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10 <strong>—</strong> Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019<br />
No one can force me<br />
out of <strong>PDP</strong> <strong>—</strong>- AGBAJE<br />
..Denies mismanag<strong>in</strong>g campaign funds<br />
By Olasunkanmi<br />
Akoni<br />
L AGOS<strong>—</strong>THE<br />
governorship<br />
candidate of the Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, <strong>PDP</strong>, <strong>in</strong><br />
Lagos State, Mr. Jimi<br />
Agbaje has said he<br />
rema<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> the party and<br />
no one would force him to<br />
quit.<br />
Agbaje made the remark,<br />
follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>s<strong>in</strong>uations and<br />
rumours mak<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
rounds <strong>in</strong> the early hours<br />
of Wednesday, that he had<br />
dumped <strong>PDP</strong>.<br />
In a statement by his<br />
Director of Media and<br />
Publicity, Felix Oboagw<strong>in</strong>a,<br />
Agbaje said: “I have never<br />
discussed with anyone any<br />
plan to dump <strong>PDP</strong>, neither<br />
has such a prospect crossed<br />
my m<strong>in</strong>d. There is no<br />
reason for it. It is uncalled<br />
for.”<br />
He vowed to rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
the party, despite the<br />
campaign of calumny be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
waged aga<strong>in</strong>st him <strong>in</strong> the<br />
media by a few leaders.<br />
The <strong>PDP</strong> flag-bearer said<br />
he only on Monday<br />
released a message<br />
encourag<strong>in</strong>g members to<br />
rise above the questionable<br />
defeats suffered <strong>in</strong> the last<br />
<strong>election</strong> and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> faith<br />
<strong>in</strong> the party, and that it<br />
would be contradictory for<br />
him to suddenly turn tail<br />
and flee the same party.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to him, recent<br />
vituperations <strong>in</strong> the press<br />
and social media aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
his person and his role<br />
<strong>in</strong> the last <strong>election</strong> were<br />
the mach<strong>in</strong>ations of<br />
political featherweights<br />
and did not warrant any<br />
response.<br />
Agbaje said: “Suffice to<br />
say that Chief Layi<br />
Ogunbambi’s claim of<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g denied funds as<br />
Director-General of <strong>Atiku</strong><br />
Abubakar Presidential<br />
Campaign Council <strong>in</strong><br />
Lagos State amounted to<br />
attempt<strong>in</strong>g to build<br />
LPetroleum AGOS<strong>—</strong>DANGOTE<br />
Ref<strong>in</strong>ery<br />
and Petrochemicals<br />
Company, yesterday,<br />
flagged off a vocational<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g scheme that will<br />
<strong>in</strong>culcate skills <strong>in</strong> the<br />
young men and women<br />
from the Ibeju-Lekki area<br />
to make them<br />
marketable.<br />
Dangote Group Executive<br />
Director, Capital Projects,<br />
Mr Devakumar Edw<strong>in</strong> said<br />
the <strong>in</strong>itiative was a<br />
demonstration of the<br />
firm's commitment<br />
towards capacity<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g and youth<br />
empowerment <strong>in</strong> the<br />
country.<br />
The vocational skills,<br />
which was launched <strong>in</strong><br />
collaboration with the<br />
National Directorate of<br />
Employment, NDE, and the<br />
Nigerian Content<br />
Development and<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g on noth<strong>in</strong>g. For<br />
starters, the position he lays<br />
claim gives him no locus<br />
standi as no such formal<br />
position existed <strong>in</strong> the entire<br />
campaign structure of <strong>PDP</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> Lagos or any of the other<br />
35 states.”<br />
React<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to<br />
Ogunbanmbi’s claim,<br />
Agbaje stressed that the<br />
man who paraded himself<br />
as the DG of the <strong>Atiku</strong>/Obi<br />
Presidential Campaign<br />
Council had his wife, Mrs.<br />
Oluwatoy<strong>in</strong> Ogunbambi,<br />
contest<strong>in</strong>g as gubernatorial<br />
candidate <strong>in</strong> Lagos State<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>PDP</strong> on another<br />
party platform.<br />
“Ogunbanmbi also went<br />
to the extent of stat<strong>in</strong>g his<br />
contributions f<strong>in</strong>ancially<br />
and policy wise to my<br />
campaign. This is news to<br />
me. May be he should tell<br />
the world his f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
contributions to my<br />
campaigns. There is no<br />
time I have ever sat with Dr.<br />
Ogunbanmbi to discuss<br />
policy issues,” he said.<br />
Agbaje, also, dismissed<br />
allegations levelled aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
him over steal<strong>in</strong>g of<br />
campaign funds.<br />
He said: “I was not given<br />
one kobo by the party or the<br />
<strong>PDP</strong> Presidential<br />
Candidate for the<br />
gubernatorial <strong>election</strong>s. We<br />
ran our campaign from<br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to end on a<br />
shoe-str<strong>in</strong>g budget. You<br />
cannot steal or divert what<br />
is not given,” he said.<br />
“That this former<br />
Chairman of the party <strong>in</strong><br />
Lagos State can accuse<br />
anyone of mismanagement<br />
of funds baffles me. He so<br />
mismanaged party funds<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g his tenure that he<br />
‘forgot’ to keep money<br />
aside to pay several years’<br />
rent for the party<br />
secretariat! Funds to run<br />
rallies <strong>in</strong> the 20 LGAs<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the 2015<br />
campaigns were not<br />
forthcom<strong>in</strong>g from the party<br />
under his chairman.<br />
FLAG-OFF: From left; Group Executive Director, Capital Projects, Mr. Edw<strong>in</strong> Devakumar; Oba of Lagos, Oba<br />
Rilwan Akiolu; Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamarudeen Animasahun, and Manager, Project Certification, Nigeria Content<br />
Development and Monitor<strong>in</strong>g Board, Engr. Frank Ibi at the Vocational Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Scheme flag off ceremony organized<br />
by Dangote Oil Ref<strong>in</strong>ery and Petrochemicals for youths across host communities <strong>in</strong> Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos yesterday.<br />
Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737 MAX: We'll wait for outcome<br />
of <strong>in</strong>vestigations before tak<strong>in</strong>g decision<br />
•As Senator stresses need to protect<br />
<strong>—</strong> Air Peace CEO<br />
By Olasunkanmi<br />
Akoni, Lawani<br />
Mikairu, Onozure<br />
Dania & Gabriel<br />
Olawale<br />
L<br />
A<br />
G O S <strong>—</strong><br />
CHAIRMAN and<br />
Chief Executive Officer,<br />
CEO, of Air Peace airl<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
Allen Onyema, yesterday,<br />
said the airl<strong>in</strong>e would wait<br />
for the outcome of<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigations before tak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a decision on its order for 10<br />
Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737 MAX 800 which<br />
will beg<strong>in</strong> to arrive <strong>in</strong> 2023.<br />
Onyema also frowned at<br />
the behaviour of some<br />
Nigerians<br />
who<br />
mischievously created the<br />
impression that the<br />
airl<strong>in</strong>e already had the<br />
EMPOWERMENT: Dangote ref<strong>in</strong>ery flags off<br />
vocational skills for host communities<br />
Monitor<strong>in</strong>g Board,<br />
NCDMB, was designed to<br />
cover plumb<strong>in</strong>g, masonry,<br />
weld<strong>in</strong>g, iron bend<strong>in</strong>g, auto<br />
mechanics and electrical<br />
works.<br />
Edw<strong>in</strong> said the scheme<br />
was geared towards add<strong>in</strong>g<br />
value to the lives of the<br />
youths and their<br />
communities and equip<br />
young men with trade skills<br />
that would prepare them for<br />
better opportunities.<br />
At the event, attended by<br />
top Obas and community<br />
leaders, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Oba of<br />
Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu<br />
and the Baales <strong>in</strong> the host<br />
communities, the Dangote<br />
Group boss said the<br />
company would cont<strong>in</strong>ue to<br />
<strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> projects that would<br />
add value to the lives of the<br />
people <strong>in</strong> the communities<br />
host<strong>in</strong>g its facilities.<br />
He said: “At Dangote<br />
Industries Limited, our<br />
corporate social responsibility<br />
projects are centred<br />
around the development<br />
and well-be<strong>in</strong>g of the people,<br />
especially our host communities.<br />
In Ibeju Lekki, we<br />
have executed several<br />
projects that are enhanc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the lives of the people. We<br />
have provided boreholes for<br />
all the communities, classrooms<br />
for the local schools,<br />
and we just awarded scholarships<br />
to 51 secondary<br />
school students.''<br />
In his remarks, Oba<br />
Akiolu said the programme<br />
was unprecedented <strong>in</strong> that<br />
the company was yet to start<br />
operation but is<br />
empower<strong>in</strong>g youths to<br />
make them employable.<br />
The monarch then<br />
encouraged the youths to<br />
utilise the skills which they<br />
will acquire through the<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g programme.<br />
aircraft <strong>in</strong> its fleet.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to him: “It is<br />
true that Air Peace ordered<br />
for10 Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737MAX 8,<br />
after which the aircraft<br />
type was <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> two<br />
fatal accidents <strong>in</strong> Indonesia<br />
and Ethiopia respectively,<br />
but like other airl<strong>in</strong>es that<br />
have also ordered the<br />
aircraft, the Nigerian carrier<br />
would wait for the outcome<br />
of <strong>in</strong>vestigations before<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g a decision on the<br />
order.<br />
“We are not say<strong>in</strong>g we are<br />
cancell<strong>in</strong>g neither are we<br />
say<strong>in</strong>g we are not cancell<strong>in</strong>g<br />
because no airl<strong>in</strong>e that<br />
ordered for the aircraft had<br />
said it is cancell<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Everybody is wait<strong>in</strong>g for the<br />
outcome of the<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigation. What airl<strong>in</strong>es<br />
that have the aircraft have<br />
done now is to ground them<br />
until the result of the<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigation comes out.<br />
And at the same time<br />
countries are bann<strong>in</strong>g them<br />
from fly<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> their airspace<br />
until the <strong>in</strong>vestigation comes<br />
out.<br />
“But I still wonder that air<br />
accident happened <strong>in</strong><br />
Ethiopia, Ethiopians have<br />
never taken their airl<strong>in</strong>e that<br />
had accident to the cleaners.<br />
Ethiopians have never up<br />
to this moment attacked<br />
Ethiopian Airl<strong>in</strong>es that<br />
bought this aircraft. South<br />
West Airl<strong>in</strong>es has so many<br />
of these planes, no country<br />
has ever attacked those who<br />
<strong>in</strong>nocently purchased these<br />
planes and who are already<br />
us<strong>in</strong>g them. We have 400 of<br />
these planes <strong>in</strong> active<br />
service.''<br />
Senator hails ban,<br />
mourns death of Nigerians<br />
<strong>in</strong> ill-fated aircraft<br />
Senator Gbenga Ashafa,<br />
represent<strong>in</strong>g Lagos East<br />
and Chairman Senate<br />
Committee on Land<br />
Nigerian airspace<br />
Transport, has stressed the<br />
need for Nigeria to protect<br />
its airspace even as he<br />
commended the ban on<br />
Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737 MAX 8 <strong>in</strong><br />
Nigeria.<br />
Ashafa, who mourned the<br />
death of two Nigerians who<br />
died <strong>in</strong> the Ethiopian airl<strong>in</strong>e<br />
crash also urged<br />
government to ensure that<br />
all aircraft’ operat<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong><br />
Nigeria are air worthy <strong>in</strong><br />
order to keep Nigerians safe<br />
at all times.<br />
The senator who made the<br />
remarks dur<strong>in</strong>g plenary<br />
from a motion he sponsored<br />
and titled “The Sad Demise<br />
of two illustrious Nigerians<br />
<strong>in</strong> the recent Ethiopian<br />
Airl<strong>in</strong>es crash of<br />
10th March, 2019 and the<br />
need for Nigeria to protect<br />
its airspace from the Boe<strong>in</strong>g<br />
737 Max 8 series pend<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the determ<strong>in</strong>ation of its Air<br />
worth<strong>in</strong>ess.”<br />
Ashafa stated further that<br />
the two Nigerians who lost<br />
their lives were no ord<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
citizen as the two of them<br />
dist<strong>in</strong>guished themselves <strong>in</strong><br />
their various fields and till<br />
their death were worthy<br />
Ambassadors of Nigeria <strong>in</strong><br />
the Diaspora.<br />
Ashafa observed that it was<br />
not the first time that a<br />
Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737 Max 8 series<br />
aircraft had crashed under<br />
similar circumstances. He<br />
thereafter commended the<br />
M<strong>in</strong>ister for Transportation<br />
(Aviation) Senator Hadi<br />
Sirika for the restriction<br />
placed on the use of the<br />
Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737 Max 8 and 9<br />
series aircrafts with<strong>in</strong> the<br />
Nigerian airspace pend<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the outcome of the<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigation of the plane<br />
crash.<br />
NGO demands open<br />
<strong>in</strong>quest on collapsed Ita -<br />
Faaji build<strong>in</strong>g<br />
A non-governmental<br />
organisation, NGO, Women<br />
Empowerment and Legal<br />
Aid, WELA, has asked the<br />
Chief Judge of Lagos State,<br />
Justice Opeyemi Oke, to<br />
open an <strong>in</strong>quest <strong>in</strong>to the<br />
tragic death of 20 persons,<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the collapsed of a<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g last week <strong>in</strong> Ita-<br />
Faaji area of the state.<br />
Meantime, former<br />
Deputy National Chairman<br />
of the Peoples Democratic<br />
Party, <strong>PDP</strong>, Bode George,<br />
has urged the state<br />
government to ensure that<br />
all those guilty for the<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g collapse at Ita Faji<br />
<strong>in</strong> Lagos Island be<br />
prosecuted.<br />
On the <strong>in</strong>quest, the<br />
Chairperson of WELA, Mrs<br />
Funmi Falana, <strong>in</strong> a letter to<br />
the Chief Registrar of the<br />
State Judiciary, urged<br />
the chief Judge to<br />
conduct a coroner<br />
<strong>in</strong>quest <strong>in</strong> to the<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g collapse.<br />
Falana said: “In the<br />
light of the forego<strong>in</strong>g, we<br />
request you to use your<br />
good offices to cause a<br />
coroner’s <strong>in</strong>quest to be<br />
conducted <strong>in</strong>to the cause<br />
of collapse of the fourstorey<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g at Ita-Faaji<br />
area of Lagos Island that<br />
led to the death of 18<br />
people on March 13, and<br />
make appropriate<br />
recommendations pursuant<br />
to section 15 of the Lagos<br />
State Coroner’s Law 2007<br />
which provides that an<br />
<strong>in</strong>quest shall hold<br />
whenever a Coroner is<br />
<strong>in</strong>formed that the death “<strong>in</strong><br />
a violent, unnatural or<br />
suspicious situation.<br />
George, speak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g a courtesy visit to<br />
the victims at the Lagos<br />
Island General Hospital,<br />
George said thought,<br />
government cannot be<br />
everywhere, but those<br />
saddles with the<br />
responsibility must be<br />
held accountable.