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14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 Ekiti to hold LG polls December 7 VISIT: Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State (left) presenting a gift to the Managing Director/CEO, Unity Bank, Mrs Tomi Somefun during the bank's management team's visit to the governor in his office, Ibadan. MURDER OF ONDO PROFESSOR: Killers must be brought to book — FAMILY •Murder barbaric, says govt By Dayo Johnson AKURE—THE family of the murdered 51- year-old Professor of Applied Mathematics and Acting Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Science and Technology, OSUSTECH, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Professor Gideon Okedayo and the state government, yesterday, called on security agencies to fish out his killers and prosecute them. Late Okedayo, of the Mathematical Science Department was abducted with his driver on September 5 on his way to Ighara, in Edo State when he was abducted. His driver was later released but he was held captive until he was murdered without his captor requesting for ransom. Detectives of the Edo State Police Command later recovered his official vehicle where it was abandoned. His decomposing body was recovered days later in a bush not far from where he was abducted. Speaking with Vanguard, a family member, who spoke in confidence, said killers of the university Professor should be arrested and prosecuted. When contacted, widow of the deceased, Mrs. Marries Okedayo, declined comment on the death of her husband. When Vanguard called her, her younger sister said: “My sister would not speak to the press on this matter for now.” But another family member, who decried the prevailing insecurity in the country, said: “The killers of this innocent and hardworking man must be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.” Meanwhile, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu have sent representatives to pay a condolence visit to the widow of the deceased in Okitipupa. Other callers at the late Professor’s residence include the Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Akinbo Adesomoju, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sunday Ogunduyile and other top management staff. Pastor Yomi Osho led a team of 14 other RCCG pastors, while the state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Femi Agagu led the state government delegation. The state government, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Ojo Oyewamide, described Okedayo’s death as heinous and barbaric. Condemning the murder, Governor Akeredolu called on “security agencies to get to the root of this and other avoidable killings that have pervaded the nation lately.” FUOYE bans SUG, orders students to vacate campus •I didn’t order shooting of students, says Fayemi’s wife By Rotimi Ojomoyela A FOLLOWING DO-EKITI— the attack on the convoy of the First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi by protesting students of Federal University, Oye- Ekiti, FUOYE, on Tuesday, the authorities of FUOYE, yesterday, closed down the school indefinitely. Students of the university had on Tuesday held a violent protest to demand the restoration of electricity to the two campuses in Oye and Ikole, where cars on the convoy of the First lady, who was on a local government tour, were destroyed and many sustained injuries in the process. The fracas led to a clash between security operatives and the students where Joseph Okonofua, a 300- level student of the institution was killed and several others injured. In a statement signed by Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, the management also proscribed the Students’ Union Government, SUG, in the institution henceforth. Soremekun said: “We hereby announce the immediate and indefinite closure of the university to forestall further breakdown of law and order. “In the same vein, the students’ union of the institution is disbanded indefinitely. “Following this closure, the students’ population are, hereby, ordered to vacate the university premises no later than 10 am 11th September 2019.” I didn’t order shooting of students—Fayemi’s wife Meanwhile, Mrs. Fayemi has denied social media reports that she ordered security operatives in her convoy to shoot students of FUOYE, saying “This is false. I did not encounter any group of students when I got to Oye town.” The governor’s wife, in a statement, regretted the attack on her convoy by the students, revealed that the casualties did not occur when she was at the scene. Mrs. Fayemi, while condoling with the family of the deceased student, wished a quick recovery to all those that sustained injuries in the fracas. She said: “Half-way through our event, there was a disturbance outside. The FUOYE students (and possibly infiltrated by local thugs) had re-grouped and were trying to get into the venue. The security officers prevented this from happening. We finished our program, and by the time we got outside, we found that vehicles from my convoy and those of my guests that were parked outside the venue had been vandalised. As we were driving out of Oye town, we encountered at least two roadblocks that the students had mounted to prevent the movement of vehicles. I could see students throwing stones and large sticks at us as we drove by. “However, the casualties that were recorded did not take place while I was there. There are eye-witnesses, photographs and video footage to confirm this. “Reports are circulating that the crisis occurred because I refused to address the protesting students. This is false. I did not encounter any group of students when I got to Oye town. They had dispersed before my arrival, and when they regrouped I was inside the venue. It is possible, as I stated earlier, that the group that came to the venue trying to gain access with sticks and stones in hand might have included local hoodlums, but there was no way of telling the difference. “I am shocked beyond words to hear that I instructed security officers to shoot at students. If I had met protesting students, as a social justice activist, I would have listened to their complaints and addressed them. I firmly believe in citizens’ rights to protest on issues of concern.'' By Rotimi Ojomoyela AEkiti DO-EKITI—THE State Independent Electoral Commission, EKSIEC, yesterday, disclosed that it will conduct local government elections on December 7, 2019. Chairman of the Commission, Justice Jide Aladejana said this during a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti. The tenure of the 177 councilors and 16 local government chairmen and other appointed officials will lapse on December 19, 2019, having assumed office December 19, 2017. By Dapo Akinrefon L A G O S — EXECUTIVE Secretary of the Nigerian National Summit Group, NNSG, Mr. Tony Uranta, has said that the NNSG will resist against any attempt to break up Nigeria. Uranta, in a statement in Lagos, said that although the group was against Nigeria breaking up, it also believed that Nigeria was divisible. He said: “We are fighting against any current attempts to destabilise or break up Nigeria, but saying Nigeria is indivisible is balderdash. “There is no nation without security challenges and we have had our fair share in the past, but the dimension it is taking requires serious attention and input from all otherwise the consequences if not reduced will be dire for all. “Presenting as it is, every strata of the nation is affected, rich, poor, power brokers and all states of the federation. “We can no longer sit and watch this go on without Aladejana assured that the polls will be transparent and devoid of rigging, appealing to the opposition not to boycott the polls as has been its usual practice. The SIEC boss also disclosed that the body will use the voters’ registers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and its guidelines for the conduct of the elections, saying voting will be by manual means. He said: “We are assuring the people that their votes will count, so all parties must sponsor candidates for the elections.'' NNSG’ll resist fresh attempts to break Nigeria up — URANTA Ondo South communities get electricity after 20 years By Dayo Johnson AKURE—ORE, a commercial centre, in Odigbo council area of Ondo State and other communities disconnected over non-payment of electricity bill, 20 years ago have been reconnected to the national grid. Their reconnection to the national grid was made possible by the personal intervention of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. The Chief Executive Officer of Klick Konnect Networks International Limited, Mr. Alex Ajipe said this in Akure. Ajipe, who facilitated the Ondo-Linyi Industrial Hub where several companies are situated, said the conglomerate at Ore reconnected the communities as parts of their Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR. rising to it. There must be a way out that will compliment what security agencies are doing. “No group of persons or even security agencies can have all the knowledge for a tactical approach to dealing with those perpetrating these acts. “The killings are too many. The kidnaps, robberies, rituals, fraud, have reached its peak. If we don’t act now, these people will overrun the nation and we will all be victims. The time to act is now. Enough is enough.” Uranta, who reiterated calls for restructuring, said: “Nigeria stands the risk of break up if not restructured as being canvassed in different fora. “The NNSG in time past says that people pretend that Nigerians are bound in a non-negotiable unity when we have very loud secessionist agitations ongoing in at least three of Nigeria’s six zones. “As it is now, we must stop pretending that all is well with Nigeria. We must all agree that there is a need to restructure Nigeria.” Ajipe said: “The most significant development is that thanks to your intervention, Ondo-Linyi Industrial Hub, and their entire host community have just been electrified. “This is very significant to the host communities, who have had no electricity for close to two decades, and it is also significant to the Linyi investors who had relied on self-generated, expensive sources to power their equipment.” Aside from the reconnection to the national grid, Ajipe said the presence of the Ondo-Linyi Industrial Hub in Ore has led to the increase in the Internally Generated Revenue of the state government. “The Ondo-Linyi Industrial Hub has employed massively from the host communities.''
Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019—15 COMMISSIONING: From left— Regional Head Market Risk, Oyefuga Oladipupo; Head, Business Support and Resolution, Obasi Nwabueze, both of Stanbic IBTC Bank, and Supervisor for Education, Igbogbo Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, Yahaya Kamoru, at the commissioning of the newly-built modern toilet at Methodist Primary School, Elepe, Ikorodu, yesterday. ‘Presidential election tribunal's judgment disjointed, complicated’ By Chioma Gabriel & Chimaobi Nwaiwu NNEWI—RESIDENTS of Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State, yesterday, received the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja with passive and uninterested attitude, saying they are convinced that there will be no fair hearing in the tribunal, describing it as working with tied hands. The residents expressed anger that the tribunal made its judgment so complicated that a lay man cannot understand it, alleging that a lot of diversionary issues were brought in, leaving the main substance of the petition, which is the winner of the presidential election, to discuss the eligibility and non-eligibility of a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawyer, Mr. Livy Uzoukwu. Speaking with Vanguard, chairman, Board of the International Society for the Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, INTERSOCIETY, Nze Emeka Umeagbalasi, described the tribunal’s judgment as segregated, disjointed and incomprehensible. Also, an Onitsha resident and a retired civil servant, Chief Gideon Okoro, said what Nigerians want to hear is who won and who lost the election, and “not whether the petition seeking to nullify President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection was validly and competently filed or otherwise.” Another decision of the tribunal that confused the residents was its dismissal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, contention that it lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the aspect of the petition alleging that President Buhari supplied false information regarding his educational qualification, wondering its relevance to who won the election. According to Chief Okoro, “we got more confused with the tribunal’s decision to strike out Atiku Abubakar’s petition indicting security agencies, while at the same time, declaring that the motion challenging Abubakar’s eligibility was diversionary.” According to the senior citizen, “all these decisions of the tribunal amounts to nothing to the lay man if it did not pronounce, point blank, whether the election was free and fair and in tandem with the wishes of the Nigerian masses,” adding that he was not surprised that people are so passive about the judgment. ...as Okorocha reacts Meanwhile, former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha(Imo West) has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari over his By Ugochukwu Alaribe UMUAHIA— THERE was a mild drama at Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, yesterday, as the Rector of the institution, Professor Ezionye Eboh, declined meeting with a delegation of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Abia State council, who were in his office over the sack of 250 workers. The Rector insisted that he won’t receive the delegation, which comprised chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics in Abia Polytechnic, Nwachukwu Chuks, and his Secretary, Fred Ugboaja, who were said to have been affected by the sack. Addressing staff of the polytechnic after the botched victory at the tribunal and remarked that the President’s victory is for all lovers of democracy, in and outside the country. Okorocha explained that with the victory, President Buhari would now be more encouraged to continue to work for the unity, progress and peace of the nation, while the distractions associated with the case would now be jettisoned. Okorocha commended the tribunal members for doing a good job and making the nation proud. He also commended Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for giving good account of himself and for his contributions to the nation’s democracy. Okorocha noted that with all these, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the nation’s democracy. UPP vindicated—Okorie Also yesterday, United meeting, Abia State NLC chairman, Uchenna Obigwe, urged the management to pay the 16 months arrears of workers salaries and comply with civil service rules if it wants to downsize its workforce. The NLC chairman said the sack letters issued to workers must be withdrawn while the management engages labour to know the criteria for the downsizing of the workforce. His words: “If management wants to downsize, there are processes. If a staff is said to be redundant, you must determine the level of redundancy. There are processes of disciplining a staff. “We are not in support of anybody who has forged certificate. Our interest is that the management of Abia Poly should Progressive Party, UPP, and its leadership felicitated with the President on his victory at the tribunal. A statement by the national chairman of UPP, Chekwas Okorie, recalled that “on August 17, 2018, when the National Executive Committee, NEC, of our party resolved unequivocally to support President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress, APC, for the presidential election, we stated that we would work to ensure his victory at the February 23 presidential election. “We said the victory would be so resounding in a manner that would make any petition against the outcome of the election to be mere and unnecessary national distraction.” UPP urged Buhari to accept his victory with the magnanimity of a forgiving father and to remain focused in carrying out the responsibilities of his office. Abia Poly Rector shuns meeting with NLC delegation over sacked 250 workers do what they are doing with a human face. You don’t look at people’s face and sack them. Civil service has rules; let them come to play. “As at today, no worker is sacked at Abia Poly unless those that forged certificates. “We had an understanding with management and a committee was set up. Chairman of joint negotiating council, Chris Okoro, represented labour. But labour has not got a copy of the report. This is not acceptable. “Let labour have the report of the committee so we will be sure that what they are implementing is contained in the report. “However, we gathered that the committee did not recommend the sack of up to 100 workers. How come 258 workers were sacked?” Tribunal upholds Ibezim's victory in Idemili North/South By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA—THE National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka, yesterday, upheld the election of Mr. Ifeanyi Ibezim(Idemili North/South Federal Constituency) on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and dismissed the petition filed by Mr. Obinna Chidoka of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Chidoka had approached the tribunal seeking the nullification of the election on the allegation of multiple voting and non-compliance with electoral laws, arguing that the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, ought not to have conducted supplementary election in areas he clearly won. Justices Irele Ifijeh and O. O. Odubanjo, who read the judgment of the tribunal, held that the petitioner was unable to establish that results he presented before the tribunal were generated during the election, adding that he, the petitioner, could also not identify the source of the results. Reacting, Ibezim, who was in court, said he can now concentrate on serving his people of Idemili North and South who, he added, were happy that he had retained the mandate they freely gave him. NLC faults attack on Ohanaeze By Dennis Agbo ENUGU—ENUGU State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has condenmed recent attacks by different groups and individuals on the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by its President-General, Chief Nnia Nwodo. The labour union said the attacks were venomous outbursts, insults and misdemeanour on the Igbo leader, whom they said is courageous and respected in Igboland. Chairman and Secretary of NLC Political Committee in Enugu State, Ike Ekere and Dr. Pat Eze, respectively, in a statement in Enugu, said the attack on Nwodo erodes tradition, culture, norms, values of Igboland and the pursuit for referendum and restructuring. They described Nwodo as an enigma, with high sense of justice and one that denied himself certain comforts and positions to achieve justice and serve humanity.
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