Former Ikeja Local Government Chairman, Toyin Amzat Shot Dead

Report on the web from metronews room have confirmed that the former Ikeja Local Government Chairman, PS Ministry of Health, and Ex Special adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Health, Toyin Amzat was reportedly shot dead sunday evening at Sagamu, Ogun State.

Stunning facts have emerged on the death of the former Ikeja Local Govt. Chairman and erstwhile SA on Health to the Lagos State governor, Mr. Toyin Hamzat who was shot in the head along Shagamu expressway around 9.00pm tonite.

We gathered reliably that, the amiable politician was on his way from his country home, a magnificent fortress he just declared opened about 6 weeks ago before he was cornered by some wicked gun totting assassins.

Toyin Hamzat who was spotted at the Danjuma’s colourful party in Abeokuta yesterday was getting ready for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s much talked about Chieftaincy ceremony in Abeokuta tomorrow before he was cut down tonite. He was shot in the head and has been confirmed dead by suspected assassins as nothing was touched in his car.
NairalandForum

Edo community boils: One dead as youths declare war on police, traditional ruler

Information reaching DailyPost from Okpella, a settlement in Auchi Local Government Area of Edo State indicates that the community is currently on fire.
The crisis we exclusively gathered erupted between the youth, traditional ruler of the land and the police over job employment.
According to a resident, the crisis brewed some months back when Julius Begger PLC set up a company in the community. The company offers direct employment to all the youth in the community. But unfortunately some bad eggs were recruited among the youth who later turned against them by smuggling their valuables.
When the news reached the traditional ruler of the land, His Royal Highness, Alhaji A.Y.E Idirisu, Okuokpellagbe of Okpella Kingdom, he was touched to hear that his subjects were rendering evil for good.
He immediately ordered that all the youth undergo some screenings before employment so as to select good candidates for the company in order to stop them from tarnishing the image of his kingdom.
“But the royal order was not the actual cause of the crisis,” a resident said.
It all started when the youth were told that 5% of their wages is for the traditional ruler. He also gave a standing order that the first salary would go into their account.
“This unhealthy decree got all the youth angry and immediately they started making the community ungovernonable for the monarch,” the source told Dailypost.
He further added that the youth became angry because they thought that his highness’ decision was good but now it is obvious that he wants to use manpower to enrich himself.
It was learnt that the youth barricaded all the major roads in the community and started burning tyres calling the king names. They later moved to the palace, turned the monarch’s royal seat upside down, vandalized five of his seven cars and set some parts of the palace ablaze.
According to another resident identified as Grace, the youth became more infuriated when the monarch reported the case to the police who later came to his rescue.
Policemen attached to Okpella Police division came and cordoned the palace, preventing the visibly angry youth from gaining entrance into the palace to cause further damages.
“The youth began to throw stone at them and before you know, they police also started shooting into the air and strayed bullet hit one of the protesters.”
DailyPost

Obasanjo laid foundation for corruption in Nigeria – Kashamu, Monguno dare ex-president

A member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, yesterday lambasted former president, Olusegun Obasanjo for blaming president Goodluck Jonathan for the high rate of corruption and insecurity in the country.
He asserted that the retired military General had no moral right to criticise President Goodluck Jonathan.
Also, former Petroleum Resources Minister, Alhaji Shettima Monguno, has said that Obasanjo’s comments were out of line.
Obasanjo recently at event in Warri criticised Jonathan’s poor handling of corruption and the incessant killings in the North by the Boko Haram sect.
Kashamu, in a statement in Abeokuta said it was Obasanjo who laid the foundation by allowing illegal activities to take over the county during his administration.
He said, “Perhaps, the point should be made – and poignantly too – that the earlier Obasanjo purges himself of his messianic postures, the better it would be for him and the nation at large. He is quick to recount his exploits while in office. But the truth is: the foundation of some of the challenges that we are grappling with today were laid during his last years in office.”
The party chieftain also claimed that Obasanjo is trying to score cheap credit.
Similarly, Mongun told newsmen in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday, that the ex president lacked moral right to criticise Jonathan
He said, “Somebody who wanted to extend his tenure beyond the constitutional term; tried his very best to extend but was rejected, is now advising government to do the wrong thing”.
“I do not agree with our former President that Jonathan should use force, or use the military to crush what they always call the Boko Haram.”
Monguno added that even in the military, soldiers do not want to go to war unless it is absolutely necessary.
He noted that rather than use force, president Jonathan should settle for a peace talk with the Islamist fundamentalists.
DailyPost

Polytechnic Graduates Lament Disparity Between HND, University Degree

The leadership of National Association of Technologists in Engineering, NATE, has appealed to the Federal Government to release the white paper on the Ernest Shonekan panel on the disparity between Higher National Diploma, HND, and university degree.
The National President of NATE, Dr. Leo Okereke, made the appeal weekend while addressing a press conference in Owerri.
“Mr. President Sir, 11 years is more than enough time for a circular to be issued in the civil service.
“We urge you to demonstrate the political will to release this long awaited circular,” Dr. Okereke pleaded.
NATE leadership expressed serious worry that products of polytechnics were known not to rise beyond level 14 in the civil service, adding that many of them had been frustrated out of service when their juniors were promoted above them on account of their HND qualification.
Dr. Okereke recalled with grief that instead of implementing the government white paper, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, who was head of service at the time, convened another meeting at the instance of National Council on Establishment.
“A communiqué was issued at the end of the parley that the Office of the Head of Service should proceed to issue implementation circular without further delay. This is where the matter has been since 2009,” Okereke lamented.
InformationNigeria.org

Four years is too small for someone to make an impact – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said a single term was too small for a leader to make an impact in a country.
His Excellency who disclosed this on Sunday during a presidential media chat in Abuja, affirmed that it was too early for him to declare his intention for 2015 presidential election.
Hear him :“You are asking whether I will contest in 2015. It is too early to ask a sitting president whether he will re-contest. If a president says I am contesting, it will generate tension. If I said I am not, it will generate tension. If I say I am not contesting, some of my cabinet members may even resign. All of them are qualified to contest the position. Four years is small for a person to make an impact. Before you ask if the president will contest, wait until 2014”. On the issue of fuel subsidy, Jonathan denied ever saying that the palliative would be removed next year.
On the total removal of fuel subsidy, Jonathan said it is provided for in the 2013 budget, noting that why should he put it in the budget in the first place if he had plan to remove it.
He said that the issue came up when a group of students from National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru presented a research work to him. “In the research work, Canada was said to have 16 refineries while Nigeria has only four. I then asked my Economic Adviser to find out who owns the refineries in Canada and he said they are privately-owned,” the President stated, lamenting that “we also issued licences to private people to build refineries, but they are not building.”
And to reach the level of Canada, Jonathan insisted, “then, a policy which operates in Canada should be adopted here in Nigeria,” enthusing, if that policy is in operation in the country and the private sector also build refineries, the issue of subsidy would be resolved.”
“When we conclude the process to sanitize the oil sector, the issue of queues in filling stations will be put behind us.”
The president explained that there is no need for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) beyond what the National Assembly is currently doing,
His words “the feelings of Nigerians are that this Constitution was written by the military and that it is not the Nigerians’ Constitution and they are clamouring for Nigerians to write a Constitution for themselves.”
He said, “where individual groups, social groups, religious groups, socio-cultural groups, ethnic groups, youth groups or all other interest groups, would have an opportunity to have input in the process.”
“The issue of Sovereign National Conference (SNC), when you mention the word, sovereign, people get frightened. But if there is anything I believe as President, I swore to an oath to defend the Constitution, that whatever we do, we should keep in line with the Constitution. Anything that Nigerians have, they can communicate to the National Assembly. But if today we jettison the position of the Constitution, we will run into another anarchy.”
He said out that it is not in the interest of the country’s democracy for the PDP or any other political parties to control the entire states in the country. ‘PDP is doing wonderfully well. In any country where you have presidential system and you practise true democracy, you don’t expect the ruling party to win all the states.
The ruling party will not win all the states. It will be dangerous for the country if the PDP for example, controls all the states. “In Edo and Ondo states, you mentioned we contested against incumbents. If you contest against an incumbent governor, everyday he is campaigning because his activities speak for him. We believe that in the next election, the PDP family will come together and win the state. We will win naturally’, he added.
DailyPost

Introduction of Chinese language in schools is necessary – Governor Fashola

The Lagos state Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola during the commemoration of his 2000 Days in office on Sunday defended the proposed introduction of Chinese language in government schools, assuring that it would assist in boosting the state economy in the nearest future.
Fashola said the rate at which the world economy is tilting in favour of China,his government needed to take considerable measure in moving fast in line with the global challenge.
He said, “The Chinese are in our homes more than we care to admit. China has become our largest economic partner.”
He recalled an event when a contractual agreement was needed to be signed by the state government and a Chinese contractor, he emphasised that it was an interpreter who understands english language that was contacted to help out.
Fashola however pointed out that english language might fade away if the global power moves to Asia.
DailyPost

‘Stop playing stone age politics’ – PDP Youth Circuit denounces Bola Tinubu over Babajide Obanikoro

by Isi Esene
The Youth Circuit of the Peoples Democratic Party are threatening fire and brimstone over what it described as the “desperate antics” of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to deny Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro his mandate.
Obanikoro was returned by the election tribunal on the 4th of October as chairman of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA but the decision has been appealed by the ACN.
Read below the full text of the press statement which was released on Sunday and signed by the PDP Youth Circuit national publicity secretary, Sola Oyekanmi:

We, the PDP Youth Circuit, youth wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wish to express with disdain our observation of events as it concerns the mandate of Hon. Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro. We wholeheartedly condemn the desperate antics of the ACN led government of Lagos state.
The world is aware of how members of the electorate in Ikoyi-Obalende Development Area were deprived of their right to choose when on the 22nd of October 2011, the mandate they gave Babajide Obanikoro was stolen by the ACN government of Lagos State. The PDP joined Hon. Obanikoro in crying out over the apparent injustice. Our position was vindicated when his mandate was returned by the election tribunal on the 4th of October, 2012.
Expectedly, a desperate ACN and its candidate in the election appealed the judgment and then the drama started. The appeal hearing which was earlier adjourned till the 15th of November, 2012 has surprisingly been adjourned indefinitely. Of course, this the ACN made possible by orchestrating frivolous petitions against the eminent judges who were on the election petition tribunal. The floating petitions alleged bribery and corruption.
We therefore find it shocking that a political party that has benefited so much from the fairness and uprightness of the judiciary has resorted to petty blackmail having lost a local government council election.
The ACN, through court judgments by federal judges now rule in Ekiti, Edo and Osun States despite the fact that they are an opposition party. The immaturity and pettiness of the Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu led Action Congress of Nigeria is unacceptable. In strong terms, we denounce and condemn it.
Every attempt by the ACN to delay and deny justice in this matter is not only callous but undemocratic and reminiscent of stone age politics. We understand the plot is to stall the appeal until the PDP candidate can enjoy the spoils of office for a full term. We condemn this wicked frustration of the will of the people and express our solidarity for Hon. Babajide Obanikoro, the chairman of Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area.
We will explore all democratic avenues of combating the menace of the ACN on this matter. We however wish to sound a note of warning that this is just the first in a series of elections that the ACN will be losing in Lagos state. The PDP and her youth wing PDPYC is prepared to play the politics of issues without bitterness.
We hereby call on the judiciary to stand by what is right and ensure that justice is done. We also call on the law enforcement agencies, the State Security Service and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure the safety and security of Hon. Babajide Obanikoro, members of his family and his supporters. He has informed us of the various threats to his life via telephone and unmarked car tailgating. We do not trust the ACN based on the various steps they have taken so far. They have acted with sheer desperation and unbridled lust for power.
We are watching.
Signed
Sola Oyekanmi
National Publicity Secretary
PDPYC.

YNaija.com