party politics in the country.
Also, the former Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, recalled the vision of the founding fathers of the state, noting with satisfaction that the current administration was moving in the right direction.
The highpoint of the event was the inauguration of road projects executed by the Ododo administration during his first year in office. (NAN)
NEWS
N20m Isn’t Enough to Date me, Says Bloody Civilian
Nigerian singer. Emoseh Khamofu, popularly known as Bloody Civilian, has claimed that N20 million will be inadequate to date her.
She made the statement in a post on her verified X account on Thursday.
She wrote: “Thinking you can bag a dark skinned beauty like myself with 20mins delulu, doesn’t even cover melanin tax plus harmattan hyperpigmentation tax.
“Heritage preservation tax is 100 cows which would be paid directly to my ancestors (physically).
”Bloody Civilian appeared on the extended play for Bob Marley’s biopic, One Love. (NAN)
NEWS
KTSG Spends N9.1bn to Improve Learning in Primary Schools
The Katsina State Government has said that it has incurred an expenditure of N9.
1 billion to undertake projects and activities to improve learning in primary schools.Alhaji Faruq Lawal-Jobe, the Deputy Governor of the state, stated this in Katsina on Friday during the monthly press briefing.
According to him, the effort through the state’s Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), was aimed at strengthening the education system at this stage.
The deputy governor further explained, “These include, among others, the construction of 160 classrooms, 81 boreholes, 46 toilets, and 20 staff quarters.
“Also, 258 classrooms were rehabilitated in addition to the provision of 612 teachers’ furniture and 14,602 two-seater pupils’ furniture.
“Furthermore, facilities such as books, teaching aids and instructional materials, namely laptop, desktop computers, tablets, solar-powered panels and inverters were provided.
“Additionally, motorcycles and vehicles were procured for effective monitoring.
“The board also conducted a series of training sessions for 274,816 officials, comprising primary school teachers and integrated Qur’anic schools teachers.”
According to him, others were the officials of Better Education Service Delivery for All, (BESDA), as well as teachers of private schools.
According to Lawal-Jobe, as part of the infrastructural development plan in schools, over N5,641 billion was expended under the ‘Transforming Education System at State Level, TESS-Project’.
This was under the ‘Better Education for Service Delivery Additional Financing (BESDA-AF), for the construction and rehabilitation of 150 primary schools across the State.
He said the projects and activities carried out included, among others, the construction and renovation of classrooms, provision of solar-powered light and inverters, drilling of boreholes and the construction of water tanks, stores and toilets.
“To enhance monitoring and evaluation in our schools, the government has distributed 70 motorcycles to Quality Assurance Officers across 34 Local Government Areas.
“The administration has also prioritised security through installation of CCTV cameras in schools as well as providing essential learning materials, such as school bags, uniforms, and exercise books to less privileged pupils.
“These efforts have yielded positive results in the improvement in pupils enrolment as well as enhancing conducive atmosphere for learning at primary schools,” Lawal-Jobe said.
He added that the government had also unveiled the massive distribution of educational resources to primary 4–6 pupils, comprising 25,000 copies each for Mathematics, Computer Science, and English Language.
According to the deputy governor, this is in addition to the procurement of an 18-seater bus for project coordination and equipment for the School For The Blind. (NAN)
NEWS
Edo Election Tribunal: PDP Presents more Witnesses in Petition Against APC’s Victory
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday, called more witnesses at the election tribunal to challenge the victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo, in the Sept.
21, 2024 governorship election in Edo.Five witnesses testified before the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel of the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The witnesses alleged instances of over-voting in their polling units as APC, Okpebholo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through their lawyers, vehemently disagreed with their evidence.
The petitioners, PDP and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, are challenging the outcome of the election.
They petitioned INEC, Gov. Okpebholo, APC as 1st to 3rd respondents, respectively before the tribunal.
They prayed the tribunal to nullify the election results, alleging that the process was riddled with irregularities.
Led in evidence by the petitioners’ counsel, Rotimi Ogunesan, SAN, the 15th petitioner’s witness (PW-15), Haruna Ibrahim, a 34-year-old businessman residing in Sabo Quarters, Auchi, adopted his witness statement.
During cross-examination by the INEC lawyer, Kanu Agabi, SAN, Ibrahim admitted to signing the result sheet for his ward.
However, he clarified that he did so only to obtain a copy for his party.
When Agabi suggested that signing the result sheet indicated the election was credible, PW-15 disagreed.
Agabi then asked whether Ibrahim had lodged a formal protest regarding his grievances.
Ibrahim said: “I made a complaint to the unit officer. I protested, but not in writing. I did not file a written complaint.”
While being cross-examining by Okpebholo’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, PW-15 reiterated his claim of over-voting in his polling unit.
Ikpeazu, however, countered his statement by referring to the result sheet, which he said showed no over-voting.
“Look at the ward result containing your polling unit. The reconciled result shows no over-voting,” Ikpeazu said while displaying the document.
“In this paragraph, column 7, that is my unit column. We had over-voting in that unit.
“The total votes cast exceeded the recorded votes. I made an official protest, but my efforts for cancellation were declined,” the witness insisted.
He further alleged discrepancies between the figures recorded on the result sheet presented at the tribunal and those from the election day:
“This form is from my unit, but the figures do not correspond to the records from my unit.”
Dan Orbih, who appeared for APC,, also disagreed with the witness.
Orbih stated that the result sheet showed no over-voting and urged the witness to recount the figures himself.
The tribunal admitted the witness’ agent card as evidence upon the request by the petitioners’ counsel, despite objections from the respondents’ lawyers.
“Court admits the agent’s card as evidence and reserves judgment on the objection to its admissibility,” the tribunal ruled.
Other witnesses who testified include Esther Okuo, a 27-year-old farmer from Igarra, Akoko-Edo LGA as 16th petitioner’s witness (PW-16); and Abubakar Uzairu, the PW-17), a teacher from Owan East LGA.
It also included Asuluka Righteousness, a motorcyclist from Enwan in Akoko-Edo LGA as PW-18 and Mutairu Yusuf, a farmer from Agbede in Etsako West LGA as PW-19.
The tribunal adjourned hearing until Feb. 3.(NAN)