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DSS Clears Ministerial Nominees As Senate Begins Screening Tomorrow
The Senate will tomorrow screen the Ministerial nominees forwarded to it for confirmation by President Bola Tinubu.
According to Vanguard, the nominees who have been cleared by the Department of State Services, DSS, besieged the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado to submit their curriculum Vitae to beat the deadline.
Earlier in the day submit their resume were the Ministers of Education, Trade and Investment and Live Stock.
Meanwhile, Senator Lado in a statement on Monday has confirmed that ministerial nominees have commenced documentation ahead of their screening and confirmation by the Senate, which commences on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024.
The statement read, “He stated that the nominees were already submitting relevant documents as first in the series of procedures for the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees.
“The nominees are expected to be screened and confirmed by the Senate in compliance with Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended).”
Recall that President Tinubu had written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation
of appointments of seven ministerial nominees announced in Abuja on Wednesday.
President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and read last week Thursday during plenary.
According to the letter, the Ministerial nominees were Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment and Bianca Odinaka Odumegu – Ojukwu, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs.
Others were Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Idi Muktar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, Rt Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad, Minister of State, Education.
President Tinubu in the letter had sought for expeditious consideration of his request by the Senate.
Accordingly as announced by Akpabio, the Senate immediately referred the Presidential request to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.
He said, ”Distinguished colleagues, the presidential request is referred to the committee of the whole for consideration very soon.”
News
NLC Accuses Dangote, Oil Marketers Of Inflating Petrol Price In Nigeria
The Nigeria Labour Congress has accused Dangote Group and oil marketers of ganging up to rip Nigerians off in the Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) pricing.
NLC disclosed this in a communiqué on Sunday after its National Executive Council Meeting held on Friday.
The Union noted that the current price of petrol, which stood between N1060 and N1,200 per litre, is higher than the market value.
According to the NLC, the high petrol price in Nigeria is an indication of the prevalence of cost padding and abnormal margins in the country’s oil and gas sector at the detriment of Nigerians.
The Union called on the Nigerian government to immediately activate the Port Harcourt refinery takeoff and other government-owned refineries.
“The NEC-in-session noted with increasing dismay the shenanigans around the appropriate pricing of petrol (PMS) in Nigeria.
“It was observed that there may be a gang-up against Nigerians by fat cats in the industry as the current price of the product
is significantly higher than the real market price.
“Padding of costs and abnormal margins seems to be the order of the day considering the revelations from the
ongoing controversy between Marketers and Dangote Group.
“It is entirely possible that Nigerian workers and masses are being ripped off by those who control the levers of economic power in Nigeria, which explains why the domestic public refineries may not immediately be allowed to come on stream.
“NLC demands appropriate pricing of petrol and calls for the public domestic refineries in PH, Warri, and Kaduna to quickly come back on stream to break up the monopolistic stranglehold the big players have on the industry,” NLC stated.
Recall that in the past days, Petroleum marketers and Dangote Refinery have been enmeshed in controversy over petrol pricing.
JomogNews reports that Dangote Group had announced that its petrol was sold at N960 and N990 per litre.
However, Petroleum Marketers had insisted that imported petrol is cheaper than Dangote Petrol.
But Dangote Refinery accused petrol marketers of importing cheap and substandard fuel, which was denied.
Recent data from the Major Energies Marketers Association showed that the landing cost of imported petrol stood at N971 per litre.
News
Just In: Army Chief Oluyede Storms Sokoto Over New Terrorist Group Emergence
The Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has arrived in Sokoto for his first operational visit to the 8th Division Area of Responsibility, JomogNews Nigeria.
During his visit, Oluyede is expected to meet with the Sultan of Sokoto and engage with other key stakeholders within the division’s jurisdiction.
As part of the visit, the Army Chief will address troops participating in Operation Fasan Yamma, the ongoing military operation combating terrorist activities in the northwest region.
Oluyede’s arrival in Sokoto comes just three days after the Defence Headquarters confirmed the emergence of a new terror group known as ‘Lakurawa,’ which has been causing unrest in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
Five local government areas in Sokoto State have been identified as areas affected by the activities of this group.
Defence Media Operations Director, Major General Edward Buba, stated that while the Lakurawa group is contributing to the rising insecurity in the North-West, the Armed Forces of Nigeria are actively working to contain their threat and ensure stability in the region.
“Troops are confronted with a new terrorist sect in the North-West. This sect is known as Lakuwaras, the Lakuwaras are affiliated to terrorists in the Sahel particularly from Mali and Niger Republic.
“They began incursion into Northern part of Nigeria, mainly Sokoto and Kebbi states, and like I mentioned, they came in from Niger and Mali axis,” General Buba said.
He added that the new terror group emerged from Mali and the Republic of Niger after the coup that led to the breakdown of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.
The military also declared nine terrorists wanted for their roles in the security challenges bedevilling the nation.
News
Obaseki Has Escaped, Whereabouts Unknown – Edo Gov-Elect, Okpebholo Alleges
Edo State Governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo has expressed concern over what he described as Godwin Obaseki’s bizarre public displays.
He claimed that Obaseki has disappeared from the state.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday and signed by Godspower Inegbe, Okpebholo said Edo people are worried by Obaseki’s reckless statements and urged him to evaluate his state of mind.
The Governor-Elect in the statement raised the alarm regarding the whereabouts of Obaseki, who he claimed reportedly fled Benin City, the Edo State capital, using a disguised bus.
The statement revealed that Obaseki chased out everyone from the Government House on Friday before escaping to a yet-to-be known location more than 72 hours before his official departure from office.
The statement further noted that Obaseki is making the false claims to shift attention away from his sinister plans to leave the country through the land borders.
“As of Friday, 8th of November, the whereabouts of Obaseki is unknown. He has chased everyone out of Edo State Government House. He has abandoned governance in the State, and he is on the run.
“He has escaped through the road out of Benin. He did not pass through the airport. If he is as popular as he claims, why did he not use the airport to escape? Instead, he hired a bus and disguised while escaping from Edo State.
“Obaseki is trying to push out these narratives in order to distract the public. His antics will not work. We know his plans, and we will continue to expose his shenanigans to Edo people,” the statement read.
Obaseki, on Saturday, claimed that Senator Okpebholo did not invite him to his inauguration, slated for next Tuesday.
“According to the unpopular outgoing governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo stole the mandate freely given to him by Edo people.
“In his usual myopic mind, he wants to change the narratives and set a dangerous precedent,” Okpebholo noted in a statement.
The Governor-Elect said he won the elections convincingly and added that the tribunal will soon validate his claims.
He said Obaseki would not get away with the reckless claims.
“Obaseki will not get away with this misrepresentation. Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Governor-Elect of Edo State, won the 21st September governorship election in Edo State.
“Obaseki is still licking his wounds of defeat and is yet to accept the reality. Edo people, through the ballot, rejected the planned continuation of Obaseki’s satanic government through his glorified stooge, Asue Ighodalo,” he mocked Obaseki.
Okpebholo said Obaseki is trying to influence the outcome of the ongoing case at the tribunal by making false claims.
He said the attempt will fail like a pack of cards.
He said: “The Peoples Democratic Party is already challenging the outcome of the election in court. We are therefore worried that Obaseki is in a hurry to pre-empt the outcome of the tribunal by repeatedly making false claims.
“Unfortunately for Obaseki, his baseless claims will not stand. The Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Ighodalo, have no case against Senator Okpebholo. The tribunal will soon confirm that.”
He warned Obaseki to desist from making false claims and reminded him of severe consequences that may follow if he does not stop.
Senator Okpebholo reminded Obaseki that he will soon lose his immunity and will therefore be forced to face the full wrath of the law if he does not retrace his steps.
“Although Senator Okpebholo is a man of peace, we will not sit back and allow him to keep misrepresenting the true outcome of what happened on the 21st of September.
“Obaseki will soon lose his immunity and if he continues to make his baseless claims, he will face the full wrath of the law very soon and he will prove his unfounded allegations when he is dragged to court,” Okpebholo warned in the statement.
Reacting to another claim by Obaseki that he was not invited to attend the inauguration slated for next Tuesday, Okpebholo described it as laughable, absurd, and questionable.
He said that since he won the election, Obaseki has employed every means to frustrate a peaceful transfer of power.
The Governor-elect noted that Obaseki has not extended any invitation to him for a meeting or a tour of the Government House.
The statement read: “Again, Obaseki also claimed that Senator Okpebholo did not invite him to the inauguration, slated for next Tuesday. This is laughable, absurd, and questionable. Since Senator Okpebholo was declared winner, Obaseki has employed every means to frustrate a peaceful transfer of power.
“As a sitting Governor, Obaseki should tell Edo people and Nigerians if he has ever invited the Governor-Elect, Senator Okpebholo to Government House for a meeting or a tour as a responsible man. Has Obaseki called Senator Okpebholo to congratulate him since he won the election?
“Obaseki should cover his face in shame, account for the billions he has misappropriated, and apologise to Edo people for under-developing the State in the last eight years.
“We urge Edo people to disregard Obaseki’s reckless statements and support the incoming administration of Senator Okpebholo to remedy the many wrongs of this government.”
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