Politics

Benue asset recovery: Don’t be scared of witch-hunt if you’re not witch – Gov Alia knocks Ortom

Published

10 months ago

July 12, 2023

The Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has fired back at his immediate predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom over the comment alleging that the current administration was harassing and witch-hunting the former governor.

Newsmen reports that Ortom had in a statement issued by his media aide, Terver Akase, alleged that the incumbent governor has subjected him to persecution.

Ortom’s assertion was sequel to an invasion of a workshop on Tuesday by members of the Assets Recovery Committee led by one Barrister Tom Uja where some vehicles allegedly stolen by the previous government were recovered.

Reacting to Ortom’s outburst, Alia in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula titled “THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITCHES SHOULD NOT BE SCARED OF A “WITCH-HUNT”, wondered why the former governor was misconstruing the raide, stressing that the Recovery Committee was not targeting him.

According to Kula, the incumbent governor had prior to the invasion, charged the committee not to witch-hunt anyone.

The statement reads partly, “Ortom was not and has never been the target, as his aide and the Publicity Secretary of his party would want the unsuspecting mass of Benue people to falsely believe in a bid to curry undue public sympathy.

“The discovery and recovery of numerous vehicles at a private building within the state capital by the committee is an indication that they have truly swung into action.

“We do not believe Ortom is the proverbial witch and as such he is being ‘hunted’ as his spokespersons would want the public to believe.

“Someone should ask him not to be bothered even if Alia has come to witch-hunt. He will only be concerned with witches that, under the cover of night, mercilessly pillaged with reckless abandon the resources and common patrimony of the state”.

Related Topics:Chief Samuel Ortom Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia The Benue State Governor

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Politics

States now enjoy over 50% increase in FAAC under tinubu – APC professionals forum

Published

1 hour ago

May 21, 2024

NewsDirect

All Progressives Congress (APC) Professionals Forum has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the significant increase in the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to states under his administration.

Speaking at the inaugural edition of the Asiwaju Scorecard Series in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the forum, Dr. Isa Yuguda, noted that the over 50 percent increase in FAAC was part of the positive fiscal impacts of the subsidy removal.

Presenting an extensive review of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first year in office. The forum focused on two critical issues: the state of the Nigerian economy and the power sector.

In his address, Dr. Yuguda emphasized that President Tinubu did not create the existing economic challenges but has been effectively managing them to prevent further deterioration.

He therefore highlighted the President’s decisive actions, including the controversial removal of the fuel subsidy. He argued that the removal of the subsidy, long mired in corruption, was necessary and beneficial, pointing out that petrol importation had decreased by 50% since June 2023.

“The President did not create any of the problems people are talking about whether in the economy or in the other sectors. Infact what he met on ground would have created a worse situation if not properly handled but he is championing reforms that are required to pave way for a better society.

“We all recall how on assuming office, President Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy but again for the avoidance of doubt he did not remove subsidy on PMS. It was not in the later part of the 2023 budget but surprisingly the Tinubu administration has had to bear the brunt for subsidy removal.

“Let me quickly add that my opposition to fuel subsidy has been well documented since the Goodluck Jonathan years when as chairman of a subcommittee on the economic meltdown, we recommended its removal after a discovery of the scam being perpetrated in the name of fuel subsidy.

“A recent study also showed that inspite of the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020, Nigeria still paid billions of naira for fuel subsidy even though in reality, domestic fuel consumption was very low.

“Indeed, the President has today been proved right with the manner petrol importation has gone down by 50% since June 2023 and it is almost certain to go down more in a few months when the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery begin to produce PMS locally as well as the impending resumption of production at the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries,” Yuguda claimed.

He further stated that the N1.2trilllon FAAC shared by states in April was unprecedented and laudable.

“If any Nigerian is still in doubt about how payment of subsidy has over the years strained the country’s resources, they must have seen how the subnationals now receive more than double what they used to get from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

“At the last FAAC meeting, the total distributable revenue for April 2024 was N1.2trilllon, the highest ever disbursement in history. This time last year in the subsidy era, what was shared was N655.8bn.

“So the subnationals especially are receiving double their previous allocations and therefore have more funds for critical infrastructure and should be doing more to provide succor to the people.”

The address also touched on the Tinubu administration’s unification of exchange rates, a move that eradicated bolstered economic growth. “The economy grew by 3.46% in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with 2.54% in the preceding quarter. Capital importation was up by 66% in Q4 of 2023 compared to a 33% decline in the previous quarter,” Dr. Yuguda stated.

Politics

Adeleke raises alarm over alleged murder plot by APC Chieftain

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2024

NewsDirect

…urges President Tinubu, IGP, Security agencies to invite Oyedokun for questioning

Osun State Government has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police and other stakeholders in Nigeria to urgently summon a former PDP stalwart in Osun State, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun for questioning over his recent incendiary comments on the person and personality of the Governor of Osun State, Senator Dr Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke and the entire Adeleke family of Ede, Osun State.

In a statement issued in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment,
Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, Government viewed with gross concern and outright dismay, the careless and unguarded utterances made by Alh. Shuaib Oyedokun wherein, he,(Alh Oyedokun) advised Governor Adeleke not to ,by any means, contest for a second term Governorship bid in Osun State, if he doesn’t want an act of murder to be carried out and be hanged on the Governor and the highly respected Adeleke family of Ede where the Governor hails from.

During a live Yoruba radio programme on Rave F.M, Osogbo, tagged Oro Oselu, on Monday, the 20th of May, 2024, Alhaji.Oyedokun threw cautions to the wind in many of his politically uncultured and morally unguarded remarks while on the programme.

The Osun State Government viewed such comments as not only inciting but the highest form of desperation from Oyedokun and the entire Osun APC he defected to recently.

Against the backdrop of further interpreting his utterances throughout the duration of the Yoruba programme as a dangerous security development in Osun State, the press statement by Oluomo Alimi call for an immediate summon and eventual questioning of Oyedokun, by the law enforcement agencies to explain why the right of Governor Adeleke to contest for a second term should warrant shedding of innocent blood and hanging it on the neck of the Governor and his family.

The security agencies need to unravel what plots or scheming bordering on criminality Pa Oyedokun is privy to or hatching alone or in partnership with his new party. This is necessary to forestall maturing of a hideous agenda capable of plunging Osun into crisis ahead of 2026 polls, the statement further reiterated.

Alimis Press statement reads in part as follows:

“As a Government, we view Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun’s utterances throughout the duration of the Oro Oselu radio programme of Monday, 20th of May,2024 as totally incongruous, callous, dirty, unwarranted and nauseating to say the least.”

“Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun’s comments,were not just within the boundaries of exercising his fundamental human rights of freedom of speech, they are at best morally awkward, debasing and a threat cum invitation for mayhem.”

“Conclusively, as a Government, we are of the view that,whatever happens, bordering on the security of lives and property of the people of Osun State, before, during and after the coming Governorship election or any other election in our dear state, the likes of Oyedokun and APC members should be held accountable.”

Politics

Osun APC commends Tinubu, Oyetola for members’ Tertiary Institutions’ Board appointments

Published

1 day ago

May 20, 2024

NewsDirect

By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Osun State, has commended President Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola for deeming it fit to appoint members and supporters of the party as chairmen and members of governing councils of some Federal Government-owned tertiary institutions.

The Osun State chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, on Sunday.

Lawal said, “The board appointments rolled out by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for some of our people few hours after the defection of some PDP members into the APC is a confirmation to them that their destiny is bright in the party that controls the centre.”

The party also appreciated all the stakeholders of the party for their individual and collective contributions towards the grand defection programme of Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member, PDP’s Board of Trustees; Prince Dotun Babayemi, former governorship aspirant of the PDP and their numerous supporters in thousands on Friday, in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Lawal stated that he was grateful to God Almighty for making the defection event hitch-free without any record of untoward incident before, during and after it.

He explained that he would make the leader of the APC in the state, former Governor Gboyega Oyetola now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, a point of contact to appreciate all the other leaders of the party for their financial and moral support for the organization of the event.

The party chairman also used Engr Sola Akinwumi, the Chairman of Igbimo Agba in the State APC, as a point of contact to appreciate the other members of the group for the unalloyed qualitative support given to the execution of the event.

He said he was particularly appreciative of the selfless and dedicated services rendered by the Organizing Committee of the event led by Alhaji Debo Badru, the Maiyegun of Iwoland, which marvelously realized the target of the committee within a very short time.

Lawal also extended his appreciation to the state executive officers of the party, the leaders of the party at all levels across the state and all the members of the party who diligently identified with the programme in order to make it a huge success.

He explained further that his words of appreciation would not be complete if he fails to recognize the contributions of both statutory and unofficial security services who also contributed their quota to the success of the programme.

Lawal also commended the PDP decampees for their orderly manner and good conduct, reminding them that there would always be equal opportunity for them and the members of the party they met on the ground.

He charged them to start attending the APC political meetings in their units, wards, local governments as it is only regular meetings that could translate to a serious political involvement of members of any particular party.