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All posts by Ugboma Chioma

General news

S/West leaders meet in Lagos, say Yoruba Grand Rally on Restructuring to hold Sept. 7

NAN-H-28
Summit
By Chioma Ugboma
Lagos, Aug. 20, 2017 (NAN) South West leaders met in Lagos on Sunday to unfold plans for an upcoming Yoruba “Grand Rally on Restructuring”.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, the Chairman, Organising Committee for the Rally, Dr Kunle Olajide, said that the rally, scheduled to hold in Ibadan on Sept. 7, would be a one-agenda-congress on restructuring.
“This endeavour has to do with Nigeria and the aim is for a united Nigeria.
“The all-inclusive summit of the Yoruba people will have more than 100 Yoruba groups that will declare their stand on the need to restructure Nigeria.
“Yoruba leaders at home and abroad and organised groups, students, artisans, past and current elected public officials across the political spectrum will be converging in Ibadan to appraise the issue of restructuring and fashion out a workable way out of the quagmire the country is presently in,” he said.
The meeting, which held at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja, saw key leaders from the zone, such as Pa Reuben Afosoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Amos Akingba in attendance.
Also at the meeting were Chief Supo Sonibare (Afenifere Chairman, Lagos), Mr Yinka Odumakin (Afenifere Spokesman), and Prof. Banji Akintoye, among many others.
Olajide said that although the South West governors and all Yoruba would be at the meeting, the gathering would be a non-political one.
According to him, Nigeria is drifting dangerously and there is need for those at the helm of affairs to listen to the yearnings of the people and do the needful to maintain unity and peace.
“We are meeting to take a crucial decision on Nigeria. We are going through a very difficult phase.
“So patriots have to rise up and find lasting solutions to the difficulties we are experiencing,” he added.
Olajide further said that legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, would chair and direct the rally.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rally would be coming a few weeks after the Nigerian Senate voted against amending the 1999 constitution to accommodate restructuring that would devolve more powers to the states. (NAN)
CHOM/YEE/YEE
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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

 

Agriculture

Ex-LASIEC PS lauds conduct of council poll in Lagos State

 

NAN-H-28
Election
Lagos, July 22, 2017 (NAN) A former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Mr Adeyinka Jeje, has lauded the commission on the conduct of the Saturday Local Government election in the state.

Jeje, who is the immediate past Permanent Secretary of LASIEC, told the News Agency of Nigeria NAN in Lagos that the exercise was almost hitch-free, as a result of the extensive voter education programme organised by the commission before the polls.

“There is no small election; every election requires a strategy that must be well- formulated for a smooth sail.

“Despite the downpour on Saturday morning, my observation from the various polling units I visited in different areas, shows that a lot of hard work went into the conduct of the election.

“Unlike the past elections across the country, you do not see people complaining of not finding their names in the register or electoral materials not being adequate,” he said.

According to him, LASIEC should be commended for doing a good job.

Jeje, however, urged political parties to ensure that they collaborate with the electoral body in educating voters and creating more awareness for future elections in the state.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of the PDP in Lagos State, Mr Taofik Gabi, said that there were irregularities during the election.

“There should be uniformity of time in all elections but this election started at various times in different places.

“The issue of rain is not enough to stall any election. The downpour ought to have been envisaged and planned for since the election was scheduled to hold during the rainy season”.

He said that the irregularity in time could breed malpractice, and suggested that the use of ad-hoc staff for the conduct of elections should be reviewed. (NAN)
LED/CHOM/FLP/YEMI

Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

General news

Afenifere, OPC, others mourn Onagoruwa

NAN-H-24
Mourn
By Chioma Ugboma
Lagos, July 21, 2017 (NAN) Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation Afenifere joined other Nigerians on Friday to mourn Dr Olu Onagoruwa, a former Attorney-General of the Federation.

Afenifere’s spokesman Yinka Odumakin said that Nigeria had lost a prolific legal mind.

“We have lost a brilliant attorney and prolific legal mind.

“His death has robbed the country of one of its foremost jurisprudence giants.

“May his soul rest in perfect peace,” Odumakin said.

Similarly, the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), described Onagoruwa’s passing as exit of a legend.

The founder of the OPC, Dr Fredrick Faseun, said he would miss the former attorney-general.

“We were in the struggles together both in Nigeria’s military and post-military era. 

“Onagoruwa laboured with us in the National Democratic Coalition for the emancipation of Nigeria.

“He toiled to free Nigeria from captivity. We will miss him greatly,” Faseun said.

Human Rights Lawyer and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Maxi Okwu, described Onagoruwa as a “sound and great legal mind”.

Okwu said that Onagoruwa contributed his quota to the building of Nigeria, adding: “our thoughts and prayers are with his family”.

Constitutional lawyer and former National Secretary of the Labour Party Kayode Ajulo said that Onagoruwa helped many lawyers in Nigeria with his tide of advocacy.

“Onagoruwa and the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi were legal giants that inspired most of us. 

“Onagoruwa combined activism with intellectual flavour that will always be remembered,” Ajulo said.

Onagoruwa, who was also a human rights activist died on Friday. He was 80 years.

He had a doctorate degree in law and was the only attorney-general of the federation, who did not bag the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title at the time.

He was Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice from 1993 to 1994 during the regime of Gen. Sani Abacha. (NAN)
CHOM/OFN

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Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Silas Nwoha