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Edo Guber: I Didn’t Approve Any Protest At Party Secretariat, Says Labour Party Aspirant Olumide Akpata
Edo State Labour party governorship Aspirant, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata has debunked rumours accusing him of initiating the protest which took place on Sunday at the Labour party state secretariat in the state capital.
In a statement released on Monday, Akpata said the rumours are baseless, false and ridiculous.
“It has come to my attention that there was a protest on Sunday, Sunday, 4th February 2024, at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Benin City, Edo State, which allegedly turned violent. I want to clearly and unequivocally state that I have absolutely no knowledge of this protest, nor have I sanctioned or approved it in any way. The baseless rumours and insinuations that have been mischievously circulated that these protesters are carrying out my bidding are totally false, unfounded, and quite frankly ridiculous.
He also said the rumours emanated from certain quarters within and outside the party who are against his quest to be the party’s flagbearer.
“As a loyal, dedicated member of the Labour Party who has invested significant time, energy, and resources towards building and strengthening the Party across Edo State since I joined, it is both laughable and utterly despicable that I would be linked to any kind of violent protest at the Party’s secretariat. It is very likely that these bogus allegations and rumours are emanating from certain quarters within and even outside the Labour Party that are opposed to my emerging as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial flagbearer in the upcoming February 22, 2024, primary elections.
“In their desperation, they have resorted to underhanded tactics and smear campaigns to undermine my widespread credibility, acceptability, and support base within and outside the Party in Edo State and across the country. Amusingly, this is quite similar to an earlier campaign of calumny that sought to link me to acts of violence meted out against a former National Youth Leader of the Party in Benin City. This is yet another ludicrous attempt to unjustly give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
“I want to categorically state that I, my campaign organisation, supporters, and well-wishers do not engage in, encourage, or sanction any kind of violence or unwholesome conduct. These puerile allegations are the products of malicious minds that are aimed at unfairly and irreparably tarnishing my hard-earned reputation, image, and rising popularity as a foremost gubernatorial aspirant of choice within the Labour Party in Edo State.
“The good and discerning people of Edo State and Nigerians at large know what I stand for. They know my antecedents and that my track record is one of integrity, maturity, and excellence. As such, these attempts to unjustly smear my character by linking me to acts I have no knowledge of or involvement in will certainly fail.
“As a lawyer of more than 30 years, I fully understand that peaceful protest is the fundamental right of every Nigerian citizen, guaranteed by the constitution and upheld by the courts of the land. Law-abiding citizens have a right to freely associate and to protest, provided that this is done peacefully and legally without threatening lives or property.
“However, if any person has acted unlawfully in the course of this alleged protest, I strongly urge that they be promptly reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and possible prosecution as provided by our laws.
“In conclusion, I once again reject all insinuations and rumours linking me or my supporters to this purported protest. I remain focused and steadfast in pursuit of my gubernatorial aspirations in a lawful and peaceful manner, upholding the principles of tolerance and justice.
“I have confidence in the discerning wisdom of members of the Labour Party, Edo people, and indeed Nigerians to reject all forms of violence, propaganda, and deceit. United in our diversity, we shall build a greater Edo State.”
Comfort Emmanson, a passenger who allegedly assaulted airline staff aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, has been formally charged and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.
The update was shared by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. He made the disclosure in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over unruly behavior at Nigerian airports. The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recently announced plans to intensify enforcement, warning that such actions will become more frequent due to the rise in disruptive passenger conduct.
This development follows a separate incident involving Fuji music icon King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (popularly known as KWAM 1), who reportedly tried to stop a ValueJet flight from departing after he was deboarded.
News
Kogi Civil Servant Lauds Ododo, urges action on pending requests
Governor Ododo’s visionary leadership has been a game-changer for Kogi State, and his commitment to transforming the civil service is evident in the progress made so far.
By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Kogi State Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Barr. Muhammed Musa Tanko, called on the State’s Governor, Aljaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, to approve pending requests that would further boost the morale of civil servants in the state.
Barr Tanko made the call today during a momentous occasion marking the Civil Service Week.
Barr Tanko acknowledged that under Governor Ododo’s leadership, Kogi State has made significant strides in transforming the civil service.
He cited a few examples of the progress made so far to include digital transformation, implementation of the National Minimum Wage, payment of salaries and leave bonuses, and gazetting of the Kogi State Vigilante Service personnel into the state civil service.
The state government has also established the Kogi State ICT Development Agency, headed by a Director-General, Dr. Bashir Tenuche, to drive digital innovation and development.
However, the chairman acknowledged that challenges persist in every system.
Issues of capacity, resource constraints, and bureaucratic bottlenecks are some of the challenges that need to be addressed.
Moreover, retirement from service is creating a vacuum that threatens to disrupt operations, and a robust succession plan is needed to mitigate this risk.
Barr. Tanko humbly called on His Excellency to look at the following requests with penetrating idea of clarity and approve them.
These include pending promotions for deserving and qualified civil servants in respect of years 2023, 2024, and 2025, training for MDAs in compliance with global best practices, training for the Comptroller-General and management team of the Kogi State Vigilante Service, and recruitment of staff to bridge the gap between junior and senior staff.
Governor Ododo’s visionary leadership has been a game-changer for Kogi State, and his commitment to transforming the civil service is evident in the progress made so far.
With these requests approved, the state civil service is poised to achieve even greater heights, and the people of Kogi State will reap the benefits of good governance.
As the civil servants of Kogi State celebrate this week, they do so with hope and optimism for a brighter future.
With the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the dedication of the civil servants, Kogi State is set to achieve greatness. God bless His Excellency, God bless the Head of Civil Service, Pastor Elijah Adeiza Evinemi, CFA, PhD., and God bless the civil servants of Kogi State!
News
LASPA and LASBACA Seal BetterMart Supermarket Ajah Lagos
The facility manager and the workers were wisked off by the agencies.
•Rowdy scene of LASPA Enforcement officers seal Better Mart/ Ohibaba.com
Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) and its sister agency, Lagos State Building Control Authority , on Monday at 11.45am , swoop down and sealed Better Mart, a supermarket on Badore road, Ajah , Lagos; claiming regulatory infractions.
The facility manager and the workers were wisked off by the agencies.
Ohibaba.com scoops that the property ,owned by a business woman was purchased at the cost of over N170 million, then refurbished.
One of the agencies enforcement officer prattled that the owner of the supermarket had been invited to their office Alausa, Ikeja, adding that she will likely pay N20 million as regulatory infraction before they unseal the property.
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