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Ogun 2023: ADC chieftain hails Amosun for supporting Otegbeye against Abiodun

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2023: Amosun Notifies senate of his Presidential ambition

By John Danjuma

For declaring support for the governorship candidate of ADC, Barrister Biyi Otegbeye, a chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Olawale Adebajo, has commended the former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

2023: Amosun Notifies senate of his Presidential ambition

Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly Ibikunle Amosun

Amosun, who represents Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently expressed his support for Otegbeye while speaking on BBC Yoruba programme.

Read also>>>Put aside ethnic, religious differences, vote for patriotic Nigerian – Obi

The support for opposition governorship candidate has, however raised some dust and caused some panic within the APC circle and the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has reacted saying he would not be deterred by the move.

Speaking with newsmen Friday on the development, Chief Adebajo described Amosun’s move as patriotic, adding that “Otegbeye is a man of high integrity.”

According to Adebajo, Otegbeye is an accomplished lawyer and a successful Chartered Insurer with a Masters Degree in Finance Management, has been described as an attempt to revive a culture of excellence in leadership that Ogun state is known for.

He noted that Amosun has shown an uncommon consistency and unwavering commitment to ensure the emergence of a governor of Yewa-Awori extraction.

“Since the creation of Ogun state in 1976, no one from Ogun West, which is populated by Yewa-Awori people, has been elected governor while the position has been rotated between the other two Senatorial Districts, Ogun East and Ogun Central.

“Former Governors of the state have verifiable educational background unlike Governor Dapo Abiodun whose educational background is enmeshed in controversies.

In 2015, Abiodun claimed he graduated from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. However, in 2019, he said he did not graduate from the same institution.
“If discipline and dogged determination had a face, it would be Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Barrister Biyi Otegbeye. The two have shown levels of resilience, courage and persistence in their political career.

“Without doubt, Amosun has shown a great level of courage and conviction in aligning with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s unity agenda. Since Otegbeye’s ADC party recently suspended and expelled its Presidential Candidate, this move has given Otegbeye a reason to show a total support for Tinubu just as Amosu. The three chords are complete with Tinubu in the centre: Tinubu, Amosun and Otegbeye”, Adebajo noted.
Comparing the harmony between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with that of Amosun and Otegbeye, the ADC chieftain said in them Ogun people have found men of honour.

“The way Osinbajo and Buhari have managed their faith devoid of religious rancour can be likened to the chord that binds Amosun and Otegbeye. The former are bound by unity of faith. Same value system also binds Amosun and Otegbeye, irrespective of their actual stance. Their synergy is dynamic in its diversity.

“The good people of Ogun state have found favour in the sight of God with the gift of Asiwaju, Amosun and Otegbeye, an alliance that will become political thematic for further studies. These patriots are genuine loyalists: their commitment to people and to a good cause does not depend on favours or benefits. Amosun’s support for Otegbeye is solely because he has seen what others have not seen: a fertile land who is ready to serve the people of Ogun state. This coalition and affinity are examples of unity of purpose.

“This unexpected decision is still causing some uproar in Ogun State, owing from Amosun’s known affection for Adekunle Akinlade. Since the latter defected to PDP and Amosun decided to take his hands off the political wheels of Akinlade and people began reflecting on the connecting dot between Amosun and Otegbeye, the glaring similarities between these two no doubt, must have led to this unanticipated political marriage”, Adebajo concluded.

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Nigeria’s Debt Service Ratio Falls To 65% As Tinubu Tackles Economic Woes

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In an effort to reduce Nigeria’s debt burden and stabilize the economy, President Bola Tinubu announced on Monday that the country’s debt service-to-revenue ratio has fallen from 97 to 65 percent over the 17 months since he took office.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for seven new ministers at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the government’s progress in stabilizing the economy despite challenging conditions.

READ MORE: Ibadan Man On Why He Used 76 Women For Ritual, Ate Others

“For us, it was a challenge when the nation was servicing its debt with 97 percent of its revenue. It was nothing but the edge of the cliff,” Tinubu said.

“But today, I can report to you that we have brought that down to 65 percent, and we have never defaulted in meeting all obligations, both foreign and domestic.”

His remarks follow Afreximbank’s recent projection that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio could reach 110.4 percent by 2024.

Afreximbank’s 2024 Nigeria Country Brief warned of a troubling upward trend in debt servicing, which could see the ratio surge from 33.8 percent in 2017 to a projected 110.4 percent next year.

However, with continued reforms, the report suggested the ratio might decline to 62.6 percent by 2025.

In the first nine months of 2023, debt servicing consumed 66.9 percent (₦5.79 trillion) of Nigeria’s total revenue, a slight improvement from 99.3 percent (₦4.23 trillion) during the same period in 2022.

Tinubu, while optimistic about economic recovery, acknowledged the ongoing struggles faced by Nigerians due to a sharp increase in the cost of living triggered by recent economic reforms.

“We have taken the bull by the horns,” the President asserted. “We have stopped the scavengers. We will fully put an end to the profiteers and smugglers of our resources across the country. We are not shirking our responsibility; we are confronting it head-on.”

He further expressed confidence that Nigeria was on a “good path” toward recovery, emphasizing that the government remains committed to re-engineering the economy.

He cited the introduction of a new minimum wage as one measure aimed at mitigating rising living costs.

Monday’s ceremony also saw the swearing-in of seven new ministers, part of a recent cabinet reshuffle.

In two batches, ministers including Idi Maiha (Livestock Development) and Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade, and Investment) took their oaths.

The reshuffle, which saw 10 ministers reassigned, five discharged, and seven new appointments confirmed by the Senate, reflects Tinubu’s stated commitment to reshaping his cabinet to meet Nigeria’s evolving challenges.

As the administration continues to implement reforms, President Tinubu emphasized a long-term vision for economic sustainability, not only for the current generation but also for future ones.

“Despite the challenges, we must undertake the job of re-engineering and retooling this country’s economic path,” he said.

 

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Edo Deputy Gov, Omobayo Ordered To Court Over Refusal To Vacate Office

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has mandated that Godwins Omobayo, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, appear in person on November 26, 2024, following allegations of contempt of court stemming from his failure to comply with a previous ruling.

Justice James Omotosho issued the order on Monday, asserting that Omobayo, described as the alleged contemnor, must be afforded a fair hearing in accordance with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

READ MORE: Bobrisky Flees Nigeria Amid Legal Turmoil

The court action was initiated by Philip Shaibu, who was reinstated as Deputy Governor after the court invalidated his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly on July 17.

Justice Omotosho ruled that the impeachment proceedings lacked due process and that the grounds for Shaibu’s removal did not constitute gross misconduct.

Shaibu’s suit targets several parties, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Edo State House of Assembly, seeking enforcement of the court’s judgment and demanding that Omobayo vacate the deputy governorship position.

Omobayo assumed office on April 8, following Shaibu’s impeachment.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Omobayo was served legal documents but failed to appear.

In response, Shaibu’s attorney, Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, urged the court to compel Omobayo’s attendance, citing the need to uphold judicial authority.

In delivering his ruling, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until November 26 for further proceedings.

He directed that hearing notices be served to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th defendants involved in the charge.

“In the interest of justice and to provide the alleged contemnor with an opportunity to defend himself and receive a fair hearing, in accordance with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I hereby order that the alleged contemnor appear in court in person on November 26, 2024,” the judge stated.

It is noteworthy that the current tenure of the state government is set to conclude on November 12.

 

 

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Presidency Fires Back At Atiku

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On the heels of the salvo fired by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, signalling what might be a long-drawn hot exchange of words, the Presidency has made what it called ‘our initial response to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’.

This was contained in a statement put out on micro-blogging site, X, Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga.

The former vice president had detailed the shortcomings of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, making efforts to detail what he would have done differently, that would have better results for Nigeria.

In a swift response, the Presidency countered that Atiku and his ideas “were rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 poll”, based on his antecedents.

The statement reads, “OUR INITIAL RESPONSE TO ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR

“We have just read a statement credited to former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in which he tried to discredit  President Bola Tinubu’s economic reform programmes while pushing his untested agenda as a better alternative.

“First, Alhaji Atiku’s ideas, which lacked details,  were rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 poll.

“If he had won the election, we believe he would have plunged Nigeria into a worse situation or run a regime of cronyism.

“Abubakar lost the election partly because he vowed to sell the NNPC and other assets to his friends.  Nigerians have not forgotten this, nor would they be comforted by Atiku’s antecedents when he ran the economy in the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government between 1999 and 2003.

“As vice president, Atiku supervised a questionable privatisation programme. He and his boss demonstrated a lack of faith in our educational system, and both went to establish their universities while they allowed ours to flounder.

“Talk is cheap. It is easy to pontificate and deride a rival’s programmes even when there are irrefutable indices that the economic reforms yield positives despite the temporary difficulties.

“Despite the futile attempt to hoodwink Nigerians again in his statement, it is gratifying that the former Vice President could not repudiate the economic reforms pursued by the Tinubu administration because they are the right things to do.

“His advocacy for a gradualist approach only showed that he was not in tune with the enormity of problems inherited by President Tinubu.

“It is so easy to paint a flowery to-do list. It is expected of an election loser.

“President Tinubu met a country facing several grave challenges. Fuel subsidies were siphoning away enormous resources we could ill afford, and there was criminal arbitrage in the forex market.

“No leader worth his name will allow these two economic disorders to persist without moving to end them surgically.

“While advocating for gradual reforms may sound appealing, Tinubu took measures that should have been taken decades ago by Alhaji Abubakar and his boss when they had the opportunity.

“Alhaji Abubakar calls for empathy and a human face to reforms. We have no problem with this as it resonates well with our administration’s focus. President Tinubu has consistently emphasised the need for compassion and protection of the most vulnerable.

“The administration has prioritised social safety nets and targeted support for those affected by recent economic transitions.”

 

 

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